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diff --git a/old/13225-h/13225-h.htm b/old/13225-h/13225-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b87d0b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13225-h/13225-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,22742 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Voyages and Travels Volume 6</title> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +<!-- +body {background: #ffffcc; margin:10%; text-align:justify} +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {color:green; text-align:center} +blockquote {font-size: .9em} +p.poem {text-align:center} +p.external {font-weight: bold} +--> +</style> +</head> +<body> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of Voyages +and Travels, Volume VI, by Robert Kerr + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume VI + Early English Voyages Of Discovery To America + +Author: Robert Kerr + +Release Date: August 19, 2004 [EBook #13225] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENERAL HISTORY, VI. *** + + +Produced by Robert Connal, Graeme Mackreth and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. This file was produced from images generously made +available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions. + +</pre> + +<h2>A</h2> + +<h2>GENERAL</h2> + +<h2>HISTORY AND COLLECTION</h2> + +<h2>OF</h2> + +<h1>VOYAGES AND TRAVELS,</h1> + +<h2>ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER:</h2> + +<h2>FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS</h2> + +<h2>OF NAVIGATION, DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE,</h2> + +<h2>BY SEA AND LAND,</h2> + +<h2>FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE PRESENT TIME.</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2>BY</h2> + +<h2>ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN.</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2>ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS.</h2> + +<h2>VOL. VI.</h2> + +<h3>WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH:</h3> + +<h3>AND T. CADELL, LONDON.</h3> + +<h3>MDCCCXXIV.</h3> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<h2>CONTENTS OF VOLUME VI.</h2> + +<p><a href="#part2"><b>PART II.--(Continued.)</b></a></p> + +<p><a href="#book2-2"><b>BOOK II.--(Continued.)</b></a></p> + +<p><b>HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE +EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD.</b></p> + +<p><a href="#chapter2-11"><b><i>CHAPTER XI.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>Early English voyages of discovery to America. +Introduction.</p> + +<p>SECTION I. Discovery of Newfoundland by John and Sebastian +Cabot in 1497, in the service of Henry VII. of England.</p> + +<p>SECTION II. Discourse by Galeacius Butrigarius, Papal Legate +in Spain, respecting the Discoveries in America, by Sebastian +Cabot.</p> + +<p>SECTION III. Notice concerning Sebastian Cabot by Ramusio, in +the Preface to the third Volume of his Navigations.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV. Notice respecting the voyage of Sebastian Cabot to +the north-west, from Peter Martyr ab Angleria.</p> + +<p>SECTION V. Testimony of Francisco Lopez de Gomara, concerning +the discoveries of Sebastian Cabota.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI. Note respecting the discoveries of Sebastian +Cabot; from the latter part of Fabians Chronicle.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII. Brief notice of the discovery of Newfoundland, by +Mr Robert Thorne.</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII. Grant by Edward VI. of a Pension and the Office +of Grand Pilot of England to Sebastian Cabot.</p> + +<p>SECTION IX. Voyage of Sir Thomas Pert and Sebastian Cabot +about the year 1516, to Brazil, St Domingo, and Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>SECTION X. Brief note of a voyage by Thomas Tison to the West +Indies, before the year 1526.</p> + +<p><a href="#chapter2-12"><b><i>CHAPTER XII.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>The Voyages of Jacques Cartier from St Maloes to Newfoundland +and Canada, in the years 1534 and 1535.</p> + +<p>Introduction.</p> + +<p>SECTION I. The first voyage of Jacques Cartier to Newfoundland +and Canada, in 1534.</p> + +<p>SECTION II. The second voyage of Jacques Cartier, to Canada, +Hochelega, Saguenay, and other lands now called New France; with +the Manners and Customs of the Natives.</p> + +<p>SECTION III. Wintering of Jacques Cartier in Canada in 1536, +and return to France in 1537.</p> + +<p><a href="#book2-3"><b>BOOK III.</b></a></p> + +<p><b>CONTINUATION OF THE DISCOVERIES AND CONQUESTS OF THE +PORTUGUESE IN THE EAST; TOGETHER WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY +VOYAGES OF OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS TO INDIA.</b></p> + +<p><a href="#chapter3-1"><b><i>CHAPTER I.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>Discoveries, Navigations, and Conquests of the Portuguese in +India, from 1505 to 1539, both inclusive, resumed from Book I. of +this Part.</p> + +<p>SECTION I. Course of the Indian Trade before the Discovery of +the Route by the Cape of Good Hope, with some account of the +settlement of the Arabs on the East Coast of Africa.</p> + +<p>SECTION II. Voyage of Don Francisco de Almeyda from Lisbon to +India, in quality of Viceroy, with an account of some of his +transactions on the Eastern coast of Africa and Malabar.</p> + +<p>SECTION III. Some Account of the state of India at the +beginning of the sixteenth Century, and commencement of the +Portuguese Conquests.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV. Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in +India, during the Viceroyalty of Almeyda.</p> + +<p>SECTION V. Transactions of the Portuguese in India under the +Government of Don Alfonso de Albuquerque, from the end of 1509, +to the year 1515.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI. Portuguese Transactions in India, under several +governors, from the close of 1515, to the year 1526.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII. Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in +India; from 1526 to 1538.</p> + +<p><a href="#chapter3-2"><b><i>CHAPTER II.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>Particular Relation of the Expedition of Solyman Pacha from +Suez to India against the Portuguese at Diu, written by a +Venetian Officer who was pressed into the Turkish Service on that +occasion. Introduction.</p> + +<p>SECTION I. The Venetian Merchants and Mariners at Alexandria +are pressed into the Turkish service, and sent to Suez. +Description of that place. Two thousand men desert from the +Gallies. Tor. Island of Soridan Port of Kor.</p> + +<p>SECTION II. Arrival at Jiddah, the Port of Mecca. The islands +of Alfas, Kamaran, and Tuiche. The Straits of Bab-al-Mandub.</p> + +<p>SECTION III. Arrival at Aden, where the Sheikh and four others +are hanged. Sequel of the Voyage to Diu.</p> + +<p><a href="#chapter3-3"><b><i>CHAPTER III.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>SECTION IV. The Castle of Diu is besieged by the Moors. The +Turks plunder the City, and the Indian Generals withdraw in +resentment. The Pacha lands. A man 300 years old. Women burn +themselves. The Fleet removes.</p> + +<p>SECTION V. A Bulwark Surrenders to the Turks, who make +Galley-slaves of the Portuguese Garrison; with several other +incidents of the siege.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI. Farther particulars of the siege, to the retreat +of the Turks, and the commencement of their Voyage back to +Suez.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII. Continuation of the Voyage back to Suez, from the +Portuguese factory at Aser, to Khamaran and Kubit Sharif.</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII. Transactions of the Pacha at Zabid, and +continuation of the Voyage from Kubit Sarif.</p> + +<p>SECTION IX. Continuation of the Voyage to Suez, along the +Arabian Shore of the Red Sea.</p> + +<p>SECTION X. Conclusion of the Voyage to Suez, and return of the +Venetians to Cairo.</p> + +<p><a href="#chapter3-3"><b><i>CHAPTER III.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>The Voyage of Don Stefano de Gama from Goa to Suez, in 1540, +with the intention of Burning the Turkish Gallies at that port. +Written by Don Juan de Castro, then a Captain in the Fleet; +afterwards governor-general of Portuguese India.</p> + +<p>Introduction.</p> + +<p>SECTION I. Portuguese Transactions in India, from the Siege of +Diu by the Turks, to the Expedition of Don Stefano de Gama to +Suez.</p> + +<p>SECTION II. Journal of the Voyage from Goa to the Straits of +Bab-el-Mandub.</p> + +<p>SECTION III. Continuation of the Voyage, from the Straits of +Bab-el-Mandub to Massua.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV. Digression respecting the History, Customs, and +State of Abyssinia.</p> + +<p>SECTION V. Continuation of the Journal of De Castro from +Massua to Swakem.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI. Continuation of the Voyage from Swakem to +Comol.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII. Continuation of the Voyage from the Harbour of +Comol to Toro or Al Tor.</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII. Continuation of the Voyage from Toro or Al Tor +to Suez.</p> + +<p>SECTION IX. Return Voyage from Suez to Massua.</p> + +<p>SECTION X. Return of the Expedition from Massua to India.</p> + +<p>SECTION XI. Description of the Sea of Kolzum, otherwise called +the Arabian Gulf, or the Red Sea. Extracted from the Geography of +Abulfeda.</p> + +<p>POSTSCRIPT.--Transactions of the Portuguese in Abyssinia, +under Don Christopher de Gama.</p> + +<p><a href="#chapter3-4"><b><i>CHAPTER IV.</i></b></a></p> + +<p>Continuation of the Portuguese transactions in India, after +the return of Don Stefano de Gama from Suez in 1541, to the +Reduction of Portugal under the Dominion of Spain in 1581.</p> + +<p>SECTION I. Incidents during the Government of India by Don +Stefano de Gama, subsequent to his Expedition to the Red Sea.</p> + +<p>SECTION II. Exploits of Antonio de Faria y Sousa in Eastern +India.</p> + +<p>SECTION III. Transactions during the Government of Martin +Alfonso de Sousa, from 1542 to 1543.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV. Government of India by Don Juan de Castro, from +1545 to 1548.</p> + +<p>SECTION V. Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from 1545 +to 1564, under several Governors.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI. Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in +India, from 1564 to the year 1571.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII. Portuguese Transactions in India from 1571 to +1576.</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII. Transactions of the Portuguese in Monomotapa, +from 1569 to the end of that separate government.</p> + +<p>SECTION IX. Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in +India, from 1576 to 1581; when the Crown of Portugal was usurped +by Philip II. of Spain on the Death of the Cardinal King +Henry.</p> + +<p>SECTION X. Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from 1581 +to 1597.</p> + +<p>SECTION XI. Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in +India, from 1597 to 1612.</p> + +<p>SECTION XII. Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions, from +1512 to 1517.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<h2>A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2><a name="part2" id="part2">PART II.--Continued</a></h2> + +<h2><a name="book2-2" id="book2-2">BOOK II.--Continued.</a></h2> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p><b>HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, AND OF SOME OF THE +EARLY CONQUESTS IN THE NEW WORLD.</b></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter2-11" id="chapter2-11">CHAPTER XI.</a></h2> + +<p><b>EARLY ENGLISH VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY TO AMERICA.</b></p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>Although we have already, in the Introduction to the +<i>Second</i> Chapter of this Book, Vol. III. p. 346. given some +notices of the voyages of John and Sebastian Cabot to America in +the service of Henry VII. and VIII. it appears proper on the +present occasion to insert a full report of every thing that is +now known of these early navigations: As, although no immediate +fruits were derived from these voyages, England by their means +became second only to Spain in the discovery of America, and +afterwards became second likewise in point of colonization in the +New World. The establishments of the several English colonies +will be resumed in a subsequent division of our arrangement.</p> + +<p>It has been already mentioned that Columbus, on leaving +Portugal to offer his services to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain +for the discovery of the Indies by a western course through the +Atlantic, sent his brother Bartholomew to make a similar offer to +Henry VII. King of England, lest his proposals might not have +been listened to by the court of Spain. Bartholomew, as has been +formerly related, was taken by pirates; and on his arrival in +England was forced to procure the means of living, and of +enabling himself to appear before the king, by the construction +and sale of sea-charts and maps, in which he had been instructed +by his brother. Owing to this long delay, when he at length +presented himself to King Henry, and had even procured the +acceptance of his brothers proposals, so much time had been lost +that Isabella queen of Castille had already entered into the +views of his illustrious brother, who had sailed on his second +voyage to the West Indies, while Bartholomew was on his journey +through France to announce to him that Henry King of England had +agreed to his proposals.</p> + +<p>The fame of the astonishing discovery made by Columbus in +1591, soon spread throughout Europe; and only four years +afterwards, or in 1595, a patent was granted by Henry VII. to +John Cabot, or Giovani Cabota, a Venetian citizen, then resident +in England, and his three sons, Lewis, Sebastian, and Sancius, +and their heirs and deputies, to sail to all parts countries and +seas of the east west and north, at their own cost and charges, +with five ships; to seek out discover and find whatsoever +islands, countries, regions, or provinces belonging to the +heathen and infidels, were hitherto unknown to Christians, and to +subdue, occupy, and possess all such towns, cities, castles, and +islands as they might be able; setting up the royal banners and +ensigns in the same, and to command over them as vassals and +lieutenants of the crown of England, to which was reserved the +rule, title, and jurisdiction of the same. In this grant Cabot +and his sons, with their heirs and deputies, were bound to bring +all the fruits, profits, gains, and commodities acquired in their +voyages to the port of Bristol; and, having deducted from the +proceeds all manner of necessary costs and charges by them +expanded, to pay to the king in wares or money the fifth part of +the free gain so made, in lieu of all customs of other dues; of +importation on the same. By these letters patent; dated at +Westminster on the 5th of March in the eleventh year of Henry +VII. all the other subjects of England are prohibited from +visiting or frequenting any of the continents, islands, villages, +towns, castles, or places which might be discovered by John +Cabot, his sons, heirs, or deputies, under forfeiture of their +ships and goods[1].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 1: Hakluyt, III. 26.]</blockquote> + +<p>No journal or relation remains of the voyages of Cabot and his +sons in consequence of this grant, and we are reduced to a few +scanty memorials concerning them; contained in the third volume +of <i>Hakluyt's Collection of the Early Voyages, Travels, and +Discoveries of the English Nation</i>. We quote from the new +edition, <i>with additions</i>, published at London in 1810.</p> + +<p>Two years after the before-mentioned letters patent, or on the +18th of February 1497, a licence was granted by the same king of +England, Henry VII. to John Cabot, to take six English ships in +any haven or havens of England, being of 200 tons burden or +under, with all necessary furniture; and to take also into the +said ships all such masters, mariners, or other subjects of the +king as might be willing to engage with him.</p> + +<p>It would appear that the patent of 1495 had never been acted +upon; but in consequence of this new licence, John Cabot and his +son Sebastian proceeded from the port of Bristol and discovered +an island somewhere on the coast of America to which they gave +the name of <i>Prima Vista</i>, probably the island of +Newfoundland. The short account of this voyage of discovery left +to us by Hakluyt, is said to have been inserted in Latin on a map +constructed by Sebastian Cabot, concerning his discovery in +America, then called the West Indies; which map, engraved by +Clement Adams, was to be seen in the time of Hakluyt in the +private gallery of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster, and in the +possession of many of the principal merchants in London. This +memorandum, translated into English, is as follows[2].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 2: Id. III. 27.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION I.</p> + +<p><i>Discovery of Newfoundland by John and Sebastian Cabot in +1497, in the service of Henry VII. of England.</i></p> + +<p>"In the year 1497, John Cabot a Venetian and his son +Sebastian, discovered on the 24th of June, about five in the +morning, that land to which no person had before ventured to +sail, which they named <i>Prima Vista</i>[3], or, +<i>first-seen</i>, because as I believe it was the first part +seen by them from the sea. The island which is opposite[4] he +named St Johns Island, because discovered on the day of St John +the Baptist. The inhabitants of this island use the skins and +furs of wild beasts for garments, which they hold in as high +estimation as we do our finest clothes. In war they use bows and +arrows, spears, darts, clubs, and slings. The soil is sterile and +yields no useful production; but it abounds in white bears and +deer much larger than ours. Its coasts produce vast quantities of +large fish, among which are <i>great seals</i>, salmons, soles +above a yard in length, and prodigious quantities especially of +cod, which are commonly called <i>bacallaos</i>[5]. The hawks, +partridges, and eagles of this island are all black."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 3: Presuming that this discovery was +Newfoundland, a name nearly of the same import, perhaps the land +first seen was what is now called Cape Bonavista, in lat. 48° +50' N. long. 62° 32' W. from London. In the text, there is +every reason to believe that it is meant to indicate, that Cabot +named the island he discovered St Johns, and only the first seen +point of land Prima-Vista.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 4: By this phrase is probably to be +understood, the island behind this first-seen cape named +<i>Prima-Vista</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 5: <i>Vulgari Sermoni</i>, is translated by +Hakluyt, <i>in the language of the savages</i>; but we have given +it a different sense in the text, that used by Hakluyt having no +sufficient warrant in the original.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Besides the foregoing memorandum on the ancient map, Hakluyt +gives the following testimonies respecting the discovery of the +northern part of America, by Cabot.</p> + +<p>SECTION II.</p> + +<p><i>Discourse by Galeacius Butrigarius, Papal Legate in Spain, +respecting the Discoveries in America, by Sebastian +Cabot</i>[6].</p> + +<p>Do you know how to sail for the Indies towards the northwest, +as has been lately done by a Venetian citizen, a valiant man and +so learned in all things pertaining to navigation and +cosmography, that no one is permitted to sail as pilot to the +West Indies who has not received his licence, he being +pilot-major of Spain? This person, who resides in the city of +Seville, is Sebastian Cabot, a native of Venice, who is most +expert in these sciences, and makes excellent sea-charts with his +own-hands. Having sought his acquaintance, he entertained us in a +friendly manner, showing us many things, and among these a large +map of the world containing sundry navigations, both those of the +Spaniards and Portuguese. On this occasion he gave us the +following information.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 6: Hakluyt, III. 27. from the second volume +of Ramusio.]</blockquote> + +<p>His father went many years since from Venice to England, where +he followed the profession of a merchant, taking this person his +son along with him to London, then very young, yet having +received some tincture of learning, and some knowledge of the +sphere. His father died about the time when news was spread +abroad that Don Christopher Columbus, the Genoese, had discovered +the coasts of the Indies by sailing towards the west, which was +much admired and talked of at the court of King Henry VII. then +reigning in England, so that every one affirmed that it was more +attributable to divine inspiration than human wisdom, to have +thus sailed by the west unto the east, where spices grow, by a +way never known before. By these discourses the young man, +Sebastian Cabot, was strongly incited to perform some notable and +similar action; and conceiving by the study of the sphere that it +would be a shorter route for going to India, than that attempted +by Columbus, to sail by the north-west, he caused the king to be +informed thereof, who accordingly gave orders that he should be +furnished with two ships, properly provided in all things for the +voyage. He sailed with these from England in the beginning of +summer 1496, if I rightly remember, shaping his course to the +north-west, not expecting to find any other land intervening +between and Cathay or Northern China. He was much disappointed by +falling in with land running toward the north, the coast of which +he sailed along to the lat. of 56° N. and found it still a +continent. Finding the coast now, to turn towards the east, and +despairing to find the passage to India and Cathay of which he +was in search, he turned again and sailed down the coast towards +the equinoctial line, always endeavouring to find a passage +westwards for India, and came at length to that part of the +continent which is now called Florida[7]. And his victuals +running short, he bore away for England; where he found the +country in confusion preparing for war with Scotland, so that no +farther attention was paid to his proposed discoveries.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 7: Florida is here to be taken in the +extended sense as at first applied to the whole eastern coast of +North America, to the north of the Gulf of Mexico. The +commencement of this voyage appears to have been in search of a +north-west passage; but Sebastian must have gone far above +56° N. to find the land trending eastwards: He was probably +repelled by ice and cold weather.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>He went afterwards into Spain, where he was taken into the +service of Ferdinand and Isabella, who furnished him with ships +at their expence, in which he went to discover the coast of +Brazil, where he found a prodigiously large river, now called the +<i>Rio de la Plata</i>, or Silver River, up which he sailed above +120 leagues, finding every where a good country, inhabited by +prodigious numbers of people, who flocked from every quarter to +view the ships with wonder and admiration. Into this great river +a prodigious number of other rivers discharged their waters. +After this he made many other voyages; and waxing old, rested at +home discharging the office of chief pilot, and leaving the +prosecution of discovery to many young and active pilots of good +experience.</p> + +<p>SECTION III.</p> + +<p><i>Notice concerning Sebastian Cabot by Ramusio, in the +Preface to the third Volume of his Navigations.</i>[8]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 8: Hakluyt, III. 28.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the latter part of this volume are contained certain +relations of Giovani de Varanzana of Florence, of a certain +celebrated French navigator, and of two voyages by Jacques +Cartier a Breton, who sailed to the land in 50° north +latitude, called New France; it not being yet known whether that +land join with the continent of Florida and New Spain, or whether +they are separated by the sea into distinct islands, so as to +allow of a passage by sea to Cathay and India. This latter was +the opinion of Sebastian Cabota, our countryman, a man of rare +knowledge and experience in navigation, who wrote to me many +years ago, that he had sailed along and beyond this land of New +France in the employment of Henry VII. of England. He informed me +that, having sailed a long way to the north-west, beyond these +lands, to the lat. of 67-1/2° N. and finding the sea on the +11th of June entirely open and without impediment, he fully +expected to have passed on that way to Cathay in the east; and +would certainly have succeeded, but was constrained by a mutiny +of the master and mariners to return homewards. But it would +appear that the Almighty still reserves this great enterprise of +discovering the route to Cathay by the north-west to some great +prince, which were the easiest and shortest passage by which to +bring the spiceries of India to Europe. Surely this enterprise +would be me most glorious and most important that can possibly he +imagined, and would immortalize him who succeeded in its +accomplishment far beyond any of those warlike exploits by which +the Christian nations of Europe are perpetually harassed.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV.</p> + +<p><i>Notices respecting the voyage of Sebastian Cabot to the +northwest, from Peter Martyr ab Algeria</i>[9].</p> + +<p>These northern seas have been searched by Sebastian Cabot, a +Venetian, who was carried when very young to England by his +parents, who, after the manner of the Venetians, left no part of +the world unsearched to obtain riches. Having fitted out two +ships in England at his own expence, with three hundred men, he +first directed his course so near the north pole, that on the +11th of July he found monstrous heaps of ice swimming in the sea, +and a continual day, so that the land was free from ice, having +been thawed by the perpetual influence of the sun. By reason of +this ice he was compelled to turn southwards along the western +land, till he came unto the latitude of the Straits of +Gibraltar[10]. In the course of this north-west voyage he got so +far to the west as to have the island of Cuba on his left hand, +having reached to the same longitude[11]. While sailing along the +coast of this great land, which he called <i>Baccalaos</i>[12], +he found a similar current of the sea towards the west[13] as had +been observed by the Spaniards in their more southerly +navigations, but more softly and gently than had been experienced +by the Spaniards. Hence it may be certainly concluded that in +both places, though hitherto unknown, there must be certain great +open spaces by which the waters thus continually pass from the +east to the west; which waters I suppose to be continually driven +round the globe by the constant motion and impulse of the +heavens, and not to be alternately swallowed and cast up again by +the breathing of Demogorgon, as some have imagined on purpose to +explain the ebb and flow of the sea. Sebastian Cabot himself +named these lands <i>Baccalaos</i>, because he found in the seas +thereabout such multitudes of certain large fishes like tunnies, +called <i>baccalaos</i> by the natives, that they sometimes +stayed his ships. He found also the people of these regions +clothed in the skins of beasts, yet not without the use of +reason. He says also that there are great numbers of bears in +those countries, which feed on fish, and catch them by diving +into the water; and being thus satisfied with abundance of fish, +are not noisome to man. He says likewise that he saw large +quantities of copper among the inhabitants of these regions. +Cabot is my dear and familiar friend, whom I delight to have +sometimes in my house. Being called out of England by the +Catholic king of Castille, on the death of Henry VII. of England, +he was made one of the assistants of our council respecting the +affairs of the new found Indies, and waits in daily expectation +of being furnished with ships in which to discover these hidden +secrets of nature.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 9: Hakluyt, III. 29. quoting P. Martyr, +Dec. III. Ch. vi.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 10: The Straits of Gibraltar are in lat. +36° N. which would bring the discovery of the eastern coast +of North America by Cabot, all the way from 67-1/2° N. beyond +Hudsons Bay, to Albemarle Sound on the coast of North +Carolina--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 11: The middle of the island of Cuba is in +long. 80° W. from Greenwich, which would have carried Cabot +into the interior of Hudsons Bay, to which there is no appearance +of his having penetrated, in the slight notices remaining of his +exploratory voyage.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 12: We have before seen that he named the +country which he discovered, the island of St John, and that he +gave the name in this part of the text, <i>baccalaos</i>, to the +fish most abundant in those seas, which we name +cod.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 13: It is probable this applies to the tide +of flood setting into the Gulf of St Lawrence or Hudsons Bay or +both; which led Cabot to expect a passage through the land to the +west--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION V.</p> + +<p><i>Testimony of Francisco Lopez de Gomara, concerning the +discoveries of Sebastian Cabota</i>[14].</p> + +<p>Sebastian Cabota, who came out of England into Spain, brought +most certain information of the country and people of Baccalaos. +Having a great desire to traffic for spices, like the Portuguese, +he fitted out two ships with 300 men, at the cost of Henry VII. +of England, and took the way towards Iceland from beyond the Cape +of Labradore, until he reached the lat. of 58° N. and better. +Even in the month of July, the weather was so cold and the ice in +such quantities, that he durst not proceed any farther. The days +were so long as to have hardly any night, and what little there +was, was very clear. Being unable to proceed farther on account +of the cold, he turned south; and, having refreshed at Baccalaos, +he sailed southwards along the coast to the 38° of +latitude[15], from whence he returned into England.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 14: Hakluyt, III. 30. quoting Gomara, Gen. +Hist. of the W. Indies, Book II. Ch. iv.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 15: By this account the progress of Cabot +to the south along the eastern coast of North America, reached no +farther than coast of Maryland.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION VI.</p> + +<p><i>Note respecting the discoveries of Sebastian Cabot; from +the latter part of Fabians Chronicle</i>[16].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 16: Hakluyt, III. 30. quoting from a MS. in +possession of Mr John Stow, whom he characterizes as a diligent +collector of antiquities.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the 13th year of Henry VII. by means of John Cabot, +Venetian, who was very expert in cosmography and the construction +of sea-charts, that king caused to man and victual a ship at +Bristol, to search for an island which Cabot said he well knew to +be rich and replenished with valuable commodities. In which ship, +manned and victualled at the kings expence, divers merchants of +London adventured small stocks of goods under the charge of the +said Venetian. Along with that ship there went three or four +small vessels from Bristol, laden with slight and coarse goods, +such as coarse cloth, caps, laces, points, and other trifles. +These vessels departed from Bristol in the beginning of May; but +no tidings of them had been received at the time of writing this +portion of the chronicle of Fabian.</p> + +<p>In the 14th year of the king however, three men were brought +from the New-found-Island, who were clothed in the skins of +beasts, did eat raw flesh, and spoke a language which no man +could understand, their demeanour being more like brute beasts +than men. They were kept by the king for some considerable time; +and I saw two of them about two years afterward in the palace of +Westminster, habited like Englishmen, and not to be distinguished +from natives of England, till I was told who they were; but as +for their speech, I did not hear either of them utter a word.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII.</p> + +<p><i>Brief notice of the discovery of Newfoundland, by Mr Robert +Thorne.</i>[17]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 17: Hakluyt, III. 31. quoting a book by Mr +Robert Thorne, addressed to Doctor Leigh.]</blockquote> + +<p>As some diseases are hereditary, so have I inherited an +inclination of discovery from my father, who, with another +merchant of Bristol named Hugh Eliot, were the discoveries of the +Newfoundlands. And, if the mariners had followed the directions +of their pilot, there can be no doubt that the lands of the West +Indies, whence all the gold cometh, had now been ours; as it +appears by the chart that all is one coast.</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII. <i>Grant by Edward VI. of a Pension, and the +Office of Grand Pilot of England to Sebastian Cabot</i>[18]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 18: Hakluyt, id. ib. Supposing Sebastian to +have been sixteen years of age in 1495, when he appears to have +come to England with his father, he must have attained to seventy +years of age at the period of this grant--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Edward the Sixth, by the Grace of God king of England, France, +and Ireland, to all believers in Christ to whom these presents +may come, wisheth health. Know ye, that in consideration of the +good and acceptable service, done and to be done to us by our +well-beloved servant Sebastian Cabot, we of our special grace, +certain knowledge and goodwill, and by the councel and advice of +our most illustrious uncle Edward Duke, of Somerset, governor of +our person, and protector of our kingdoms, dominions, and +subjects, and by advice of the rest of our councillors, have +given and granted, and by these presents give and grant to the +said Sebastian Cabot a certain annuity or yearly revenue of +<i>one hundred and sixty-six pounds, thirteen shilling and +fourpence sterling</i>[19], to have, enjoy, and yearly to receive +during his natural life from our treasury at the receipt of our +exchequer at Westminster, by the hands of our treasurers and +chamberlains for the time being, by equal portions at the +festivals of the annunciation of the blessed virgin, the nativity +of St John the Baptist, of St Michael the Archangel, and the +nativity of our Lord. And farther, as aforesaid, we grant by +these presents so much as the said annuity would amount to from +the feast of St Michael the Archangel last past unto this present +time, to be received by said Sebastian from our foresaid +treasurers and chamberlains in free gift, without account or any +thing else to be yielded, paid or made to us our heirs or +successors for the same. In witness whereof, &c. Done by the +King at Westminster on the 6th of January 1548, in the second +year of his reign.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 19: At the rate of six for one, as +established by the Historian of America for comparing sums of +money between these two periods, this pension was equal to L.1000 +in our time.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION IX.</p> + +<p><i>Voyage of Sir Thomas Pert and Sebastian Cabot about the +year 1516, to Brazil, St Domingo, and Porto Rico</i>.</p> + +<p>That learned and painefull writer Richard Eden, in a certain +epistle of his to the Duke of Northumberland, before a work which +he translated out of Munster in 1553, called <i>A Treatise of New +India</i>, maketh mention of a voyage of discoverie undertaken +out of England by Sir Thomas Pert and Sebastian Cabota, about the +<i>eighth</i> year of Henry VIII. of famous memorie, imputing the +overthrow thereof unto the cowardice and want of stomack of the +said Sir Thomas Pert, in manner following:</p> + +<p>If manly courage, saith he, (like unto that which hath bene +seene and proved in your Grace, as well in forreine realmes, as +also in this our country) had not bene wanting in others in these +our dayes, at such time as our souereigne lord of famous memorie +king Henry VIII. about the same yeere of his raigne, furnished +and sent out certaine shippes under the governance of Sebastian +Cabot yet living, and one Sir Thomas Pert, who was vice-admiral +of England and dweleth in Poplar at Blackwall, whose faint heart +was the cause that the voyage took none effect. If, I say, such +manly courage, whereof we have spoken, had not at that time beene +wanting, it might happily have come to passe, that that rich +treasurie called Perularia, (which is nowe in Spaine in the citie +of Seville, and so named, for that in it is kept the infinite +riches brought thither from the newfoundland kingdom of Peru) +might long since have beene in the tower of London, to the kings +great honour and the wealth of this realme.</p> + +<p>Hereunto that also is to bee referred which the worshipfull Mr +Robert Thorne wrote to the saide king Henry VIII. in the yeere +1527, by Doctor Leigh his ambassador sent into Spaine to the +Emperour Charles V. whose worries bee these:</p> + +<p>Now rest to be discovered the north parts, the which it +seemeth unto me is onely your highnes charge and dutie; because +the situation of this your realme is thereunto neerest and aptest +of all other: and also, for that already you have taken it in +hand. And in mine opinion it will not seeme well to leave so +great and profitable an enterprise, seeing it may so easily and +with so little cost, labour, and danger be followed and obteined. +Though hitherto your grace have made thereof a proofe, and found +not the commoditie thereby as you trusted, at this time it shal +be none impediment: for there may be now provided remedies for +things then lacked, and the inconveniences and lets remooved, +that then were cause your graces desire tooke no full effect: +which is the courses to be changed, and to follow the aforesayd +new courses. And concerning the mariners, ships, and provision, +an order may be devised and taken meete and convenient, much +better than hitherto: by reason whereof, and by Gods grace, no +doubt your purpose shall take effect.</p> + +<p>And where as in the aforesayd wordes Mr Robert Thorne sayth, +that he would have the old courses to bee changed, and the new +courses [to the north] to be followed: It may plainely be +gathered that the former voyage, whereof twise or thrise he +maketh mention, wherein it is like that Sir Thomas Pert and +Sebastian Cabot were set foorth by the king, was made towards +Brazil and the south parts. Moreover it seemeth that Gonzalvo de +Oviedo, a famous Spanish writer, alludeth unto the sayde voyage +in the beginning of the 13. chapter of the 19. booke of his +generall and natural historie of the West Indies, agreeing very +well with the time about which Richard Eden writeth that the +foresayd voyage was begun. The authors wordes are these, as I +finde them translated into Italian by that excellent and famous +man Baptista Ramusio[21].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 21: At this place Hakluyt gives the Italian +of Ramusio; we are satisfied on the present occasion with his +translation.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1517, an English rover under the colour of +travelling to discover, came with a great shippe unto the parts +of Brazill on the coast of the firme land, and from thence he +crossed over unto this island of Hispaniola, and arrived near +unto the mouth of the haven of this citie of San Domingo, and +sent his shipboate full of men on shoare, and demaunded leave to +enter into this haven, saying that hee came with marchandise to +traffique. But at that very instant the governour of the castle, +Francis de Tapia, caused a tire of ordinance to be shot from the +castle at the shippe, for she bare in directly with the haven. +When the Englishmen sawe this, they withdrew themselves out, and +those that were in the shipboate got themselves with all speede +on shipboard. And in trueth the warden of the castle committed an +oversight: for if the shippe had entered into the haven, the men +thereof could not have come on lande without leave both of the +citie and of the castle. Therefore the people of the shippe +seeing how they were received, sayled toward the Island of St +John de Puerto Rico, and entering into the port of St Germaine, +the Englishmen parled with those of the towne, requiring victuals +and things needful to furnish their ship, and complained of the +inhabitants of the city of St Domingo, saying that they came not +to doe any harme, but to trade and traffique for their money and +merchandise. In this place they had certain victuals, and for +recompence they gave and paid them with certain vessels of +wrought tinne and other things. And afterwards they departed +toward Europe, where it is thought they arrived not, for we never +heard any more news of them.</p> + +<p>Thus farre proceedeth Gonzalvo de Oviedo, who though it please +him to call the captain of this great English ship a rover, yet +it appeareth by the Englishmens owne words, that they came to +discover, and by their traffique for pewter vessels and other +wares at the town of St Germaine in the iland of San Juan de +Puerto Rico, it cannot bee denied but they were furnished with +wares for honest traffique and exchange. But whosoever is +conversant in reading the Portugal and Spanish writers of the +East and West Indies, shall commonly finde that they account all +other nations for pirats, rovers and theeves, which visite any +heathen coast that they have once sayled by or looked on. Howbeit +their passionate and ambitious reckoning ought not to bee +prejudiciall to other mens chargeable and painefull enterprises +and honourable travels in discoverie.</p> + +<p>SECTION X.</p> + +<p><i>Brief note of a voyage by Thomas Tison to the West Indies, +before the year 1526[22].</i></p> + +<p>It appears from a certain note or memorandum in the custody of +me Richard Hakluyt, taken out of an old ledger-book formerly +belonging to Mr Nicholas Thorne senior, a respectable merchant of +Bristol, written to his friend and factor Thomas Midnall and his +servant William Ballard, at that time residing at San Lucar in +Andalusia; that before the year 1526, one Thomas Tison an +Englishman had found his way to the West Indies, and resided +there as a secret factor for some English merchants, who traded +thither in an underhand manner in those days. To this person Mr +Nicholas Thorne appears to have sent armour and other articles +which are specified in the memorandum or letter above +mentioned--This Thomas Tison, so far as I can conjecture, appears +to have been a secret factor for Mr Thorne and other English +merchants, to transact for them in these remote parts; whence it +is probable that some of our merchants carried on a kind of trade +to the West Indies even in those ancient times; neither do I see +any reason why the Spaniards should debar us from it now.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 22: Hakluyt, III. 595.]</blockquote> + +<h2><a name="chapter2-12" id="chapter2-12">CHAPTER XII.</a></h2> + +<p><b>THE VOYAGES OF JACQUES CARTIER FROM ST MALOES TO +NEWFOUNDLAND AND CANADA, IN THE YEARS 1534 AND 1535[23].</b></p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION</p> + +<p>These voyages are to be considered as among the early +discoveries of the New World, and are therefore inserted in this +place. The only edition of them which we have been able to +procure, is that which is inserted in the ancient and curious +collection of voyages by Hakluyt, which appears to have been +abridged from the original in French, published at Rouen in 8vo +1598[24]of this voyage, the author of the Bibliotheque des +Voyages gives the following notice. "So early as the year 1518, +the baron <i>De Levi</i> had discovered a portion of Canada, and +Jacques Cartier not only added to this first discovery, but +visited the whole country with the judgment of a person well +instructed in geography and hydrography, as is apparent in the +relation of his voyages; which contain an exact and extended +description of the coasts, harbours, straits, bays, capes, +rivers, and islands which he visited, both in his voyages on the +river St Lawrence, and in his excursions by land into the +interior of Canada. To this day navigators use most of the names +which he affixed to the various parts which he explored with +indefatigable industry." In the present edition, the only freedom +used is reducing the antiquated language of Hakluyt to the modern +standard.----Ed.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 23: Hakluyt, III. 250.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 24: Bibl. Univ. des Voy. VI. +15.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION I.</p> + +<p><i>The first Voyage of Jacques Cartier to Newfoundland and +Canada, in</i> 1534.</p> + +<p>The Chevalier de Mouy lord of Meylleraye and vice-admiral of +France, having administered the oaths of fidelity to the king, +and of obedience to M. Cartier, to the captains, masters, and +mariners of the ships employed in this expedition, we left the +port of St Maloes on the 20th of April 1534, with two ships of 60 +tons, and having sixty-one chosen men. Having prosperous weather, +we reached Newfoundland on the 10th of May, making Cape +<i>Bonavista</i>, in lat. 48° 30' N[25]. Owing to the great +quantities of ice on the coast, we were obliged to go into port +St Catherine [26], which is about five leagues S.S.E. from the +harbour of Cape Bonavista, in which we remained ten days waiting +fair weather, and employed ourselves in repairing and fitting out +our boats.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 25: In our most recent maps Cape Bonavista +is laid down in lat. 48° 58' N.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 26: Named in English charts Catalina +Harbour, in lat. 48° 44' N.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 21st of May we set sail with the wind at west, steering +N. and by E. from Cape Bonavista till we came to the Isle of +Birds, which we found environed by ice, but broken and cracked in +many places. Notwithstanding the ice, our two boats went to the +island to take in some birds, which are there in such incredible +numbers that no one would believe unless he had seen them. The +island is only a league in circuit, and so swarms with birds as +if they had been strewed on purpose; yet an hundred times as many +are to be seen hovering all around. Some of these are black and +white, as large as jays, and having beaks like crows, which lie +always on the sea, as they cannot fly to any height on account of +the smallness of their wings, which are not larger than the half +of ones hand; yet they fly with wonderful swiftness close to the +water. We named these birds <i>Aporath</i>, and found them very +fat. In less than half an hour we filled two boats with them; so +that, besides what we eat fresh, each of our ships salted five or +six barrels of them to aid our sea stock. Besides these, there is +another and smaller kind, which hovers in the air, all of which +gather themselves on the island, and put themselves under the +wings of the larger birds. These smaller birds we named +<i>Godetz</i>. There was also another kind, which we called +<i>Margaulx</i>, considerably larger and entirely white, which +bite like dogs. Although this island is 14 leagues from the +main[27], yet the bears swim off to it to eat the birds, and our +men found one there as large as an ordinary cow, and as white as +a swan. This monstrous animal leapt into the sea to avoid our +men; and upon Whitson Monday, when sailing towards the land, we +fell in with it swimming thither as fast almost as we could sail. +We pursued in our boats, and caught it by main strength. Its +flesh was as good eating as a steer of two years old. On the +Wednesday following, the 27th of May, we came to the <i>Bay of +the Castles</i>; but, on account of bad weather and the great +quantities of ice, we were obliged to anchor in a harbour near +the entrance of that bay, which we named Carpunt. We were forced +to remain there till the 9th of June, when we departed, intending +to proceed beyond Carpunt, which is in lat. 51° N[28]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 27: This island of birds, judging by the +course steered and its distance from the main of Newfoundland, +appears to be that now called <i>Funk</i> Island, in lat. 50° +N. 15 leagues N.E. from Cape Freels.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 28: From the latitude in the text, Carpunt +appears to have been what is now called Carouge Harbour, and the +Bay of the Castles may be that now named Hare Bay, 6-1/2 leagues +farther north.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The land between Cape <i>Razo</i> and Cape <i>Degrad</i>[29], +which lie N.N.E. and S.S.W. from each other, is all parted into +islands so near each other, that there are only small channels +like rivers between them, through most of which nothing but small +boats can pass; yet there are some good harbours among these +islands, among which are those of Carpunt and Degrad. From the +top of the highest of these islands, two low islands near Gape +Razo may be seen distinctly; and from Cape Razo to Port Carpunt, +the distance is reckoned 25 leagues. Carpunt harbour has two +entries, one of which is on the east side of the island, and the +other on the south. But the eastern entrance is very unsafe, as +the water is very shallow and full of shelves. The proper entry +is to go about the west side of the island, about a cables length +and a half, and then to make the south entrance of Carpunt. It is +likewise necessary to remark, that there are three shelves under +water in this channel, and towards the island on the east side in +the channel, the water is three fathoms deep with a clear bottom. +The other channel trends E.N.E. and on the west you may go on +shore.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 29: Capes Rouge and De Grat. The former +being the north head land of Carouge Bay, the latter the +north-eastern extremity of Newfoundland, in lat. 51° 40' +N.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Going from Point Degrad, and entering the before-mentioned Bay +of the Castles, we were rather doubtful of two islands on the +right hand, one of which is 3 leagues from Cape Degrad and the +other seven. This last is low and flat, and seemed part of the +main land. I named it St Catherines Island. Its north-east +extremity is of a dry soil, but the ground about a quarter of a +league off is very foul, so that it is necessary to go a little +round. This island and the Bay of the Castles trend N.N.E. and +S.S.W. 15 leagues distant from each other. The port of the +Castles and Port Gutte, which is in the northern part of the bay, +trend E.N.E and W.S.W. distant 12-1/2 leagues. About two leagues +from Port Balance, or about a third part across the bay, the +depth of water is 38 fathoms. From Port Balance to <i>Blanc +Sablon</i>, or the White Sands, it is 15 leagues W.S.W. but about +3 leagues from the White Sands to the S.W. there is a rock above +water like a boat. The <i>White Sands</i> is a road-stead quite +open to the S. and S.E. but is protected on the S.W. by two +islands, one of which we called the Isle of Brest, and the other +the Isle of Birds, in which there are vast numbers of Godetz, and +crows with red beaks and red legs, which make their nests in +holes under ground like rabbits. Passing a point of land about a +league beyond the White Sands, we found a port and passage which +we called the <i>Islets</i>, which is a safer place than the +White Sands, and where there is excellent fishing. The distance +between the Islets and a port named Brest is about 10 leagues. +The port of Brest is in lat. 51° 55'[30]. Between it and the +Islets there are many other islands, and the said port of Brest +is among them, being surrounded by them for above three leagues +farther. All these small islands are low, and the other lands may +be seen beyond them. On the 10th of June we went into the port of +Brest, to provide ourselves with wood and water; and on St +Barnabas Day, after hearing divine service, we went in our boats +to the westwards, to examine what harbours there might be in that +direction.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 30: If right in the latitude in the text, +Cartier seems now to have got upon the coast of Labradore, to the +north-west of Newfoundland; yet from the context he rather +appears to have been on the north-end of Newfoundland, about +Quirpon Harbour, the Sacred Isles, or Pistolet +Bay.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We passed through among the small islands, which were so +numerous that they could not be counted, as they extended about +10 leagues beyond that port. We rested in one of them all night, +where we found vast quantities of duck eggs, and the eggs of +other birds which breed there. We named the whole of this group +the <i>Islets</i>. Next day, having passed beyond all these small +isles, we found a good harbour which we named Port St Anthony. +One of two leagues beyond this we found a little river towards +the S.W. coast, between two other islands, forming a good +harbour. We set up a cross here, and named it St Servans Port. +About a league S.W. from this port and river there is a small +round island like an oven, surrounded with many little islands, +and forming a good mark for finding out Port St Servan. About two +leagues farther on we came to a larger inlet, which we named +James River, in which we caught many salmon. While in this river +we saw a ship belonging to Rochelle, which intended to have gone +a fishing in Port Brest, but had passed it as they knew not +whereabout they were. We went to her with our boats, and directed +them to a harbour about a league west from James River, which I +believe to be one of the best in the world, and which therefore +we named James Cartiers Sound. If the soil of this country were +as good as its harbours, it would be a place of great +consequence: But it does not deserve the name of the +New-found-<i>land</i>, but rather the new stones and wild crags, +and is a place fit only for wild beasts. In all the north part of +the island I did not see a cart load of good earth, though I went +on shore in many places. In the island of White Sand there is +nothing growing but moss and stunted thorn bushes scattered here +and there, all dry and withered. In short, I believe this to have +been the land which God appointed for Cain. There are however, +inhabitants of tolerable stature, but wild and intractable, who +wear their hair tied upon the top of their heads, like a wreath +of hay, stuck through with a wooden pin, and ornamented with +birds feathers. Both men and women are clothed in the skins of +beasts; but the garments of the women are straiter and closer +than those of the men, and their waists are girded. They paint +themselves with a roan or reddish-brown colour. Their boats are +made of birch bark, with which they go a fishing, and they catch +great quantities of seals. So far as we could understand them, +they do not dwell all the year in this country, but come from +warmer countries on the main land, on purpose to catch seals and +fish for their sustenance.</p> + +<p>On the 13th of June we returned to our ships, meaning to +proceed on our voyage, the weather being favourable, and on +Sunday we had divine service performed. On Monday the 15th, we +sailed from Brest to the southwards, to explore some lands we had +seen in that direction, which seemed to be two islands. On +getting to the middle of the bay, however, we found it to be the +firm land, being a high point having two eminences one above the +other, on which account we called it <i>Double</i> Cape. We +sounded the entrance of the bay, and got ground with a line of +100 fathoms. From Brest to the Double Cape is about 20 leagues, +and five or six leagues farther on we had ground at 40 fathoms. +The direction between Port Brest and Double Cape is N.E. and S.W. +Next day, being the 16th, we sailed 35 leagues from Double Cape +S.W. and by S. where we found very steep and wild hills, among +which we noticed certain small cabins, resembling what are called +granges in our country, on which account we named these the +<i>Grange Hills</i>. The rest of the coast was all rocky, full of +clefts and cuts, having low islands between and the open sea. On +the former day we could not see the land, on account of thick +mists and dark fogs, but this evening we espied an entrance into +the land, by a river between the Grange Hills and a cape to the +S.W. about 3 leagues from the ships. The top of this cape is +blunt, but it ends towards the sea in a sharp point, on which +account we named it <i>Pointed</i> Cape. On its north side there +is a flat island. Meaning to examine if there were any good +harbours at this entrance, we lay to for the night; but on the +next day we had stormy weather from the N.E. for which reason we +stood to the S.W. till Thursday morning, in which time we sailed +37 leagues. We now opened a bay full of round islands like +pigeon-houses, which we therefore named the <i>Dove-cots</i>. +From the Bay of St. Julian to a cape which lies S. and by W. +called Cape <i>Royal</i>, the distance is 7 leagues; and towards +the W.S.W. side of that cape there is another, the lower part of +which is all craggy, and the top round. On the north side of this +cape, which we called Cape Milk, there is a low island. Between +Cape Royal and Cape Milk there are some low islands, within which +there are others, indicating that there are some rivers in this +place. About two leagues from Cape Royal we had 20 fathom water, +and found cod in such abundance, that, while waiting for our +consort we caught above a hundred in less than an hour.</p> + +<p>Next day, the 18th, the wind turned against us with such fury +that we were forced back to Cape Royal; and, sending the boats to +look for a harbour, we found a great deep gulf above the low +islands, having certain other islands within it. This gulf is +shut up on the south, and the low islands are on one side of the +entrance, stretching out above half a league to seawards; it is +in lat. 48° 30' N. having an island in the middle of the +entrance. The country about is all flat, but barren. Finding we +could not get into any harbour that night, we stood out to sea, +leaving Cape Royal towards the west. From that time to the 24th +of the month, being St Johns Day, we had such stormy weather, +with contrary winds and such dark mists, that we could not see +the land; but on that day we got sight of a cape, about 35 +leagues S.W. from Cape Royal, which we named Cape St John. On +that day and the next the weather still continued so foggy and +dark, with wind, that we could not come near the land; yet we +sailed part of the 25th to the W.N.W. and lay too in the evening, +about 7-1/2 leagues N.W. and by W. of Cape St John. When about to +make sail, the wind changed to the N.W. and we accordingly sailed +S.E. After proceeding about 15 leagues in that direction, we came +to three islands, two of which are as steep and upright as a +wall, so that it is impossible to climb them, and a small rock +lies between them. These islands were closely covered over with +birds, which breed upon them; and in the largest there was a +prodigious number of those white birds we named Margaulx, larger +than geese. Another of the islands, which was cleft in the +middle, was entirely covered with the birds called Godetz; but +towards the shore, besides Godetz, there were many +<i>Apponatz</i>[31], like those formerly mentioned. We went +ashore on the lower part of the smallest island, where we killed +above a thousand godetz and apponatz, putting as many as we +pleased into our boats; indeed we might have loaded thirty boats +with them in less than an hour, they were so numerous and so +tame. We named these the Islands of <i>Margaulx</i>. About five +leagues west from these islands, we came to an island two leagues +long and as much in breadth, where we staid all night to take in +wood and water, which we named <i>Brions</i> Island. It was full +of goodly trees, verdant fields, and fields overgrown with +wild-corn and pease in bloom, as thick and luxuriant as any we +had seen in Brittany, so that it seemed to have been ploughed and +sown; having likewise great quantities of gooseberries, +strawberries, roses, parsely, and many other sweet, and pleasant +herbs; on the whole it had the best soil of any we had seen, and +one field of it was more worth than the whole of Newfoundland. +The whole shore was composed of a sandy beach, with good +anchorage all round in four fathom water; and the shore had great +numbers of great beasts, as large as oxen, each of which have two +large tusks like elephants teeth[32]. These animals live much in +the sea. We saw one of them asleep on the shore, and went towards +it in our boats in hopes of taking it, but as soon as he heard +us, he threw himself into the sea and escaped. We saw also wolves +and bears on this island, and there were considerable lakes about +it towards the S.E. and N.W. As far as I could judge, there must +be some passage between this island and Newfoundland, and if so +it would save much time and distance, if any useful purpose is to +be had in these parts.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 31: This word has not been used before, but +is probably meant for the same bird formerly called +<i>Aparath.</i> These names of birds in Newfoundland are +inexplicable.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 32: Probably the Morse, vulgarly called the +sea-horse.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About four leagues W.S.W. from Brions Island we saw some other +land surrounded by small isles of sand, which we believed to be +an island, and to a goodly cape on this land we gave the name of +Cape Dauphin, as the good grounds begin there. We sailed along +these lands to the W.S.W. on the 27th of June, and at a distance +they seemed to be composed of low lands with little sand-hills; +but we could not go near, as the wind was contrary. This day we +sailed 15 leagues. Next day we went about 10 leagues along this +land, which is all low, till we came to a cape composed of red +and craggy rocks, having an opening which fronts to the north, +and we noticed a pool or small lake, having a field between it +and the sea. About 14 leagues farther on we came to another cape, +the shore between forming a kind of semicircular bay, and the +beach was composed of sand thrown up like, a mound or dike, over +which the whole country appeared nothing but marshes and pools of +water as far as the eye could reach. Just before coming to the +first of these capes, which we named St Peter, there are two +small islands, very near the main land. About 5 leagues from the +second cape toward the S.W. there is a high pointed island which +we named <i>Alezai</i>. From Brions Island to Cape St Peter there +is a good anchorage on a sandy bottom in 25 fathoms water five +leagues from shore; a league off the land the depth is 12 fathom, +and 6 fathom very near the shore, seldom less, and always good +ground. Next day, the 29th of June, with the wind S. and by E. we +sailed westwards, till the following morning about sunrise +without being able to see any land, except that about sunset we +saw some land about 9 or 10 leagues W.S.W. which we believed to +be two islands. All next day we sailed westwards about 40 +leagues, when we discovered that what we had taken for islands +was the main land; and early next morning we came to a good point +of land, which we named Cape <i>Orleans</i>; the whole of the +land being low and plain, full of fine trees and meadows, and +very pleasant to behold. This coast trends S.S.E. and N.N.W. but +on this great extent of coast we could find no harbour, it being +everywhere full of shelves and sand-banks. We went on shore in +many places with our boats, and in one place we entered a fine +river, very shallow, which we named Boat River, because we saw +some boats full of savages crossing the river. We had no +intercourse with these people; for the wind came from the sea, +and beat our boats in such a manner against the shore, that we +were forced to put off again to the ships. Till next morning, the +1st July, at sunrise, we sailed N.E. when we struck our sails in +consequence of thick mists and squalls. The weather cleared up +about two in the afternoon, when we got sight of Cape Orleans, +and of another about 7 leagues N. and by E. from where we were, +which we named Cape <i>Savage</i>. On the north side of this +cape, there is a very dangerous shelf and a bank of stones about +half a league from shore. While off this cape and our boats going +along shore, we saw a man running after the boats and making +signs for us to return to the cape; but on pulling towards him he +ran away. We landed and left a knife and a woollen girdle for him +on a little staff, and returned to our ships. On that day we +examined nine or ten leagues of this coast for a harbour, but +found the whole shore low and environed with great shelves. We +landed, however, in four places, where we found many +sweet-smelling trees, as cedars, yews, pines, white-elms, ash, +willow, and many others unknown, but without fruit. Where the +ground was bare of trees, it seemed very fertile, and was fall of +wild-corn, pease, white and red gooseberries, strawberries, and +blackberries, as if it had been cultivated on purpose. The +wild-corn resembled rye. This part of the country enjoyed a +better temperature than any we had seen, and was even hot. It had +many thrushes, stock-doves, and other birds, and wanted nothing +but good harbours.</p> + +<p>Next day, 2d July, we had sight of land to the north, which +joined the coast already mentioned, having a bay which we named +<i>St Lunario</i>, across which our boats went to the north cape +and found the bay so shallow that there was only one fathom water +a league off shore. N.E. from this cape, and 7 or 8 leagues +distant, there is another cape, having a triangular bay between, +compassed about with shelves and rocks about ten leagues from +land. This bay has only 2 fathoms water, but appeared to +penetrate far into the land towards the N.E. Passing this cape, +we observed another head-land N. and by E. All that night we had +very bad weather and heavy squalls, so that we could carry very +little sail. Next morning, 3d July, the wind was from the west, +and we sailed north that we might examine the coast, where we +found a gulf or bay about 15 leagues across, and in some places +55 fathoms deep. From the great depth and breadth of this gulf, +we were in hopes of finding a passage through, like that of the +<i>Castles</i> before mentioned. This gulf lies E.N.E. and W.S.W. +The land on the south side of this gulf is of good quality and +might be easily cultivated, full of goodly fields and meadows, +quite plain, and as pleasant as any we had ever seen. The north +side is altogether hilly, and full of woods containing large +trees of different kinds, among which are as fine cedars and firs +as are to be seen anywhere, capable of being masts for ships of +three hundred tons. In two places only of this side we saw open +meadows, with two fine lakes. The middle of this bay is in lat. +47° 30' N. We named the southern cape of this bay Cape +Esperance, or the Cape of Hope, as we expected to have found a +passage this way.</p> + +<p>On the 4th of July we went along the northern coast of this +bay to look for a harbour, where we entered a creek which is +entirely open to the south, having no shelter from the wind when +in that quarter. We named this <i>St Martins</i> Creek, in which +we remained from the 4th to the 12th of July; and on the 6th, +going in one of our boats to examine a cape or head-land on the +west side, about 7 or 8 leagues from the ships, and having got +within half a league of the point, we saw two fleets of canoes of +the savages, 40 or 50 in all, crossing over from one land to +another, besides which there were a great number of savages on +shore, who made a great noise, beckoning to us to come to land, +and holding up certain skins on pikes or poles of wood, as if +offering them for barter. But as we had only one boat and they +were very numerous, we did not think it prudent to venture among +them, and stood back towards the ships. On seeing us go from +them, some savages put off in two canoes from the shore, being +joined by five other canoes of those which were crossing, and +made towards us, dancing and making many signs of joy, as if +inviting us to their friendship. Among other expressions we could +distinctly make out the following words, <i>Napeu tondamen +assurtah</i>, but knew not what they meant. We did not incline to +wait their civilities, as we were too few in case they chose to +assail us, and made signs therefore for them to keep at a +distance. They came forwards notwithstanding, and surrounded our +boat with their canoes; on which we shot off two pieces[33] among +them, by which they were so much alarmed that they immediately +took to flight towards the point, making a great noise. After +remaining there some time, they came again towards us and +surrounded our boat as before. We now struck at them with two +lances, which again put them in fear and put them to flight, +after which they followed us no more. Next day, a party of the +savages came in nine canoes to the point at the mouth of the +creek, where our ships were at anchor; on which we went ashore to +them in our boats. They appeared much alarmed at our approach, +and fled to some distance, making signs as if they wished to +traffic with us, holding up to our view the skins of which they +make their apparel, which are of small value. We likewise +endeavoured to explain by signs that we had no intention to +injure them; and two of our men ventured to land among them, +carrying some knives and other iron ware, and a red hat for their +chief. Encouraged by this confidence, the savages likewise landed +with their peltry, and began to barter with them for our iron +wares, which they seemed to prize much, and shewed their +satisfaction by dancing and many other ceremonies, throwing at +times sea-water from their hands on their heads. They gave us +every thing they had, so that they went away almost naked, making +signs that they would return next day with more skins.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 33: The nature of these is not explained, +but they must have been fire-arms of some kind.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On Thursday the 8th of July, as the wind was contrary for +using our ships, we proceeded in our boats to explore the bay, +and went that day 25 leagues within it. As the next day was fine, +with a fair wind, we sailed till noon, in which time we had +explored most part of this bay, the shore of which consisted of +low land, beyond which were high mountains. Finding no passage +through the bottom of the bay, we turned, back along the coast, +and at one place saw a good many of the savages on the shore of a +lake among the low grounds, where they had kindled some fires. As +we proceeded, we noticed that a narrow creek or channel +communicated between the bay and the lake, into which creek our +boats went. The savages came towards us in one of their canoes, +bringing some pieces of boiled seals flesh, which they laid down +on pieces of wood, and then retired, making signs that they gave +them to us. We sent two men to them with hatchets, knives, beads, +and such wares, with which they were much pleased; and soon +afterwards great numbers of them came to where we were in canoes, +bringing skins and other things, to barter for our commodities. +There were at least 300 of them collected at this place, +including women and children; some of the women who remained on +the other side of the inlet, were seen up to their knees in the +water, singing and dancing; while other women, who were on the +same side with us, came up to us in a friendly manner, rubbing +our arms with their hands, and then holding up their hands +towards heaven, as if in token of admiration and joy. So much +confidence was established on both sides, that the savages +bartered away every thing they possessed, which was indeed of +small value, and left themselves entirely naked. These people +might easily be converted to our religion. They wander about from +place to place, subsisting entirely by fishing, for which they +have stated seasons. The country is warmer even than Spain, and +exceedingly pleasant, being entirely level, and though sandy, it +is everywhere covered with trees. In some places where there are +no trees, it is luxuriantly covered with wild corn or pease. The +corn resembles oats, but with an ear like that of rye; and the +pease are small, but as thick as if the ground had been ploughed +and sown. It produces, likewise, white and red gooseberries, +strawberries, blackberries, white and red roses, and many other +sweet-smelling flowers. The whole country is interspersed with +fine grass meadows, and lakes abounding in salmon. In their +language, a hatchet is named <i>cochi</i> and a knife +<i>bacon</i>. We named this fine bay, <i>Baye de Chaleur</i>, or +the Warm Bay[34].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 34: Chaleur Bay on the north-eastern coast +of Nova Scotia is probably meant; though, from the changes of +names, we have not been able to trace the course of Cartier from +the northern extremity of Newfoundland to this part of the Gulf +of St Lawrence. He probably returned to the south, along the +eastern coast of Newfoundland, and then sailed west, along the +south coast of that island into the Gulf of St Lawrence, probably +in search of a passage to the Pacific.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having ascertained that there was no passage through this bay, +we set sail from St Martins Creek on Sunday the 12th July, to +proceed on farther discoveries beyond, going eastwards about 18 +leagues along the coast, till we came to Cape <i>Prato</i>, where +we found shallow water, with a great tide and stormy sea, so that +we had to draw close in shore, between that cape and an island +about a league to the eastwards, where we cast anchor for the +night. Next morning we made sail to explore the coast to the +N.N.E. But the wind, which was contrary, rose almost to a storm, +and we were forced to return to our former anchorage. We sailed +again next day, and came to a river five or six leagues to the +northward of Cape Prato, where the wind became again contrary, +with thick fogs, by which we were obliged on the 14th to take +shelter in the river, where we remained till the 16th. On that +day, the wind became so boisterous that one of our ships lost an +anchor, and we had to run 7 or 8 leagues up the river for +shelter, where we found a good harbour, in which we remained till +the 25th July. While there, we saw many of the savages fishing +for mackerel, of which they caught great numbers. They had about +40 boats or canoes, and after some time they became so familiar +with us as to come with their canoes to our ships in perfect +confidence receiving knives, combs, glass-beads, and other +trifles from us, for which they were exceedingly thankful, +lifting up their hands to heaven, and dancing and singing in +their boats. These people may truly be called savages, as they +are the poorest wretches that can be imagined; as the value of +every thing they had among them all, besides their canoes and +nets, was not worth five farthings. They go entirely naked, +except their parts of shame, over which they had small pieces of +skin; besides which they only had a few old pieces of skin to +shelter their bodies from the weather. They differ entirely both +in language and appearance from those we had seen before. Their +heads are close shaven, except one lock on the crown, as long as +a horse tail, which they bind up into a knot with leather thongs. +Their only dwelling-places are their boats or canoes turned keel +upwards, under which they sleep on the bare ground. They eat +their fish and flesh almost raw, only heating it a little on the +embers. We went freely on shore among these people, who seemed +much pleased with our company, all the men singing and dancing +around, in token of joy; but they made all their women retire +into a wood at some distance, two or three excepted, to each of +whom we gave a comb and a small tin bell, with which they were +much delighted, shewing their gratitude to our captain by rubbing +his breast and arms with their hands. The reception of these +presents occasioned all the other women to return from the wood, +that they likewise might participate; for which purpose they +surrounded the captain, to the number of about twenty, touching +and rubbing him with their hands, as soliciting him for such +trinkets as he had given the others. He accordingly gave each of +them a small bell, on which they all fell a singing and dancing. +We here found great quantities of mackerel, which they take on +the shore by means of nets which they construct of a species of +hemp. This grows in the part of the country where they +principally reside, as they come only to the sea side during the +fishing season. So far as I could understand, they have likewise +a kind of millet, or grain, as large as pease, like the maize +which grows in Brasil, which serves them instead of bread. Of +this they have great abundance, and it is called <i>kapaige</i> +in their language. They have also a kind of damsin plumbs, which +they call <i>famesta</i>. They possess likewise, figs, nuts, +apples, and other fruits, and beans which they call <i>sahu</i>; +their name for nuts is <i>cahehya</i>. When we shewed them any +thing which they had not or were unacquainted with, they used to +shake their heads, saying <i>nohda! nohda</i>! implying their +ignorance or want of that article. Of those things which they +had, they explained to us by signs how they grew, and in what +manner they used to dress them for food. They use no salt, and +are very great thieves, stealing every thing they could lay their +hands on.</p> + +<p>On the 24th of July, we made a great cross thirty feet high, +which we erected on a point at the entrance of our harbour, on +which we hung up a shield with three flowers de luce; and +inscribed the cross with this motto, <i>Vive le roy de +France</i>. When this was finished in presence of all the +natives, we all knelt down before the cross, holding up our hands +to heaven, and praising God. We then endeavoured to explain to +these savages by means of signs, that all our salvation depended +only on him who dwelleth in the heavens; at which they shewed +much admiration, looking at one another, and then at the cross. +After our return to the ships, their chief came off in a canoe +accompanied by his brother and two sons. Keeping at an unusual +distance, he stood up in the canoe, where he made a long oration, +pointing frequently to our cross, and making a cross with his two +fingers; he then pointed out to all the country round about, as +if shewing that all was his, and that we must not erect any more +crosses without his leave. When he concluded his speech, we +shewed him an axe, making him believe that we would give it to +him for an old bears skin which he wore; on which he gradually +came near our ship, and one of our men who was in the boat along +side, took hold of their canoe; into which he, and three or four +more of our men leapt, and obliged them all to come on board our +ship, to their great astonishment and dismay. Our captain +immediately used every means to assure them of being in perfect +safety, and entertained them in a friendly manner, giving them to +eat and drink. After this, we endeavoured to explain to them by +signs, that the sole use of the cross we had erected was to serve +as a land mark for finding out the harbour, and that we should +soon return to them with great plenty of iron wares and other +commodities; but that in the mean time we would take two of his +sons along with us, whom we would bring back again to the same +place. We accordingly clothed two of the lads in shirts and +coloured coats, with red caps, putting a copper chain round each +of their necks, with which they seemed much pleased, and remained +willingly along with us, giving their old garments to the rest +who went back to the land. We gave to each of the three who +returned, a hatchet and some knives, with which they seemed well +content. When these had told their companions on shore what had +happened in the ship, six canoes came off to us in the afternoon, +having five or six men in each, who came to take farewell of the +two lads we had detained, and brought them some fish. They spoke +a great deal that we did not understand, making signs that they +would not remove our cross.</p> + +<p>The weather becoming fair next day, the 25th July, we left +that port[35], and after getting out of the river, we sailed to +the E.N.E. the land forming a semicircular bay, the extremities +lying S.E. and N.W. From Monday the 27th of the month, we went +along this land, till on Wednesday the 29th we came to another +cape, after which the land turned to the east for about 15 +leagues, and then turned to the north. We sounded about three +leagues from this cape, and had ground at 24 fathoms. The land on +this part of the coast seems better and freer of woods, than any +we had seen, having fine green fields and fair meadows. We named +this land Cape St Alvise, because first seen on the day of that +saint. It is in lat. 49° 30' N. On Wednesday morning, being +to the east of that cape, whence we sailed N.W. till night, +keeping near the land, which trends from south to north for about +15 leagues to another cape, which we named <i>Memorancie</i>, +after which the coast trends to the N.W. About 3 leagues from +this cape we tried soundings, but had no bottom with a line of +150 fathoms. We went along this coast to the lat. of 50° N. +At sunrise of Saturday 1st August, we had sight of other land +lying north and north-east, which was high, craggy, and +mountainous, having low land interposed, with woods and rivers. +We continued along this coast, still trending N.W. to look for a +gulf or passage, till the 5th of the month; but we had great +difficulty to advance five miles in all that time, the wind and +tide being both adverse. At the end of these five miles, we could +plainly see land on both sides, which appeared to spread out; but +as we were unable to work up to windward, we proceeded to another +cape to the southward, being the farthest out to sea within +sight, and about five leagues from us. On coming up to this +head-land, we found it nothing but rocks, stones, and craggy +cliffs, such as we had not seen the like of since leaving Cape St +Johns. The tide being now in our favour carried our ships to the +westwards against the wind, when suddenly one of our boats struck +on a rock and overset, so that our people had to leap out and set +it to right again. After going along this coast for two hours, +the tide turned against us, so that it was impossible to advance +any farther with all our oars. We went therefore to land, leaving +10 or 12 of our people to keep the boats, and going by land to +the cape, we observed the land beyond to trend S.W. After this we +returned to our boats, and then to the ships, which had drifted +four leagues to leeward of the place where we left them.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 35: In a side-note, Hakluyt expresses an +opinion that this harbour is what is now called Gaspay, or Gaspe +Bay in lat. 48° 44' N., near Cape Rosiers, the south cape of +the river St Lawrence.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On our return to the ships, we convened a council of all the +officers and experienced mariners, to have their opinion of what +was best for us to do in the farther execution of our +instructions. The general opinion was, considering that the east +winds seemed now set in, and that the currents were so much +against us, we could not expect to advance to any purpose in +exploring the coast; and as storms and tempests began to prevail +in Newfoundland, where we were so far from home, we must resolve +either to return to France immediately, or to remain where we +were during the winter. Having duly weighed the various opinions, +we resolved to return home. The place where we now were, we named +St Peters Straits[36], in which we found very deep water; being +in some places 150 fathoms, in others 100, and near the shore 60, +with clear ground. From thence for some days we had a prosperous +gale of wind, <i>so that we trended the said north shore east, +south-east, west-north-west</i>[37], for such is the situation of +it, except one cape of low land, about 25 leagues from St Peters +Strait, which bends more towards the south-east. We noticed smoke +on that cape, made by the natives; but as the wind blew fresh +toward the coast, we did not venture to approach them, and twelve +of the savages came off to us in two canoes. They came freely on +board, and gave us to understand that they came from the great +gulf under a chief named <i>Tiennot</i>, who was then on the low +cape, and were then about to return loaded with fish to their own +country, whence we had come with our ships. We named the low head +land Cape Tiennot, after the name of their chief. The land in +this place was all low and pleasant, with a sandy beach for about +20 leagues, intermixed with marshes and shallow lakes. After this +it turned from west to E.N.E. everywhere environed with islands +two or three leagues from shore; and as far as we could see, many +dangerous shelves extended above four or five leagues out to +sea.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 36: Cartier seems now to have returned to +the south coast of Newfoundland, but the relation of his voyage +is too vague to be followed with any tolerable +certainty.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 37: The sentence in italics is given in the +precise words of Hakluyt, probably signifying that the coast +extended from E.S.E. to W.N.W.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>During the three following days we had a strong gale from the +S.W. which obliged us to steer E.N.E. and on the Saturday we came +to the eastern part of Newfoundland, between the <i>Granges</i> +and <i>Double</i> Cape[38]. The wind now blew a storm from the +east, on which account we doubled that cape to the N.N.W. to +explore the northern part, which is all environed with islands, +as already stated. While near these islands and the land, the +wind turned to the south, which brought us within the gulf, so +that next day, being the 9th of August, we entered by the +blessing of God within the <i>White Sands</i>. Thus ended our +discoveries in this voyage. On the feast of the Assumption of our +Lady, being the 15th of August, after hearing divine service, we +departed from the White Sands with a prosperous gale, directing +our course across the sea which lies between Newfoundland and +Brittany. In this passage we were much tossed during three days +by a heavy tempest from the east, which we weathered by the +blessing of God. After this we had fair weather, and arrived on +the 5th of September in the port of St Maloes.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 38: Probably that now called <i>Mistaken +Points</i>, near Cape Race, which latter is the south-eastern +point of Newfoundland--E.]</blockquote> + +<p><i>Specimen of the language of Newfoundland.</i></p> + +<pre> + The sun, <i>isnez</i> Heaven, <i>camet</i> + Night, <i>aiagla</i> Water, <i>ame</i> + Sand, <i>estogaz</i> A sail, <i>aganie</i> + The head, <i>agonaze</i> The throat, <i>conguedo</i> + The nose, <i>hehonguesto</i> The teeth, <i>hesangue</i> + The nails, <i>agetascu</i> The feet, <i>ochedasco</i> + The legs, <i>anoudasco</i> A dead man, <i>amocdaza</i> + A skin, <i>aionasca</i> That man, <i>yca</i> + A hatchet, <i>asogne</i> A cod fish, <i>gadagoursere</i> + Good to be eaten, <i>guesande</i> Almonds, <i>anougaza</i> + Figs, <i>asconda</i> Gold, <i>henyosco</i> + An arrow, <i>cacta</i> A green tree, <i>haveda</i> + An earthen dish, <i>undaco</i> Brass, <i>aignetaze</i> + The brow, <i>ausce</i> A feather, <i>yco</i> + The moon, <i>casmogan</i> The earth, <i>conda</i> + Wind, <i>canut</i> Rain, <i>ocnoscon</i> + Bread, <i>cacacomy</i> The sea, <i>amet</i> + A ship, <i>casaomy</i> A man, <i>undo</i> + The hairs, <i>hoc hosco</i> Red cloth, <i>caponeta</i> + The eyes, <i>ygata</i> A knife, <i>agoheda</i> + The mouth, <i>heche</i> A mackarel, <i>agedoneta</i> + The ears, <i>hontasco</i> Nuts, <i>caheya</i> + The arms, <i>agescu</i> Apples, <i>honesta</i> + A woman, <i>enrasesco</i> Beans, <i>sahe</i> + A sick man, <i>alouedeche</i> A sword, <i>achesco</i> + Shoes, <i>atta</i> +</pre> + +<p>SECTION II.</p> + +<p><i>The second voyage of Jacques Cartier, to Canada, Hochelega, +Saguenay, and other lands now called New France; with the Manners +and Customs of the Natives</i>.</p> + +<p>On Whitsunday, the 16th of May 1535, by command of our +captain, Jacques Cartier, and by common consent, we confessed our +sins and received the holy sacrament in the cathedral of St +Maloes; after which, having all presented ourselves in the Quire, +we received the blessing of the lord bishop, being in his robes. +On Wednesday following, the 19th of that month, we set sail with +a favourable gale. Our squadron consisted of three ships. The +great <i>Hermina</i> of an hundred to an hundred and twenty tons, +of which Jacques Cartier was captain and general of the +expedition, Thomas Frosmont chief master, accompanied by Claudius +de Pont Briand, son to the lord of Montceuell cupbearer to the +Dauphin, Charles de Pomeraies, John Powlet, and other gentlemen. +In the second ship of sixty tons, called the Little Hermina, Mace +Salobert and William Marie were captains under the orders of our +general. The third ship of forty tons, called the Hermerillon, +was commanded by William Britton and James Maingare. The day +after we set sail, the prosperous gale was changed into storms +and contrary winds, with darksome fogs, in which we suffered +exceedingly till the 25th of June, when our three ships lost +sight of each other, and never rejoined again till after our +arrival at Newfoundland. We in the generals ship continued to be +tossed about by contrary winds till the 7th of July, when we made +the island of Birds[39], 14 leagues from the main of +Newfoundland. This island is so full of birds that our ships +might have been loaded with them, and the quantity taken away not +missed. We took away two boat loads, to increase our sea stores. +The Isle of Birds is in lat. 49° 40' N.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 39: Already supposed to be that now called +Funk Island, in lat. 50° N.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We left this island with a fair wind on the eighth of July, +and came to the harbour of White Sands, or Blanc Sablon, in the +Grand Bay or Baye des Chateaux, where the rendezvous of the +squadron had been appointed. We remained here till the 26th of +July, when both of the other ships joined us, and we then laid in +a stock of wood and water for enabling us to proceed on our +voyage. Every thing being in readiness, we set sail from the +White Sands early in the morning of the 29th, and sailing along +the northern coast, which runs from S.W. to N.E. we passed by two +islands, lying farther out than the others, which we named St +Williams Islands, being twenty leagues or more from the port +called Brest. All the coast from the Bay of Castles to that +place, <i>lies E. and W.--N.E. and S.W.</i> off which there are +sundry small islands, the whole being stony and barren, without +soil or trees, except in a few narrow vallies. Next day, we +sailed twelve leagues and a half westwards, in search of other +islands, among which there is a great bay towards the north, all +full of islands and great creeks, among which there seemed to be +many good harbours. We named these the Islands of St Martha, off +which, about a league and a half farther out to sea, there is a +dangerous shallow, and about seven leagues from the islands of St +Martha, <i>on the east and on the west</i>, as you pass to these +islands, there are five rocks. We passed these about one in the +afternoon; and from that time till midnight, we sailed about 15 +leagues, passing to the south-eastwards of a cape of the lower +islands, which we named St Germans Islands; about three leagues +from which cape there is a very dangerous shallow. Likewise +between Cape St Germans and Cape St Martha, about two leagues +from the before-mentioned islands, there is a bank of sand on +which the water is only four fathoms deep. On account of the +dangerous nature of this coast, we struck sail and came to anchor +for the rest of the night.</p> + +<p>Next day, being the last of July, we went along all that part +of the coast which runs east and west, or somewhat +south-easterly, all of which is beset with islands and dry sands, +and is consequently of very dangerous navigation. The distance +from Cape St Germans to these islands is about 17-1/2 leagues, +beyond which is a <i>goodly plot of ground</i>[40], surrounded by +large tall trees; but all the rest of the coast is encompassed +with sand-banks, without any appearance of harbours till we come +to Cape <i>Thiennot</i>, about 7 leagues north-west from these +islands. Having noted this cape in our former voyage, we sailed +on all this night to the west and west-north-west till day; and +as the wind then became contrary, we looked out for a harbour in +which to shelter our ships, and found one for our purpose which +we named Port St Nicholas. This port lies amid four islands off +the main-land, and we set up a cross on the nearest of these +islands as a land-mark or beacon. In entering Port St Nicholas, +this cross must be brought to bear N.E. and passed on the left +hand of the steersman, by which means you find six fathom water +in the passage, and four within the port. Care must be taken +however to avoid two shelves which stretch out about half a +league to seawards.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 40: From the context, I suspect the author +here means that there was good anchorage at this +place.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The whole of this coast is full of dangerous shoals, yet +having the deceitful appearance of many good havens. We remained +at Port St Nicholas till Sunday the 7th of August, when we made +sail and approached the land southwards by Cape Rabart, which is +twenty leagues from Port St Nicholas S.S.W. Next day the wind +became boisterous and contrary, and as we could not find any +haven to the southward, we coasted along northward about ten +leagues beyond Port St Nicholas, where we found a goodly great +gulf, full of islands, passages and entrances, answerable for any +wind whatever. This gulf may easily be known by a great island +resembling a cape, stretching somewhat farther out than the other +islands, and about two leagues inland there is a hill which +resembles a corn rick. We named this the Gulf of St Lawrence. On +the 12th of the month, we sailed westwards from this gulf, and +discovered a cape of land toward the south, about 25 leagues W. +and by S. from the Gulf of St Lawrence. The two savages whom we +took with us on our former voyage, informed us that this cape +formed part of the great southern coast; and that, by the +southern part of an island which they pointed out, was the way to +Canada from Honguedo, whence we took them last year. They said +farther, that at two days journey from this cape and island the +Kingdom of <i>Saguenay</i> began. On the north shore of this +island, extending towards Canada, and about three leagues off +this cape, there are above 100 fathoms water; and I believe there +never were as many whales seen at once as we saw that day around +this cape. Next day, the 15th of August, having passed the +strait, we had notice of certain lands which we had left towards +the south, which are full of extensive high hills. We named the +before-mentioned cape the Island of Assumption; from which one +cape of the before-mentioned high country trends E.N.E. and +W.S.W. distant 25 leagues. The northern country, for more than +thirty leagues in length, is obviously higher than that which is +to the southwards. We coasted along the southern lands till noon +of the 17th, when the wind came round to the west; after which we +steered for the northern coast which we had before seen, and +found it low toward the sea, and the northern range of mountains +within this low land stretch from east to west one quarter south. +Our two savages informed us that Saguenay began here, which is an +inhabited land producing copper, which they call +<i>caignetdaze</i>. The distance between the southern and +northern lands is about 30 leagues, and the gulf between is above +200 fathoms deep. The savages informed us likewise that the great +river <i>Hochelega</i>[41] began here, by which was the direct +way to Canada; and which river becomes always narrower as we +approach towards Canada, where the water is fresh. They said +farther that it penetrates so far inland that they had never +heard of any one who had reached its head. On considering their +account, our captain resolved to proceed no farther at this time, +more especially as they said there was no other passage, meaning +to examine in the first place the northern coast between the Gulf +of St Lawrence and this great river, to see if any other passage +could be discovered.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 41: The river now called the St +Lawrence.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>We accordingly turned back on Wednesday the 18th of August +along the northern coast, which trends from N.E. to S.W. like +half of a bow, and is very high land, yet not so high as the +southern coast. Next day we came to seven high round islands, +which we named the <i>Seven Isles</i>, which stretch 3 or 4 +leagues out to sea, and are 40 leagues from the southern shore of +the gulf. Over against these, the northern shore consists of good +low grounds full of fine trees, having various sand-banks almost +dry at low water, and reaching two leagues from shore. At the +farther extremity of these low lands, which, continue for ten +leagues, there is a river of fresh water which runs with such +rapidity into the sea that the water is quite fresh a league from +its mouth. Entering this river with our boats, we had about a +fathom and half water at its mouth. In this river we found many +<i>fishes</i> resembling horses, which our savages told us lay +all day in the water and went on shore at night. We set sail at +day-break of the 21st, continuing our progress along the northern +coast of the gulf which we traced the whole of that day to the +north-east, and then stood over to the Island of Assumption[42], +being assured that no passage was to be found in that direction. +Returning to the harbour at the Seven Islands, which has 9 or 10 +fathoms water, we were detained there by mists and contrary winds +till the 24th, when we stood over to the southern coast, and came +to a harbour about 80 leagues from these islands. This harbour is +over against three flat islands in the middle of the river, +between which islands and the harbour there is a very great river +which runs between high and low lands. For more than three +leagues out to sea there are many dangerous shelves, leaving not +quite two fathoms water, so that the entrance is very dangerous; +yet near these shelves the water is from 15 to 20 fathoms deep +from shore to shore. All the <i>northern</i>[43] coast runs from +N.E. and by N. to S.W. and by S. This haven is but of small +value, as it is only formed by the tide of flood, and is +inaccessible at low water. We named the three small flat islets +<i>St Johns Isles</i>, because we discovered them on the day of +St John the Baptists decapitation. Before coming to this haven, +there is an island about 5 leagues to the eastward, between which +and the land there is no passage except for small boats. The best +station for ships in this harbour is to the south of a little +island and almost close to its shore. The tide here flows at +least two fathoms, but ships have to lie aground at low +water.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 42: The island here called Assumption, +certainly is that now called Anticosti, a term formed or +corrupted from the native name Natiscotec.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 43: It is probable that we should here read +the <i>southern</i> coast.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Leaving this harbour on the 1st of September, we proposed +sailing for Canada; and at about 15 leagues W.S.W. we came to +three islands, over against which is a deep and rapid river, +which our two savages told as leads to the country and kingdom of +Saguenay[44]. This river runs between very high and steep hills +of bare rock, with very little soil; yet great numbers of trees +grow among these rocks, as luxuriantly as if upon level and +fertile land, insomuch that some of them would make masts for +vessels of 30 tons. At the mouth of this river we met four canoes +full of savages, who seemed very fearful of us, and some of them +even went away. One of the canoes however, ventured to approach +within hail, when one of our savages spoke to the people, telling +his name, on which they came to us. Next day, leaving that river +we proceeded on for Canada; and in consequence of the rapidity of +the tide, we found the navigation very dangerous; more especially +as to the southward of that river there are two islands, around +which for above three leagues there are many rocks and great +stones, and only two fathoms water. Besides the direction of the +tide among these islands and rocks is very uncertain and +changeable; so that if it had not been for our boats, we had been +in great danger of losing our pinnace. In coasting along, we +found above 30 fathoms water just off shore, except among these +rocks and islands. About 5 leagues beyond the river Saguenay, to +the S.W. there is another island on the north side containing +high land, where we proposed to have come to anchor in waiting +for the next tide of flood, but we had no ground with a line of +120 fathom only an arrow-shot from shore; so that we were obliged +to return to that island, where we had 35 fathoms. We set sail +again next morning to proceed onwards; and this day we got notice +of a strange kind of <i>fish</i> which had never been seen +before, which are called <i>Adhothuys</i> by the natives. They +are about the bigness of a porpoise, but no way like them, having +well proportioned bodies and heads like a greyhound, their whole +bodies being entirely white without spot. There are great numbers +of them in this river, and they always keep in the water, the +natives saying that they are very savoury and good eating, and +are nowhere else to be found but in the mouth of this river. On +the 6th of September we proceeded about 15 leagues farther up the +river, where we found an island having a small haven towards the +north, around which there were innumerable large tortoises. There +are here likewise vast numbers of the <i>fish</i> called +<i>Adhothuys</i>, already mentioned; and the rapidity of the tide +at this place is as great as it is at Bourdeaux in France. This +island is about three leagues long and two broad, all of rich +fertile soil, having many fine trees of various kinds; among +which were many filbert trees, full of nuts, which we found to be +larger and better than ours but somewhat harder, on which account +we named it <i>Isle aux Condres</i>, or Filbert Island.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 44: The Saguenay river runs into the +north-west side of the St Lawrence, in lat. 48° 7' N. long. +69° 9' W.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 7th of the month we went seven or eight leagues up the +river from Filbert Island to 14 other islands, where the country +of Canada begins. One of these islands is ten leagues long and +five broad, thickly inhabited by natives who live entirely by +fishing in the river[45]. Having cast anchor between this island +and the northern coast, we went on shore accompanied by our two +savages, whose names were Taignoagny and Domagaia. At first the +inhabitants of the island avoided us, till at length our two +savages got speech of some of them, telling who they were, on +which the natives seemed much rejoiced, dancing and singing and +shewing many other ceremonies; many of their chief men came now +to our boats, bringing great numbers of eels and other fishes, +likewise two or three burdens of <i>great millet</i> or maize, +and many very large musk-melons. On the same day many canoes +filled with natives, both men and women, came to visit our two +savages, all of whom were received in a kindly manner by our +captain, who gave them many things of small value with which they +were much gratified. Next day the lord of Canada came to our +ships with twelve canoes and many people; but causing ten of his +canoes to go back again, he came up to our ships with only two +canoes and sixteen men. The proper name of this person was +Donnacona, but his dignified name, as a lord or chief, was +Agouhanna. On coming near the smallest of our ships, he stood up +in his canoe and made a long oration, moving his body and limbs +in an extraordinary manner, which among them pass for signs of +friendship and security. He then came up towards the generals +ship, in which were Taignoagny and Domagaia, with whom he entered +into conversation. These men related to him all that they had +seen in France, and what good treatment they had received in that +country, at all which Agouhanna seemed much pleased, and desired +our captain to hold out his arm for him to kiss. Our captain now +went into Agouhannas canoe, and made bread and wine be handed +down to him, which he offered to the chief and his followers, +with which they were much gratified. When all this was over, our +captain came again on board, and the chief went with his canoes +to his own abode.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 45: Obviously the Isle of +Orleans.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The captain ordered all the boats to be made ready, in which +we went up the river against the stream for ten leagues, keeping +close to the shore of the island, at which distance we found an +excellent sound with a small river and haven, in which there is +about three fathoms water at flood tide. As this place seemed +very pleasant and safe for our ships, we brought them thither, +calling it the harbour of St Croix, because discovered on Holy +Cross Day. Near this is a village named Stadacona, of which +Donnacona is lord, and where he resides. It stands on a piece of +as fine fertile ground as one would wish to see, full of as +goodly trees as are to be seen in France, such as oaks, elms, +ashes, walnut-trees, maples, cydrons, vines, and white thorns +which bear fruit as large as damson plumbs, and many other sorts +of trees. Under these there grows great abundance of fine tall +hemp, which springs up spontaneously without cultivation. Having +examined this place and found it fit for the purpose, the captain +proposed returning to the ships to bring them to this port; but +we were met, when coming out of the river, by one of the chiefs +of Stadacona, accompanied by many men, women, and children. This +chief made a long oration to us, all the women dancing and +singing for joy up to the knees in water. The captain caused the +canoe to come along side of his boat, and presented them all with +some trifles, such as knives, glass beads, and the like, with +which they were so much delighted that we could hear them singing +and dancing when we were three leagues off.</p> + +<p>After returning to the ships, the captain landed again on the +island to examine and admire the beauty, variety, and luxuriance +of its trees and vegetables. On account of the great number of +vines which it produced everywhere in profusion, he named it the +Island of Bacchus, but it is now called the Isle of Orleans. It +is in length twelve leagues, exceedingly pleasant and fruitful, +and everywhere covered with trees, except in some places where +there are a few huts of fishers, around which some small patches +are cleared and cultivated. We departed with our ships next day, +and on the 14th of September we brought them up to Port St Croix, +and were met on the way by the lord Donnacona, accompanied by our +two savages, Taignoagny and Domagaia, with 25 canoes full of +natives; all of whom came to our ships with every sign of mirth +and confidence, except our own two savages, who would on no +account come on board though repeatedly invited, on which we +began to suspect some sinister intentions. On the next day, the +captain went on shore to give directions for fixing certain piles +or stakes in the water for the greater security of our ships, and +Donnacona with a considerable number of the natives came to meet +him; but our two savages kept aloof under a point or nook of land +at some distance, and would on no account join our company. +Understanding where they were, our captain went towards them, +accompanied by some of our men; and, after the customary +salutations, Taignoagny represented that Donnacona was much +dissatisfied because the captain and his men were always armed, +while the natives were not. To this the captain answered, that he +was sorry this should give offence; but as they two who had been +in France knew that this was the custom of their country, he +could not possibly do otherwise. Yet Donnacona continued to +converse with our captain in the most friendly manner, and we +concluded that Taignoagny and Domagaia had invented this pretence +of their own accord; more especially as Donnacona and our captain +entered into the strictest bonds of friendship, on which all the +natives set up three horrible yells, after which the companies +separated, and we went on board. On the following day, we brought +the two largest of our ships into the harbour within the mouth of +the small river, in which there are three fathoms water at flood +tide, and only half a fathom at the ebb. The pinnace, or smallest +vessel, was left at anchor without the harbour, as we intended to +use her for exploring the Hochelega.[46] As soon as our ships +were placed in safety, we saw Donnacona coming towards us, +accompanied by Taignoagny, Domagaia, and above 500 natives, men, +women, and children. Donnacona and ten or twelve of the principal +persons came on board the captains ship, where they were +courteously received by the captain and all of us, and many gifts +of small value were given them. Then Taignoagny informed our +captain, that Donnacona was dissatisfied with our intention of +exploring the Hochelega, and would not allow any one to go with +us. The captain said in reply, that he was resolved to go there +if possible, as he had been ordered by his sovereign to penetrate +the country in that direction as far as was practicable: That if +Taignoagny would go along with him, as he had promised, he should +be well used, and should be rewarded to his satisfaction on their +return. This was refused by Taignoagny, and the whole of the +savages immediately retired.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 46: The native name of the river St +Lawrence is Hoshelega or Hochelega, sometimes called the river of +Canada.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Next day, the 17th September, Donnacona and his company came +back to us, bringing many eels and other fishes, which they +procure in great abundance in the river. On their arrival at the +ships, all the savages fell a dancing and singing as usual, after +which Donnacona caused all his people to stand off on one side; +then, making our captain and all our people stand within a circle +which he drew on the sand, he made a long oration, holding a +female child of ten or twelve years old by the hand, whom he +presented to our captain at the end of his speech; upon which all +his people set up three loud howls, in token of joy and +friendship, at least so we understood them. Donnacona afterwards +presented two boys successively, who were younger than the girls, +accompanied by other ceremonies, among which were very loud +shrieks or yells as before. For these presents our captain gave +many hearty thanks. Then Taignoagny told the captain that one of +the boys was his own brother, and that the girl was daughter to a +sister of Donnacona; and that the presents had been given on +purpose to induce him not to go to Hochelega. To this the captain +answered, that he would certainly return the children, if that +were the purpose of the gift; as he could on no account desist +from going where he had been commanded by his king. But Domagaia, +the other savage who had been in France, told the captain that +the children had been presented as a token of friendship and +security, and that he Domagaia was willing to accompany us to +Hochelega. On this high words arose between Taignoagny and +Domagaia, by which we inferred that the former was a crafty +knave, and intended to do us some treacherous act of mischief as +indeed sufficiently appeared from his former conduct. The captain +sent the children to our ships, whence he caused two swords and +two brass basons to be brought, which he presented to Donnacona, +who was much gratified and expressed great thankfulness, +commanding all his people to sing and dance. The chief then +expressed a desire to have one of our cannons fired off, as our +two savages had told him many wonderful things respecting them. +He accordingly ordered twelve cannons, loaded with ball, to be +fired off into the woods close by, at which all the savages were +greatly astonished, as if heaven had fallen upon them, and ran +away howling, shrieking and yelling, as if all hell had broke +loose. Before we went on board, Taignoagny informed us that our +people in the pinnace, which we had left at anchor without the +harbour, had slain two men by a shot from one of their cannons, +on which all the natives had fled away. This we afterwards found +to be false, as our men had not fired any that day.</p> + +<p>The savages still endeavoured to hinder us from going to +Hochelega, and devised the following stratagem to induce us not +to go. They dressed up three men like devils, in black and white +dogs skins, having their faces blackened, and with horns on their +heads a yard long. These men were put secretly into a canoe, +while all the savages lay hid in the wood waiting the tide to +bring the canoe with the mock devils. On the approach of that +canoe, all the savages came out of the wood, but did not come so +near us as usual. Taignoagny came forwards to salute our captain, +who asked if he would have a boat sent to bring him on board; but +he declined to do so then, saying he would come on board +afterwards. At this time the canoe with the three devils made its +appearance, and on passing close by the ships, one of these men +stood up and made a long oration, without ever turning round to +look at us. The boat floated past us towards the land, on which +Donnacona and all his people pursued them and laid hold of the +canoe, on which the three devils fell down as if dead, when they +were carried out into the wood, followed by all the savages. We +could hear them from our ships in a long and loud conference +above half an hour; after which Taignoagny and Domagaia came +towards us, holding their hands joined above their heads, and +carrying their hats under their upper garments, as if in great +astonishment. Taignoagny, looking up to heaven, exclaiming three +times Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Domagaia in the same manner cried out, +Jesus Maria! Jacques Cartier! On seeing these gestures and +ceremonies, our captain asked what was the matter, and what had +happened. They answered that they had very ill news to tell, +saying in French <i>Nenni est il bon</i>, or it is not good. On +being again asked what all this meant; they said, that their god +Cudruaigny had spoken in Hochelega, and had sent these three men +to say there was so much ice and snow in that country, that who +ever ventured there would surely die. On this we laughed mocking +them, saying that their god Cudruaigny was a fool, and knew not +what he said; and desired them to shew us his messengers, saying +that Christ would defend them from all cold if they believed in +him. They then asked the captain if he had spoken with Jesus; who +answered no, but the priests had, who had assured him of fair +weather. They then thanked the captain for this intelligence, and +went into the wood to communicate it to the rest, who all now +rushed from the wood as if glad of the news, giving three great +shouts, and then fell to dancing and singing as usual. Yet our +two savages declared that Donnacona would not allow any one to +accompany us to Hochelega, unless some hostage was left for his +safe return. The captain then said, if they would not go +willingly they might stay, and he would go without them.</p> + +<p>On the 19th of September, we hoisted sail in the pinnace +accompanied by two of our boats, the captain taking most of his +officers and fifty mariners along with him, intending to go up +the river towards Hochelega with the tide of flood. Both shores +of the river, as far as the eye could see, appeared as goodly a +country as could be desired, all replenished with fine trees, +among which all along the river grew numerous vines as full of +grapes as they could hang, which, though quite natural, seemed as +if they had been planted. Yet, as they were not dressed and +managed according to art, their bunches were not so large, nor +their grapes so sweet as ours. We also saw many huts along the +river, inhabited by fishers, who came to us with as much +familiarity and kindness as if we had been their countrymen, +bringing us great quantities of fish and such other things as +they had, for which we paid them in trifles to their great +contentment. We stopped at the place named Hochelay, 25 leagues +above Canada,[47] where the river becomes very narrow with a +rapid current, and very dangerous on account of certain stones or +rocks. Many canoes came off to us, in one of which came the chief +man of the place, who made us a long oration, explaining by signs +and gestures that the river became more dangerous the higher we +went, and advising us to take good care of ourselves. This chief +presented two of his own children to our captain, one of which +only he received, being a girl of 7 or 8 years old, returning the +boy who was too young, being only 2 or 3 years of age. The +captain entertained this chief and his company as well as he +could, presenting them all with some trifles, with which they +returned to the shore well pleased. This chief and his wife came +down afterwards to Canada to visit their child, and brought with +them some small presents for our captain.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 47: By Canada in the text, the lordship +belonging to Donnacona seems meant, which appears to have been +what is now called the Isle of Orleans.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>From the 19th to the 28th of September, we sailed up this +great river, never losing an hour of time, finding the whole land +on both sides as pleasant a country as could be desired, full of +fine tall trees, as oak, elm, walnut, cedar, fir, ash, box, +willow, and great store of vines loaded with grapes, so that when +any of our people went on shore, they brought back as many as +they could carry. There were likewise, cranes, swans, geese, +ducks, pheasants, partridges, thrushes, blackbirds, finches, +redbreasts, nightingales, sparrows, and many other birds like +those of France in vast abundance. On the 28th of September we +came to a wide lake, or enlargement of the river, 5 or 6 leagues +broad and 12 long, which we called the Lake of +<i>Angoulesme</i>[48], all through which we went against the +tide, having only two fathoms water. On our arrival at the upper +extremity of the lake, we could find no passage, as it seemed +entirely shut up, and had only a fathom and a half water, a +little more or less. We were therefore obliged to cast anchor +here with our pinnace, and went with our two boats to seek out +some passage; and in one place we found four or five branches +which seemed to come from the river of Hochelega into the lake; +but at the mouths of these branches, owing to the great rapidity +of the currents, there were bars or shallows having only six feet +water. After passing these shallows, we had 4 or 5 fathoms at +flood tide, this being the season of the year when the water is +lowest; for at other times the tide flows higher by three +fathoms. All these four or five branches of the river surround +five or six very pleasant islands, which are at the head of the +lake; and about 15 leagues higher up, all these unite into one. +We landed on one of these islands, where we met five natives who +were hunting wild beasts, and who came as familiarly to our boats +as if they had always lived amongst us. When our boats were near +the shore, one of these men took our captain in his arms, and +carried him to the land with as much ease as if he had been a +child of five years old. We found that these people had taken a +great number of wild rats which live in the water, which are as +large as rabbits and very good to eat. They gave these to our +captain, who gave them knives and glass-beads in return. We asked +them by signs if this were the way to Hochelega, to which they +answered that it was, and that we had still three days sail to go +thither.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 48: Now called St Peters Lake, between +which and <i>Trois Rivieres</i>, the St Lawrence river is narrow +with a rapid current.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Finding it impossible to take the pinnace any higher, the +captain ordered the boats to be made ready for the rest of the +expedition, taking on board as much ammunition and provisions as +they could carry. He departed with these on the 29th September, +accompanied by Claudius de Pont Briand, Charles de Pommeraye, +John Govion, and John Powlet, with 28 mariners, intending to go +up the river as far as possible. We sailed with prosperous +weather till the 2d of October, when we arrived at Hochelega, +which is 45 leagues above the head of the lake of Augoulesme, +where we left the pinnace. At this place, and indeed all the way +up, we met with many of the natives, who brought us fish and +other provisions, always dancing and singing on our arrival. To +gratify them and keep them our friends, the captain always +rewarded them on these occasions with knives, beads, and such +trifles to their full satisfaction. On approaching Hochelega +above 1000 natives, men, women and children came to meet us, +giving us as friendly and hearty welcome as if we had been of +their own nation come home after a long and perilous absence, all +the men dancing in one place, the women in another, and the +children in a third; after which they brought us great abundance +of fish and of their bread made of maize, both of which they +threw into our boats in profusion. Observing their gentle and +friendly dispositions, our captain went on shore well +accompanied, on which the natives came clustering about us in the +most affectionate manner, bringing their young children in their +arms, eager to have them touched and noticed by the captain and +others, and shewing every sign of mirth and gladness at our +arrival. This scene lasted above half an hour, when the captain +got all the women to draw up in regular order, to whom he +distributed many beads and baubles of tin, and gave some knives +among the men. He then returned to the boats to supper and passed +the night on board, all the people remaining on the shore as near +as possible to the boats, dancing merrily and shouting out +<i>aguiaze</i>, which in their language is an expression of joy +and satisfaction.</p> + +<p>Very early next morning, 3d October, having dressed himself +splendidly, our captain went on shore to see the town in which +these people dwelt, taking with him five of the principal +officers and twenty men, all well armed, leaving the remainder of +the people to take care of the boats. The city of Hochelega is +six miles from the river side, and the road thither is as well +beaten and frequented as can be, leading through as fine a +country as can be seen, full of as fine oaks as any in France, +the whole ground below being strewed over with fine acorns. When +we had gone four or five miles we were met by one of the chief +lords of the city accompanied by a great many natives, who made +us understand by signs that we must stop at a place where they +had made a large fire, which we did accordingly. When we had +rested there some time, the chief made a long discourse in token +of welcome and friendship, shewing a joyful countenance and every +mark of good will. On this our captain presented him with two +hatchets and two knives, and hung a cross from his neck, which he +made him kiss, with all which the chief seemed much pleased. +After this we resumed our march, and about a mile and a half +farther we found fine large fields covered with the corn of the +country, resembling the millet of Brasil, rather larger than +small pease. In the midst of these cultivated fields the city of +Hochelega is situated, near and almost joined to a great +mountain, which is very fertile and cultivated all round, to +which we gave the name of <i>Mount Royal</i>[49].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 49: Montreal, whence the island and city of +the same name.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The city of Hochelega is circular, and encompassed all round +with three rows of ramparts made of timber, one within the other, +"framed like a sharp spire but laid across above, the middlemost +is made and built as a direct line but perpendicular, the +ramparts are framed and fashioned with pieces of timber laid +along the ground, well and cunningly joined together[50]." This +inclosure is about two roods high, and has but one gate of +entrance, which is shut when necessary with piles, stakes, and +bars. Over the gate, and in many other parts of the wall, there +are scaffolds having ladders up to them, and on these scaffolds +there are large heaps of stones, ready for defending the place +against an enemy. The town consisted of about fifty large houses, +each of them about fifty paces long and twelve broad, all built +of wood and covered with broad strips of bark, like boards, +nicely joined. These houses are divided within into many rooms, +and in the middle of each there is a court or hall, in which they +make their fire. Thus they live in communities, each separate +family having a chamber to which the husband, wife, and children +retire to sleep. On the tops of their houses they have garrets or +granaries, in which they store up the maize of which their bread +is made, which they call <i>caracouny</i>, and which is made in +this manner. They have blocks of wood hollowed out, like those on +which we beat hemp, and in these they beat their corn to powder +with wooden beetles. The meal is kneaded into cakes, which they +lay on a broad hot stone, covering it up with other heated +stones, which thus serve instead of ovens. Besides these cakes, +they make several kinds of pottage from their maize, and also of +beans and pease, both of which they have in abundance. They have +also a variety of fruits, such as musk-melons and very large +cucumbers. They have likewise large vessels in all their houses, +as big as butts or large hogsheads, in which they store up their +fish for winter provision, having dried them in the sun during +summer for that purpose, and of these they lay up large stores +for their provision during winter. All their victuals, however, +are without the smallest taste of salt. They sleep on beds made +of the bark of trees spread on the ground, and covered over with +the skins of wild beasts; with which likewise their garments are +made.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 50: This description of the manner in which +the ramparts of Hochelega were constructed, taken literally from +Hakluyt, is by no means obvious or intelligible. Besides it seems +rather ridiculous to dignify the village of a horde of savages +with the name of city.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>That which they hold in highest estimation among all their +possessions, is a substance which they call <i>esurgny</i> or +<i>cornibotz</i>, which is as white as snow, and which is +procured in the following manner. When any one is adjudged to +death for a crime, or when they have taken any of their enemies +during war, having first slain the person, they make many deep +gashes on the buttocks, flanks, thighs, and shoulders of the dead +body, which is then sunk to the bottom of the river, in a certain +place where the <i>esurgny</i> abounds. After remaining 10 or 12 +hours, the body is drawn up, and the <i>esurgny</i> or +<i>cornibotz</i> is found in the gashes. Of this they make beads, +which they wear about their necks as we do chains of gold and +silver, accounting it their most precious riches. These +ornaments, as we have proved by experience, have the power to +staunch bleeding at the nose[51]. This nation devotes itself +entirely to husbandry and fishing for subsistence, having no care +for any other wealth or commodity, of which they have indeed no +knowledge, as they never travel from their own country, as is +done by the natives of Canada and Saguenay; yet the Canadians and +the inhabitants of eight or ten other villages on the river, are +subject to the people of Hochelega.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 51: It is impossible to give any +explanation of this ridiculous account of the <i>esurgny</i>, any +farther than that the Frenchmen were either imposed upon by the +natives, or misunderstood them from not knowing their language. +In a subsequent part of the voyages of Cartier, this substance is +called <i>Esnoguy</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>When we came near the town, a vast number of the inhabitants +came out to meet us, and received us in the most cordial manner, +while the guides led us to the middle of the town, in which there +is a large open square, a good stones throw from side to side, in +which they desired us by signs to remain. Then all the women and +girls of the place gathered together in the square, many of whom +carried young children in their arms; as many of them as could +get forwards came up and rubbed our faces, arms, and bodies, +giving every token of joy and gladness for having seen us, and +requiring us by signs to touch their children. After this, the +men caused the women to withdraw, and all sat down on the ground +round about us, as if they meant to represent some comedy or +shew. The women came back, each of them carrying a square matt +like a carpet, which they spread out on the ground and caused us +to sit down on them. When this was done, <i>Agouhanna</i>, the +king or lord of the town, was brought into the square on the +shoulders of nine or ten men. He sat upon a large deer skin, and +was set down on one of the matts near our captain, all the people +signifying to us by signs that this was their king. Agouhanna was +apparently about fifty years old, and no way better clothed than +any of the rest, except that he had a kind of red wreath round +his head instead of a crown, which was made of the skins of +hedgehogs. He was full of palsy, and all his limbs were shrunk +and withered. After he had saluted our captain and all the +company, welcoming us all to his town by signs and gestures, he +shewed his shrunk legs and arms to the captain, desiring him to +touch them, which he did accordingly, rubbing them with his +hands. Then Agouhanna took the crown or fillet from his own head, +and gave it to our captain; after which several diseased men were +brought before the captain, some blind and others cripple, lame +or impotent of their limbs, that he might touch them, as they +seemed to think that God had come down from heaven to heal them. +Some of these men were so old that the hair of their eyebrows +grew down over their cheeks. Seeing the misery and devotion of +these ignorant people, our captain recited the commencement of +the gospel of St John, "<i>In the beginning was the word</i>," +&c. touching all the diseased persons, and prayed to God that +he would open the hearts of these deluded people, making them to +know his holy word, and to receive baptism and the Christian +faith. He then opened a service-book, and read over the passion +of Christ with an audible voice; during which all the natives +kept a profound silence, looking up to heaven and imitating all +our gestures. He then caused all the men to stand orderly on one +side, the women on the other, and the young people on a third, +giving hatchets to the chiefs, knives to the others, beads and +other trifles to the women, and rings, counters, and broaches of +tin to the children. He then caused our trumpets and other +musical instruments to be sounded, which made the natives very +merry. We then took leave of them to return to our boats, on +which the women placed themselves in our way, offering us of +their provisions which they had made ready for us, such as fish, +pottage, beans, and other things; but, as all their victuals were +dressed without salt, we did not like them, and gave them to +understand by signs that we were not hungry.</p> + +<p>When we left the town, many of the men and women followed us, +and conducted us to the top of Mount Royal, which is about a +league from the town, and whence we had a commanding view of the +country for thirty leagues round. To the north we saw many hills +stretching east and west, and a similar range to the south, +between which the whole country was exceedingly pleasant, being +level and fit for husbandry. In the midst of these pleasant +plains, we could see the river a great way farther up than where +we had left our boats; and at about fifteen leagues from us, as +far as we could judge, it came through the fair round mountains +to the south in a great rapid fall, the largest, widest, and +swiftest that ever was seen. The natives informed us that there +were three such falls besides; but as we did not understand their +language, we could not learn the distance between these. They +likewise informed us by signs, that after passing above these +three falls, a man might sail three months continually up the +river, and that along the hills to the north, there is another +great river coming from the west, which we believed to be that +which runs through the country of Saguenay. One of the natives, +without any sign or question made to him, took hold of the silver +chain of our captains whistle, and the dagger haft of one of the +mariners, which was of gilt brass, giving us to understand that +such metals came from that river, where there were evil people +named <i>Agouionda</i>, armed even to their finger ends, shewing +us the way in which their armour was made, being wrought of cords +and wood very ingeniously. They gave us also to understand that +these <i>Agouionda</i> were continually at war among themselves, +but we could not learn how far their country lay, for want of +understanding their language. Our captain shewed them some +copper, which they call <i>caignetadize</i>, and asked them by +signs if any came from thence. They answered <i>no</i>, shaking +their heads, but intimated that it came from Saguenay, which is +in quite a different direction. We now proceeded towards our +boats, accompanied by great numbers of the people, some of whom, +when they noticed any of our men weary, took them up on their +shoulders and carried them along. As soon as we got to the boats, +we set sail to return to our pinnace, being afraid lest any +accident might have happened in our absence. Our departure seemed +to grieve these friendly natives, who followed us along the shore +as far as they were able. We went so fast down the river, that we +came to our pinnace on Monday the 4th October; and set off next +day with the pinnace and boats to return to the port of the Holy +Cross in the province of Canada, where our ships lay. On the 7th +of the month we came to a river running from the north, having +four small islands at its mouth, overgrown with fine large trees, +which we named the Fouetz River. Entering this river, we found +one of the islands stretched a great way up. Our captain caused a +large cross to be set up at the point of this river, and went up +the river with the tide as far as possible; but finding it very +shallow and of no importance, we soon returned and resumed our +voyage down the Great River.</p> + +<p>On Monday the 11th October, we came to the port of the Holy +Cross, where we found that the masters and mariners who were left +there had constructed a stockade before the ships, of large +timber set upright and well fastened together, having likewise +planted several cannon, and made all other needful preparations +for defence against the natives, in case of any attack. As soon +as Donnacona heard of our return, he came to visit us, +accompanied by Taignoagny and Domagaia and many others, +pretending to be very glad of our arrival, and making many +compliments to our captain, who entertained them in a friendly +manner, although they had not so deserved by their former +conduct. Donnacona invited our captain to come and see Canada, +which he promised to do next day, being the 13th of the month. He +accordingly went, accompanied by all the gentlemen and fifty +mariners well armed. Their place of abode, named Stadacona, was +about a league from the ships; and when we were arrived within a +stones throw of the place, many of the inhabitants came to meet +us, drawing up in two ranks, the men on one side and the women on +the other, all dancing and singing. After mutual salutation, the +captain distributed knives and other trifles among them, giving a +tin ring to each of the women and children, with which they were +much pleased. After this, Donnacona and Taignoagny conducted the +captain to see the houses, which were very well provided with +victuals for winter use. Among other things, they shewed us the +<i>scalps</i> of five men spread on boards as we do parchment, +which Donnacona told us were taken from a people called +<i>Toudamani</i>, dwelling to the south, who are continually +engaged in war against his nation. They told us that, about two +years ago, as they were going to war in <i>Hognedo</i>, having +200 persons, men, women, and children, and were all asleep in a +fort which they had made in an island over against the mouth of +the Saguenay River, they were assaulted during the night by the +<i>Toudamans</i>, who set their fort on fire, and as they +endeavoured to come out, their enemies slew the whole party, five +only making their escape. They were greatly grieved at this loss, +but signified by signs that they hoped to be amply revenged at +some future opportunity.</p> + +<p>This nation has no knowledge of the true God, but believe in +one whom they call <i>Cudruaigni</i>, who they say often informs +them of future events, and who throws dust into their eyes when +angry with them[52]. They believe that they go to the stars after +death, and thence descend gradually towards the earth, as the +stars do to the horizon; after which they inhabit certain +pleasant fields, abounding in precious trees, sweet flowers, and +fine fruits. We endeavoured to convince them, of their erroneous +belief, telling them that Cudruaigni was only a devil or evil +spirit, who deceived them; and affirmed that there is only one +God of heaven, the creator of all, from whom we have all good +things, and that it is necessary to be baptised, otherwise they +would all be damned. They readily acquiesced in these and other +things concerning our faith, calling their Cudruaigni +<i>agouiada</i>, or the evil one, and requested our captain that +they might be baptised; and Donnacona, Taignoagny, Domagaia, and +all the people of the town came to us hoping to receive baptism. +But as we could not thoroughly understand their meaning, and +there was no one with us who was able to teach them the doctrines +of our holy religion, we desired Taignoagny and Domagaia to tell +them that we should return to them at another time, bringing +priests and the chrysm along with us, without which they could +not be baptised. All of this was thoroughly understood by our two +savages, as they had seen many children baptised when in +Brittany, and the people were satisfied with these reasons, +expressing their great satisfaction at our promise.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 52: This seems a figurative expression, +implying that he keeps them in ignorance of what is to happen +when displeased.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>These savages live together in common, as has been already +mentioned respecting the inhabitants of Hochelega, and are +tolerably well provided with those things which their country +produces. They are clothed in the skins of wild beasts, but in a +very imperfect and wretched manner. In winter they wear hose and +shoes made of wild beasts skins, but go barefooted in summer. +They observe the rules of matrimony, only that every man has two +or three wives, who never marry again if their husbands happen to +die, wearing all their lives after a kind of mourning dress, and +smearing their faces with charcoal dust and grease, as thick as +the back of a knife, by which they are known to be widows. They +have a detestable custom with regard to their young women, who +are all placed together in one house as soon as they are +marriageable, where they remain as harlots for all who please to +visit them, till such time as they may find a match. I assert +this from experience, having seen many houses occupied in this +manner, just as those houses in France where young persons are +boarded for their education; and the conduct of the inhabitants +of these houses is indecent and scandalous in the extreme. The +men are not much given to labour, digging the ground in a +superficial manner with a wooden implement, by which they +cultivate their corn resembling that which grows in Brazil, and +which they call <i>effici</i>. They have also plenty of melons, +pompions, gourds, cucumbers, and pease and beans of various +colours, all different from ours. They have likewise a certain +kind of herb of which they lay up a store every summer, having +first dried it in the sun. This is only used by the men, who +always carry some of this dried herb in a small skin bag hanging +from their necks, in which they also carry a hollow piece of +stone or wood like a pipe. When they use this herb, they bruise +it to powder, which they put into one end of the before-mentioned +pipe, and lay a small piece of live coal upon it, after which +they suck so long at the other end that they fill their bodies +full of smoke, till it comes out of their mouth and nostrils, as +if from the chimney of a fire-place. They allege that this +practice keeps them warm and is conducive to health, and they +constantly carry some of this herb about with them for this +purpose. We have tried to use this smoke, but on putting it to +our mouths it seemed as hot as pepper. The women among these +savages labour much more than the men, in tilling the ground, +fishing, and other matters; and all of them, men, women, and +children, are able to resist the extremity of cold better even +than the wild beasts; for we have seen them in the extremest +cold, which is most amazingly severe, come stark naked to our +ships over the ice and snow, which must appear incredible to +those who have not witnessed such hardiness. During winter, when +the whole country is covered with ice and snow, they take great +numbers of wild beasts; such as stags, fauns, bears, martins, +hares, foxes, and many other kinds, the flesh of which they eat +almost raw, being only dried in the sun or in smoke, as they do +their fish. So far as we were acquainted with these people, it +were an easy matter to civilize them and to teach them any thing +whatever: May God of his great mercy give a blessing to this, in +his good time. Amen!</p> + +<p>SECTION III.</p> + +<p><i>Wintering of Jacques Cartier in Canada in 1536, and return +to France in 1537</i>.</p> + +<p>The great river of Canada or Hochelega, begins at the sea or +gulf of St Lawrence below the Island of Assumption, or Anticosti. +Over against the high mountains of Hognedo and the Seven Islands, +the breadth of this river is from 35 to 40 leagues, being 200 +fathoms deep in the mid channel. The surest way to sail up this +river is on the south side[53]. On the north side, at about seven +leagues distance from the Seven Islands, there are two +considerable rivers which come from the hills of Saguenay, and +occasion several very dangerous shoals. At the entrance of these +rivers we saw vast numbers of whales and sea-horses; and near +these islands a small river runs in through marshy grounds, which +is frequented by immense numbers of water-fowl. From these Seven +Islands to Hochelega or Montreal, the distance is about 300 +leagues[54]. The original beginning of this great river may be +considered as at the mouth of the Saguenay river, which comes +from high and steep hills, from whence upwards is the province of +Canada on the north side. That river is high, deep, and straight, +wherefore it is dangerous for any vessel to navigate it. Beyond +that river upwards is the province of Canada, in which are +abundance of people who inhabit villages or open towns. In this +river there are many islands great and small, among which is one +ten leagues long[55], full of large tall trees and many vines. +This island maybe passed on both sides, but the safest way is on +its south side. To the westwards, on the shore or bank of the +river there is an excellent and pleasant bay or creek, in which +ships may safely ride. Near this, one part of the river for about +the third part of a league is very narrow and deep with a swift +current, opposite to which is a goodly piece of high land on +which a town stands. The country around is of excellent soil and +well cultivated. This place is called Stadacona, and is the abode +of Donnacona and of the two men we took in our first voyage, +Domagaia and Taignoagny. Before coming up to it there are four +other towns, named Ayraste, Starnatay, Tailla on a hill, and +Scitadin. And near Stadacona to the north is the harbour of St +Croix, in which we wintered from the 15th September 1535 to the +16th May 1536, during all which time our ships remained dry. +Beyond Stadacona, going up the river, is the habitation of the +people called Teguenondahi, on a high mountain, and the valley or +champain country of Hochelay, all of which for a great extent on +both sides of the river is as fine a plain as ever was seen. +There are mountains to be seen at a distance from the great +river, whence several rivers descend to join the Hochelay. All +the country is over-grown with many different kinds of trees and +many vines, except around the towns, where the inhabitants have +grubbed up the trees to admit of cultivating the ground, and for +the purpose of building their houses. This country abounds in +stags, deer, bears, rabbits, hares, martins, foxes, otters, +beavers, weasels, badgers, and rats of vast size, besides many +other kinds of wild beasts, in the skins of which the inhabitants +clothe themselves, having no other materials. It abounds also in +a variety of birds, as cranes, swans, bustards, geese both white +and grey, ducks, thrushes, black-birds, turtles, wild-pigeons, +linnets, finches, redbreasts, stares, nightingales, and many +others. No part of the world was ever seen producing greater +numbers and varieties of fish, both these belonging to the sea +and to fresh water, according to their seasons. Among these many +whales, porpoises, sea-horses, and a kind named Adhothuis which +we had never seen or heard of before. These are as large as +porpoises, as white as snow, having bodies and heads resembling +grey-hounds, and are accustomed to reside between the fresh and +salt water about the mouth of the Saguenay river.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 53: Modern navigators prefer the north +side, all the way from the Seven Islands to the Isle of Orleans, +where they take the southern channel to Point Levi, at which +place they enter the bason of Quebec.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 54: The distance does not exceed 135 marine +leagues.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 55: The Isle of Orleans, the only one which +can be here alluded to, is only 6 1/2 marine leagues in length; +Cartier seems to use the small French league of about 12 +furlongs, and even not to have been very accurate in its +application.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After our return from Hochelega or the Isle of Montreal, we +dwelt and trafficked in great cordiality with the natives near +our ships, except that we sometimes had strife with certain +ill-disposed people, much to the displeasure of the rest. From +Donnacona and others, we learnt that the river of Saguenay is +capable of being navigated by small boats for a distance of eight +or nine days journey; but that the most convenient and best way +to the country of Saguenay is to ascend the great river in the +first place to Hochelega, and thence by another river which comes +from Saguenay, to which it is a navigation of a month[56]. The +natives likewise gave us to understand that the people in that +country of Saguenay were very honest, were clothed in a similar +manner to us Frenchmen, had many populous towns, and had great +store of gold and red copper. They added, that beyond the river +of Hochelega and Saguenay, there is an island environed by that +and other rivers, beyond which and Saguenay the river leads into +three or four great lakes, and a great inland sea of fresh water, +the end whereof had never been found, as they had heard from the +natives of Saguenay, having never been there themselves. They +told us likewise that, at the place where we left our pinnace +when we went to Hochelega or Montreal, there is a river which +flows from the south-west, by which in a months sailing they +reach a certain other land having neither ice nor snow, where the +inhabitants are continually at war against each other, and which +country produces abundance of oranges, almonds, nuts, apples, and +many other kinds of fruit, the natives being clad in the skins of +beasts. On being asked if there were any gold or red copper in +that country, they answered no. So far as I could understand +their signs and tokens, I take this country to be towards +Florida[57].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 56: The meaning of these routes are not +explicable, as we are unacquainted with what is meant by +Saguenay. The river of that name flows into the north-west side +of the St Lawrence 150 miles below Quebec, in a nearly east +course of about 150 miles from the lake of St John. The +<i>other</i> river, said in the text to come from Saguenay, is +probably that of the Utawas; but there does not appear to be any +common direction or object attainable by the navigation of these +two rivers. The subsequent account of the inhabitants of Saguenay +is obviously fabulous, or had been misunderstood by the French +adventurers.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 57: The river from the south-west must have +been the Chambly, and its series of lakes towards Hudson river. +The rest of these vague indications refer to the great Canadian +lakes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the month of December, we learnt that the inhabitants of +the neighbouring town of Stadacona were infected by a +pestilential disease by which above fifty of them had been cut +off before we got the intelligence. On this account we strictly +enjoined them not to come to our fort or ships, or to have any +intercourse with us; notwithstanding which precaution this +unknown sickness began to spread among us in the strangest manner +that ever was seen or heard of. Some of our men lost their +strength so completely that they could not stand, their legs +being excessively swelled and quite black, and their sinews +shrunk up. Others also had their skins spotted all over with +spots of a dark purple or blood colour; which beginning at the +ankles, spread up their knees, thighs, shoulders, arms and neck: +Their breath did stink most intolerably; their gums became so +rotten that the flesh fell off even to the roots of their teeth, +most of which fell out[58]. So severely did this infection spread +among us, that by the middle of February, out of 110 persons +composing the companies of our three ships, there were not +<i>ten</i> in perfect health to assist the rest, so that we were +in a most pitiable case, considering the place we were in, as the +natives came every day to the outside of our fort and saw but few +of us. Eight were already dead, and fifty more so extremely ill +that we considered them past all hopes of recovery. In +consideration of our misery, our captain commanded all the +company to prepare by devout prayer in remembrance of Christ our +Saviour, and caused his holy image to be set upon a tree about a +musquet-shot from the fort, giving us to understand that divine +service was to be performed there on the Sunday following, every +one who could possibly do so attending in solemn procession, +singing the <i>seven</i> psalms of David and other litanies, and +praying most heartily to our Lord Christ Jesus to have compassion +upon our wretched state. Service being accordingly performed as +well as we could, our captain made a vow, if it should please God +to permit his return into France, that he would go on pilgrimage +to the shrine of our Lady of Rocquemado.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 58: The author clearly describes the +scurvy, long so fatal to mariners on long voyages, now almost +unknown in consequence of superior attention to articles of diet +and cleanness.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On that day Philip Rougement died, being 22 years old; and +because the nature of the sickness was utterly unknown, the +captain caused his body to be opened, to see if by any means the +cause of the disease could be discovered, or any thing found out +by which to preserve the rest of the people. His heart was found +to be white, but rotten, with more than a quart, of red water +about it. The liver was tolerably sound; but the lungs were black +and mortified. The blood was all collected about the heart; so +that a vast quantity of rotten blood issued from thence when +opened. The milt or spleen was rough and somewhat perished, as if +it had been rubbed against a stone. One of his thighs being very +black was opened, but it was quite sound within. The sickness +increased, to such a pitch that there were not above three sound +men in the whole company; all the rest being unable to go below +hatches to bring up victuals or drink for themselves or others. +We were sometimes obliged to bury such as died under the snow, +being unable to dig graves for them, as the ground was frozen +quite hard, and we were all reduced to extreme weakness. To add +to our distress, we were sore afraid that the natives might +discover our weakness and misery. To hide this, our captain, whom +it pleased God always to keep in health, used to make his +appearance with two or three of the company, some sick and some +well, whenever any of the natives made their appearance, at whom +he threw stones, commanding them to go away or he would beat +them: And to induce the natives to believe that all the company +were employed in work about the ships, he caused us all to make a +great noise of knocking, with sticks, stones, hammers, and such +like, as if caulking and repairing the ships. At this time we +were so oppressed with this horrible sickness that we lost all +hope of ever returning to France, and we had all died miserably, +if God of his infinite goodness and mercy had not looked upon us +in compassion, and revealed a singular and most excellent remedy +against our dreadful sickness, the best that was ever found on +earth, as shall be related hereafter.</p> + +<p>From the middle of November till the middle of March, we were +dwelling among ice above two fathoms in thickness, and the snow +lay above four feet thick on our decks; and so great was the +frost that all our liquors were frozen. Even the inside of our +ships below hatches was covered with ice above the thickness of a +hand-breadth. In that period twenty-five of our best men died, +and all the rest were so exceedingly ill, three or four only +excepted, that we had not the smallest hopes of their recovery. +At this time it pleased God to cast an eye of pity upon our +forlorn state, and to send us knowledge of a remedy which +restored us to health in a most wonderful manner. Our captain +happened one day to walk out upon the ice beyond the fort, when +he met a company of Indians coming from Stadacona, among whom was +Domagaia, who only ten or twelve days before had his knees +swollen like the head of a child two years old, his sinews all +shrunk, his teeth spoiled, his gums all rotten and stinking, and +in short in a very advanced stage of this cruel disease. Seeing +him now well and sound, our captain was much rejoiced, being in +hopes to learn by what means he had healed himself, so that he +might in the same manner cure our sick men. Domagaia informed +him, that he had taken the juice of the leaves of a certain tree, +which was a sovereign remedy against that disease. Our captain +then asked him if that tree was to be found thereabout, and +desired him to point it out, that he might cure one of his +servants who had got the disease when up at Canada with +Donnacona. He said this that it might not be known how many of us +were sick. Domagaia sent immediately two women, who brought ten +or twelve branches of that tree, and shewed the manner of using +it; which was to boil the bark and leaves of the tree in water, +to drink of this decoction every other day, and to put the dregs +upon the legs of the sick. He said likewise that this tree was of +great efficacy in curing many other diseases. This tree is called +<i>Ameda</i> or <i>Hanneda</i> in their language, and is thought +to be that which we call Sassafras. Our captain immediately +caused some of that drink to be prepared for his men; but at +first only one or two would venture to use it, who were followed +by the rest, and in a short time they were all completely cured, +not only of this dreadful sickness, but even of every other with +which any of them were at that time afflicted. Some even who had +been four or five years diseased with the <i>Lues</i> became +quite cured. After this medicine was found to be effectual, there +was so much eagerness to get it that the people were ready to +kill each other as to who should be first served. Such quantities +were used, that a tree as large as a well grown oak was +completely lopped bare in five or six days, and the medicine +wrought so well that if all the physicians of Montpelier or +Louvain had been to attend us, with all the drugs of Alexandria, +they could not have done so much for us in a whole year as that +tree did in six days, all who used it recovering their health by +the blessing of God.</p> + +<p>While the disease lasted among us, Donnacona, Taignoagny, and +many others of the natives went from home, pretending that they +went to catch stags and deer, called by them <i>Aiounesta</i> and +<i>Asquenoudo</i>. They said that they were only to be away a +fortnight, but they staid away above two months, on which account +we suspected they had gone to raise the country against us while +we were so weak. But we had used so much diligence in fortifying +ourselves, that the whole power of the country could only have +looked at us, without being able to have done us any harm. While +they were away, many of the natives used to come daily to our +ships with fresh meat, such as stags, deer, fishes and other +things; but held them at a high price, and would often take them +away again, rather as sell them moderately. It must be allowed +however that the winter that year was uncommonly long, and there +was even some scarcity of provisions among the natives.</p> + +<p>On the 21st of April 1536, Domagaia came to the shore +accompanied by several strong men whom we had not seen before, +and told us that the lord Donnacona would come next day to visit +us, and was to bring abundance of venison and other things along +with him. Next day Donnacona came to Stadacona with a great +number of men, for what purpose we know not; but as the proverb +says, "He who takes heed of all men may hap to escape from some." +Indeed we had great cause to look about us, being much diminished +in numbers, and those who remained being still very weak; +insomuch that we were under the necessity to leave one of our +ships at the port of St Croix. Our captain was informed of the +arrival of that great number of men along with Donnacona, as +Domagaia came to tell him, yet dared not to cross the river +between us and Stadacona as he used to do, which circumstance +made us suspect some intended treachery. Upon this our captain +sent one of his servants along with John Poulet, who was much in +favour among the natives, to endeavour to discover their +intentions towards us. Poulet and his companion pretended only to +come on a visit to Donnacona, to whom they carried some presents; +but as soon as Donnacona heard of their approach he went to bed, +feigning himself very sick. After visiting the chief, they went +to the house of Taignoagny, and wherever they went they saw a +prodigious number of people, so that they could hardly stir for +each other, most of whom they had not been used to see before. +Taignoagny would not allow our men to go into any other house in +the town, always keeping company with them wherever they went; +and while accompanying them back to the ships, desired them to +ask our captain to carry off with him to France, a native chief +named Agouna, from whom he had received some injury, and that if +our captain was pleased to do him this service he would esteem it +a great favour and would do in return whatever he was desired; +requesting that the servant might be sent back next day with the +answer.</p> + +<p>When our captain learnt that so great a number of natives were +collected apparently with some evil intentions towards us, he +proposed to make prisoners of Donnacona, Taignoagny, Domagaia and +some others of the principal men, that he might carry them into +France, to shew them to our king along with other rarities from +this western part of the world. Donnacona had formerly told us +that he had been in the country of Saguenay, in which were +infinite riches in rubies, gold, and other precious things. He +said also that there were white men in that country, whose +dresses were of woollen cloth like that we wore. He likewise said +that he had been in another country inhabited by a people called +<i>Picquemians</i>[59], and other tribes. Donnacona was an old +man, who even from his childhood had been accustomed to travel +into distant regions, both by means of the rivers and by land. +When Poulet and the other told their message to our captain from +Taignoagny, he sent back the servant desiring Taignoagny to come +and visit him, promising him good entertainment, and a compliance +with his request. Taignoagny sent back word that he would wait +upon our captain next day, bringing Donnacona and Agouna along +with him; yet he staid away two days, during which time none of +the natives came from Stadacona to our ships as they were wont, +but seemed anxiously to avoid us, as if we had meant to slay +them, which added much to our suspicions.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 59: A tribe named Picquagamies still +inhabits around Lake St John at the head of the Saguenay river. +The people in woollen dresses, with the rubies and gold, must be +fabulous, or misunderstood by the French.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time the natives of Stadacona, understanding that we +were visited by the inhabitants of Sidatin, and that we were +pulling one of our ships to pieces to get out the old nails and +other iron work, meaning to leave it behind, came to visit us on +the third day, crossing the river in their skiffs and seeming to +have laid aside their former shyness. Taignoagny and Domagaia +remained however above an hour on the other side of the river, +conversing across the stream, before they would come over. At +length they came to our captain, whom they requested to order the +before mentioned chief, Agouna, to be apprehended and carried +over to France. The captain refused to do this, saying that he +had been expressly forbidden by the king to bring over any men or +women; being only permitted to take over two or three young boys +to learn French that they might serve as interpreters, but that +he was willing to carry Agouna to Newfoundland and leave him +there. Taignoagny was much rejoiced at this, being satisfied that +he was not to be carried back to France, and promised to bring +Donnacona and all the other chiefs with him to the ships next +day. Next day being the 3d of May or Holyrood Day, our captain +caused a goodly fair cross to be erected in honour of the day, +thirty-five feet in height, under the cross tree of which he hung +up a shield of the arms of France, with this inscription in +antique letters,</p> + +<p><i>Franciscus primus Dei gratia Francorum Rex</i>.</p> + +<p>About noon, according to the promise of Taignoagny, a great +number of men, women, and children came from the town of +Stadacona, saying that their lord Donnacona was coming to visit +our captain attended by Taignoagny and Domagaia. They came +accordingly about two o'clock in the afternoon, and when near our +ships, our captain went to salute Donnacona, who endeavoured to +assume a cheerful countenance, yet his eyes were ever and anon +bent towards the wood as if in fear. As Taignoagny endeavoured to +dissuade Donnacona from going on board, our captain ordered a +fire to be kindled in the open air; but at length Donnacona and +the others were prevailed upon to go on board, when Domagaia told +the captain that Taignoagny had spoken ill of him and had +endeavoured to dissuade Donnacona from going to the ships. Seeing +likewise that Taignoagny was sending away the women and children, +and that the men only remained, which indicated some hostile +intentions, our captain gave a signal to his men who immediately +ran to his assistance, and laid hold on Donnacona, Taignoagny, +Domagaia, and two more of the principal natives. On seeing their +lord taken, the Canadians immediately ran away, some crossing the +river towards Stadacona and others taking to the woods; whereupon +we retired within our bulwarks, and placed the prisoners under a +secure guard. During the ensuing night great numbers of the +natives came to the river side near our ships, crying and howling +like so many wolves, and continually calling upon +<i>Agouhanna</i>, being the name of office or dignity of +Donnacona, whom they wished to speak with, but our captain would +not allow of this. Next day about noon the natives indicated by +signs that they supposed we had killed their chief. About this +time, the natives in the neighbourhood of the ships were in +prodigious numbers, most of them skulking about the edge of the +forest, except some who continually called with a loud voice on +Donnacona to come and speak to them. Our captain then commanded +Donnacona to be brought up on high to speak to his people, and +desired him to be merry, assuring him that when he had spoken to +the king of France, and told him all that he had seen in Saguenay +and other countries through which he had travelled, that he +should be sent back to his own country in ten or twelve months +with great rewards. Donnacona rejoiced at this assurance, and +communicated the intelligence to his people, who made three loud +cheers in token of joy. After this Donnacona and his people +conversed together for a long time; but for want of interpreters +we could not know the subjects of their discourse. Our captain +then desired Donnacona to make his people come over to our side +of the river, that they might talk together with more ease, and +desired him to assure them of being in perfect safety; which +Donnacona did accordingly, and a whole boatful of the principal +people came, over close to the ships, where they renewed their +conversation, giving great praise to our captain, to whom they +presented twenty-four chains <i>esurgney</i>[60], as the most +precious thing they possess, and which they hold in higher +estimation than gold or silver. After a long talk, as Donnacona +saw that there were no means of avoiding the voyage to France, he +commanded his people to bring him some victuals to serve him +during the passage. At this time our captain gave Donnacona two +frying pans of copper, eight hatchets, with several knives, +strings of beads, and other trifles, with which he seemed highly +pleased, and sent them to his wives and children. Our captain +also made similar presents to the chiefs who had come to speak +with Donnacona, who thanked him for the gifts and retired to +their town.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 60: A very unintelligible account of the +manner in which this article, so precious in the eyes of the +Canadians, is procured, has been already given in this chapter; +but there are no data on which even to conjecture what it is. +Belts of <i>wampum</i>, a kind of rudely ornamented ribbons or +girdles, are universally prized among the North American Indians, +of which frequent mention will occur in the sequel of this +work.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Very early on the 5th of May, a great number of the people +came back to speak with their lord, on which occasion they sent a +boat, called <i>casnoni</i> in their language, loaded with maize, +venison, fish, and other articles of provision after their +fashion, and lest any of their men might be detained, this boat +was navigated by four women, who were well treated at our ships. +By the desire of Donnacona, our captain sent a message on shore +by these women, to assure the natives that their chief would be +brought back by him to Canada at the end of ten or twelve months: +They seemed much pleased at this intelligence, and promised when +he brought back Donnacona that they would give him many valuable +presents, in earnest of which each of the women gave him a chain +of <i>esurgney</i>. Next day, being Saturday the 6th of May 1536, +we set sail from the harbour of St Croix, and came to anchor at +night in another harbour about twelve leagues down the river, a +little below the Isle of Orleans. On Sunday the 7th we came to +the Island of Filberts, or <i>Coudres</i>, where we remained till +the 16th of the month, waiting till the great flood in the river +had spent its force, as the current was too violent to be safely +navigated. At this time many of the subjects of Donnacona came to +visit him from the river Saguenay, who were much astonished upon +being told by Domagaia that Donnacona was to be carried to +France, but were reassured by Donnacona who informed them he was +to come back next year. They gave their chief on this occasion +three packs of beaver skins and the skins of sea wolves or seals, +with a great knife made of red copper which is brought from +Saguenay, and many other things. They also gave our captain a +chain of <i>esurgney</i>, in return for which he presented them +with ten or twelve hatchets, and they departed well pleased. On +the 16th of May we departed from the Isle of Filberts, and came +to another island about fifteen leagues farther down the river, +which is about five leagues in length, where we remained the rest +of that day and the following night, meaning to take advantage of +the next day to pass by the river Saguenay, where the navigation +is very dangerous. That evening we went ashore on the island, +where we took such numbers of hares that we called it Hare +Island. But during the night the wind became quite contrary and +blew so hard that we were forced back to the Isle of Filberts, +where we remained till the 21st of the month, when fine weather +and a fair wind brought us down the river. On this occasion we +passed to <i>Honguedo</i>, which passage had not been seen +before. Passing Cape <i>Prat</i>, which is at the entrance into +the bay of <i>Chaleur</i>; and having a fair wind we sailed all +day and night without stopping, and came next day to the middle +of <i>Brions</i> Islands. These islands lie north-west and +south-east, and are about fifty leagues asunder, being in lat. +47-1/2° N[61]. On Thursday the 26th of May, being the feast +of the Ascension, we coasted over to a <i>land and shallow of low +sands</i>, about eight leagues south-west from Brions Island, +above which are large plains covered with trees, and likewise an +enclosed lake or sea into which we could find no entrance. On +Friday following, being the 27th of the month, in consequence of +the wind becoming foul, we returned to Brions Island, where we +remained till the beginning of June. To the south-east of this +island we saw land which we supposed another island, which we +coasted for two or three leagues, and had sight of three other +high islands towards the sands, after which we returned to the +cape of the said land, which is divided into two or three very +high capes[62]. At this place the water is very deep and runs +with a prodigiously swift current. That day we came to Cape +Lorain <i>which is in 47 1/2 degrees toward the south</i>. This +cape is low land, and has an appearance as of the mouth of a +river, but there is no harbour of any worth. At a short distance +we saw another head-land toward the south, which we named Cape St +Paul.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 61: These geographical indications are so +obscure as not to be intelligible, unless perhaps the passage +between Cape Breton Island and Newfoundland is here meant under +the name of Honguedo.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 62: The text here is either corrupt, or so +vaguely expressed as not to admit of any reasonable explanation +or conjecture.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Sunday following, being the 4th of June, we saw other lands at +about twenty-two leagues east-south-east from Newfoundland, and +as the wind was contrary we went into a harbour which we named +the Bay of the Holy Ghost. We remained there till the Tuesday +following, when we sailed along the coast to St Peters Islands, +passing many very dangerous rocks and shoals, which lie +east-south-east and west-north-west, stretching about +twenty-three leagues out to sea. While at St Peters Islands, we +saw many French and British ships, and remained there from the +11th to 16th of June, after, which we sailed to Cape <i>Race</i>, +where we went into a harbour named <i>Rognoso</i>, where we took +in a supply of wood and water to serve us on the voyage home, and +at this place we left one of our boats. We left that harbour on +Monday the 19th of June, and had such excellent weather and fair +winds, that we arrived in the Port of St Maloes upon the 6th of +July 1536.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>In Hakluyts Collection, III. 286-289, there is a short +imperfect fragment of a <i>third</i> voyage by Jacques Cartier to +Canada, Hochelega, and Saguenay in 1540; but as it breaks off +abruptly and gives hardly any additional information respecting +the country and its inhabitants or productions, beyond what is +contained in the two voyages already inserted, it has not been +deemed necessary to adopt it into the present collection.--E.</p> + +<pre> + <i>Specimen of the language of Hochelega and Canada</i>. + + 1. <i>Secada. 2. Tigneni. 3. Hasche. 4. Hannaion. 5. Ouiscon. + 6. Indahir. 7. Aiaga. 8. Addigue. 9. Madellan. 10. Assem</i>. + + <i>Aggonzi</i>, the head. <i>Atha</i>, shoes. + <i>Hegueniascon,</i> the brow. <i>Amgoua,</i> a shirt. + <i>Higata</i>, the eyes. <i>Castrua</i>, a cap. + <i>Abontascon</i>, the ears. <i>Osizi</i>, corn. + <i>Esahe</i>, the mouth. <i>Carraconny</i>, bread. + <i>Esgongay</i>, the teeth, <i>Sahe</i> beans. + <i>Osnache</i>, the tongue. <i>Ame</i>, water. + <i>Agonpon</i>, the throat. <i>Quahouascon</i>, flesh. + <i>Hebelim</i>, the beard. <i>Honnesta</i>, damsons. + <i>Hegouascon</i>, the face. <i>Absconda</i>, figs. + <i>Aganiscon</i>, the hair. <i>Ozoba</i>, grapes. + <i>Aiayascon</i>, the arms. <i>Quahoya</i>, nuts. + <i>Aissonne</i>, the flanks. <i>Esgueny</i>, an eel. + <i>Aggruascon</i>, the stomach. <i>Undeguezi</i>, a snail. + <i>Eschehenda</i>, the belly. <i>Hueleuxima</i>, a tortoise. + <i>Hetnegradascon</i>, the thighs. <i>Sahomgahoa</i>, a hen. + <i>Agotschinegodascon</i>, the knees. <i>Zisto</i>, a lamprey. + <i>Agouguenehondo</i>, the legs. <i>Ondacon</i>, a salmon. + <i>Onchidascon</i>, the feet. <i>Ainne-honne</i>, a whale. + <i>Aignoascon</i>, the hands. <i>Sadeguenda</i>, a goose. + <i>Agenuga</i>, the fingers. <i>Aionnesta</i>, a stag. + <i>Agedascon</i>, the nails. <i>Asquenondo</i>, a sheep. + <i>Aguehum</i>, a man. <i>Saurkanda</i>, a hare. + <i>Agrauste</i>, a woman. <i>Agaya</i>, a dog. + <i>Addegesta</i>, a boy. <i>Achide</i>, to-morrow. + <i>Agniaquesta</i>, a girl. <i>Cudragny</i>, God. + <i>Exiasta</i>, a child. <i>Quenhia</i>, heaven. + <i>Conda</i>, woods. <i>Damga</i>, the earth. + <i>Hoga</i>, leaves. <i>Ysmay</i>, the sun. + <i>Cabata</i>, a gown. <i>Assomaha</i>, the moon. + <i>Caioza</i>, a doublet. <i>Stagnehoham</i>, the stars. + <i>Hemondoha</i>, stocking. <i>Copoha</i>, the wind. + <i>Adogne</i>, a hatchet + <i>Ahencu</i>, a bow. + <i>Quaetan</i>, a dart. + <i>Canada</i>, a town. + <i>Agogasy</i>, the sea. + <i>Coda</i>, the waves. + <i>Cohena</i>, an island. + <i>Agacha</i>, a hill. + <i>Hounesca</i>, ice. + <i>Camsa</i>, snow. + <i>Athau</i>, cold. + <i>Odazani</i>, hot. + <i>Azista</i>, fire. + <i>Quea</i>, smoke. + <i>Canoca</i>, a house. + <i>Addathy</i>, my father. + <i>Adauahoe</i>, my mother. + <i>Addagrim</i>, my brother. + <i>Adhoasseue</i>, my sister. + + <i>Quaza hoa quea</i>, Give me some drink. + <i>Quaza hoa quascaboa</i>, Give me my breakfast. + <i>Quaza hoa quatfriam</i>, Give me my supper. + + <i>Casigno agnydahoa</i>, Let us go to bed. + <i>Casigno donnascat</i>, Let us go a hunting. + <i>Casigno caudy</i>, Let us go to play. + <i>Casigno casnouy</i>, Let us go in the boat. + <i>Assigni quaddadia</i>, Come speak with me. + + <i>Quagathoma</i>, Look at me. + <i>Aignag</i>, Good morrow. + <i>Aista</i>, Hold your peace. + <i>Buazahca agoheda</i>, Give me a knife. + +</pre> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<h2><a name="book2-3" id="book2-3">BOOK III.</a></h2> + +<p><b>CONTINUATION OF THE DISCOVERIES AND CONQUESTS OF THE +PORTUGUESE IN THE EAST; TOGETHER WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE EARLY +VOYAGES OF OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS TO INDIA.</b></p> + +<h2><a name="chapter3-1" id="chapter3-1">CHAPTER I.</a></h2> + +<p><b>DISCOVERIES, NAVIGATIONS, AND CONQUESTS OF THE PORTUGUESE +IN INDIA, FROM 1505 TO 1539, BOTH INCLUSIVE: RESUMED FROM BOOK I. +OF THIS PART[63].</b></p> + +<p>We have formerly in the <i>First</i> BOOK of this +<i>Second</i> PART of our general arrangement, given a historical +account of the Portuguese Discoveries along the Coast of Africa, +with their Discovery of and early Conquests in India, from the +glorious era of DON HENRY prince of Portugal in 1412, down to the +year 1505. Necessarily called off from that interesting subject, +to attend to the memorable Discovery of the <i>NEW WORLD</i> by +the immortal COLUMBUS, we have detailed at considerable, yet we +hope not inconvenient length, in the III. IV. and V. Volumes of +our Collection, the great and important Discovery of America, and +the establishment of the principal Spanish colonies in that grand +division of the world, with some short notices of the earliest +American Discoveries by the Portuguese, English, and French +nations. We now return to a continuation of the early Discoveries +and Conquests in India, taking that word in its most extensive +signification as comprehending the whole of southern Asia, from +the Persian Gulf to Japan and Eastern China. In the present +portion of our Collection, we propose chiefly to direct our +attention to the transactions of the Portuguese; adding however +such accounts as we may be able to procure of the early Voyages +to India made by other European nations.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 63: Portuguese Asia, by Manuel de Faria y +Sousa-Astleys Collection of Voyages and Travels, I. 58. et +sequ.]</blockquote> + +<p>It is not necessary to particularize the various sources from +which the different articles to be contained in this <i>Book</i> +or division of our work has been collected, as these will be all +referred to in the several chapters and sections of which it is +composed. Indeed as the introductions we prefix, on the present +and other similar occasions, are necessarily written +<i>previous</i> to the composition of the articles to which they +refer, contrary to the usual practice, it would be improper to +tie ourselves too strictly on such occasions, so as to preclude +the availment of any additional materials that may occur during +our progress, and therefore we here beg leave to notify that we +reserve a power of including the earliest voyages of other +European nations to the Atlantic and eastern coasts of Africa, +together with Arabia and Persia, among the <i>early voyages to +India</i>, if hereafter deemed necessary; which is strictly +conformable to what has been already done in PART II. BOOK I, and +what must necessarily be the case on the present occasion. It may +be proper however to mention, that the present chapter, +containing a continuation of the early Discoveries, Navigations, +and Conquests of the Portuguese in India, is taken from the +PORTUGUESE ASIA, of <i>Manuel de Faria y Sousa</i>, taking that +author up in 1505, where we had to lay down <i>Castaneda</i> at +the end of our <i>Second BOOK</i>. <i>Faria</i>[64], who is +designated as a member of the Portuguese military order of +Christ, was a celebrated historian among his countrymen, and his +work, entitled ASIA PORTUGUEZA, contains an account somewhat in +the form of Annals, of the Transactions of his countrymen in +<i>India</i>, from their first going there in 1497, to the year +1646. This work contains all the Portuguese Voyages and +Discoveries, from their first attempt to extend along the western +coast of <i>Africa</i>, to their final discovery of the farthest +parts of <i>China</i> and <i>Japan</i>: All their battles by sea +and land, with their expeditions, sieges, and other memorable +actions: The whole interspersed with descriptions of the places +and countries they discovered, visited, or conquered; including +accounts of the manners, customs, government, and religion of the +natives. This author is remarkable for a concise and clear +narrative, and for judicious reflections on the conduct of the +Portuguese kings, ministers, governors, and commanders, as well +as for his remarks on many other occasions. These are always +just, and have often an air of freedom that might not have been +expected under an arbitrary government: But in matters regarding +religion, he often discovers a surprising reverse of character, +full of weak and puerile credulity, the never-failing consequence +of education and publication under the influence of that eternal +and abominable stain of the peninsula, the +<i>Inquisition</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 64: Astley, I. 87.]</blockquote> + +<p>This work of De Faria has gone through various impressions in +Portugal, where it is esteemed a curious and accurate +performance, though on some occasions it is alleged that he has +placed too much reliance on <i>Mendez Pinto</i>, a dealer in +bare-faced fiction. The first impression of the Portuguese Asia +was printed at Lisbon in 1666, in 3 vols. small folio, and it has +been often reprinted, and translated into Spanish, Italian, +French, and English.</p> + +<p>The English translation used on the present occasion, and we +know of no other or later edition, was made by Captain John +<i>Stevens</i>, and published at London in 1695, in 3 vols. 8vo. +dedicated to Catherine of Portugal, Queen Dowager of England. In +his Preface, Mr Stevens informs the reader, that he had reduced +the work to considerably less size than the <i>Spanish +original</i>, yet without omitting any part of the history, or +even abridging any material circumstances; having cut off long +speeches, which were only added by the author as rhetorical +flourishes, and omitted many tedious lists of the names of +officers who were present at the principal actions, and extended +reflections of the author which were only useful to increase the +size of the work. In this account of the work by the translator, +the <i>Spanish</i> is mentioned as the original. Indeed the +Portuguese and Spanish original editions appear to have both +appeared contemporaneously in 1666.[65]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 65: Bibl. Univ. des Voy. IV. +576.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the employment of Faria we have followed the example of +Astleys Collection of Voyages and Travels, of which Mr John Green +is said to have been the Editor. But although in that former +Collection, published at London in 1745, an absolutely verbal and +literal transcript is used so far as the Editor has been pleased +to follow the translation of Stevens, many very curious and +important particulars contained in that author are omitted, or +slurred over by a hasty and careless abridgement. From where we +take up Faria, in consequence of the loss of Castaneda, <i>we +have given his work nearly entire</i>, only endeavouring to +reduce the language of Captain Stevens to the modern standard, +and occasionally using the freedom to arrange incidents a little +more intelligibly, and to curtail a few trifling matters that +seemed to possess no interest for modern readers. We have however +availed ourselves of many valuable notes and illustrations of the +text by the Editor of Astleys Collection, all of which will be +found acknowledged and referred to in their proper places. And we +have adopted from the same source some valuable additions to the +text of Faria, intimately connected with the subject, which are +likewise carefully acknowledged. Thus, like many former articles +in this Collection, we trust that the present, as being greatly +fuller, will be found more satisfactory and informing than any +similar account in former Collections of Voyages and Travels.</p> + +<p>After so considerable an interval employed on the Discoveries +in America, it may be proper to remark that the former Account of +the Discovery of the maritime route to India by the Cape of Good +Hope, and the commencement of the Portuguese Conquests in the +East, as contained in the <i>Second</i> Volume of this Work, Part +II. Chap. VI. <i>Sections I. to IX</i>. pp. 292-505, comprises +only a period of <i>nine</i> years, from the setting out of +<i>Vasco de Gama</i> in July 1497, on his adventurous Voyage, by +which he completed the discovery of the way by sea to India from +Europe, projected by Prince Henry in 1412, <i>eighty-five</i> +years before. On that former occasion, following the narrative of +Hernan Lopez de Castaneda, we brought down the Transactions of +the Portuguese in India to the year 1505; including the almost +incredible defence of Cochin by the intrepid Pacheco against the +immensely more numerous forces of the Zamorin of Calicut; the +relief of the chivalric besieged, by the arrival of Lope Suarez +de Menezes in September 1505; and the voyage of Suarez back to +Portugal in 1505, leaving Manuel Telez de Vasconcelles as +captain-general of the Portuguese possessions in India. It has +been formerly mentioned, Vol. II. p.500, note 5, that Castaneda +names this person Lope Mendez de Vasconcelles, and that he is +named Manuel Telez de Barreto by the editor of Astleys +Collection, in which we now find that he had followed the author +of the Portuguese Asia. The difference between these authorities +is irreconcileable, but is quite immaterial to the English +reader.--E.</p> + +<p>SECTION I.</p> + +<p><i>Course of the Indian Trade before the Discovery of the +Route by the Cape of Good Hope, with some account of the +settlement of the Arabs on the East Coast of Africa</i>[66].</p> + +<p>Before the Discovery of the Route to India by the Cape of Good +Hope, formerly related in PART II. CHAPTER VI. the spices and +other productions of India were brought to Europe with vast +trouble and at great expence, so that they were necessarily sold +at very high prices. The cloves of the Moluccas, the nutmegs and +mace of Banda, the sandal-wood of Timor, the camphor of Borneo, +the gold and silver of Luconia, with all the other and various +rich commodities, spices, gums, perfumes, and curiosities of +China, Japan, Siam, and other kingdoms of the continent and +islands of India, were carried to the great mart of Malacca, a +city in the peninsula of that name, which is supposed to have +been the <i>Aurea Chersonesus</i> of the ancients. From that +place the inhabitants of the more western countries between +Malacca and the Red Sea procured all these commodities, dealing +by way of barter, no money being used in this trade, as silver +and gold were in much less request in these eastern parts of +India than foreign commodities. By this trade, Calicut, Cambaya, +Ormuz, Aden, and other cities were much enriched. The merchants +of these cities, besides what they procured at Malacca as before +mentioned, brought rubies from Pegu, rich stuffs from Bengal, +pearls from <i>Calicare</i>[67], diamonds from +<i>Narsinga[68]</i>, cinnamon and rich rubies from Ceylon, +pepper, ginger, and other spices, from the coast of Malabar and +other places where these are produced. From Ormuz these +commodities were conveyed up the Persian gulf to Basorah at the +mouth of the Euphrates, and were thence distributed by caravans +through Armenia, Trebisond, Tartary, Aleppo, and Damascus; and +from these latter cities, by means of the port of Barat in Syria, +the Venetians, Genoese, and Catalonians carried them to their +respective countries, and to other parts of Europe. Such of these +commodities as went up the Red Sea, were landed at Tor or Suez at +the bottom of that gulf, whence they were conveyed over land to +Cairo in Egypt, and thence down the Nile to Alexandria, where +they were shipped for Europe.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 66: De Faria, Portuguese Asia, I. +82.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 67: Named Kalekare by Astley; and probably +alluding to some place in the neighbourhood of the great pearl +fishery in the Gulf of Manar, between Ceylon and the +Carnatic.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 68: Now called Golconda. But the dominions +of Narsinga seem then to have included the whole southern +peninsula of India, except the coasts of Canara and Malabar, from +Visiapour and the Deccan to Cape Comorin.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Many princes apprehending vast loss to their revenues, by this +new course which the Portuguese had discovered for carrying on a +direct trade by sea between Europe and India, used their +endeavours to drive them from that country. For this purpose, the +Soldan of Egypt[69], who was principally affected by this new +trade, gave out that he would destroy the holy places in +Jerusalem, if the Portuguese persisted in trading to Malabar. +Believing him in earnest, Maurus, a monk of Mount Sinai, went to +Rome with a letter from the Soldan to the pope, signifying his +intention to destroy those places, sacred in the estimation of +the Christians, in revenge for the injury done to his trade by +the Portuguese. The pope sent Maurus into Portugal, where the +purport of his message was known before his arrival, and such +preparations made for driving the Moors from the trade of India, +that Maurus returned to Cairo with more alarming intelligence +than he had brought. The king of Portugal informed his holiness +by letter, that his intentions in prosecuting these eastern +discoveries were to propagate the holy faith, and to extend the +papal jurisdiction over the countries of the heathen, by which +the pope was entirely reconciled to his proceedings.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 69: This last mameluke Soldan of Egypt was +Almalec al Ashraf Abul Nasr Sayf oddin Kansu al Gauri, commonly +called Campson Gauri, the 24th of the Circassian dynasty, who +reigned from 1500 to 1516, when he was slain in battle near +Aleppo by Selim Emperor of the Turks.--Astley, I. 58. +b.]</blockquote> + +<p>Along the eastern coast of Africa, the Moors or Arabs had +several settlements. From Cape Guardafu, the most eastern point +of Africa, to Mozambique, is a hollow coast like a bent bow, +extending 550 leagues. From Cape Mozambique to Cape Corrientes is +170 leagues, and thence to the Cape of Good Hope 340 leagues. +Hence turning again to the northwards and a little towards the +west, the western coast of Africa reaches to Congo. Drawing a +line east across the continent, there remains a large peninsula +or promontory, to which the Arabs have given the name of +Kafraria, naming the inhabitants Kafrs or unbelievers; an +appellation bestowed by the Mahometans on all who are not of +their religion, but chiefly those who worship images, whence they +call most of the Christians by the opprobrious name of Kafrs. To +the north of this line on the east coast of Africa is the +maritime country of Zanguebar, or more properly Zenjibar, so +named from a Negro nation called the Zenji, who had formerly +conquered all that coast before the settlement of the Arabs. From +Zanguebar all the way to Cape Guardafu and the mouth of the Red +Sea, the coast is called Ajam or Ajen, signifying in Arabic the +country of the barbarians; the maritime parts being occupied by +the Arabs, and the inland country by heathen Negroes. Most of +this coast is very low, covered by impenetrable woods, and +subject to inundations, so that it is excessively hot and +unwholesome. The Negroes of this country are black with crisp +curled hair, and are wonderfully addicted to superstition, being +all idolaters; insomuch that upon the most frivolous motives they +will give over the most important enterprises: Thus the king of +Quiloa failed to meet Don Francisco de Almeyda, because a black +cat crossed his way when going out. The cattle, fruit, and grain +are answerable to the wildness of the country. The Moors or +Arabs, who inhabit this coast and the adjacent islands, seldom +cultivate the ground, and mostly subsist on wild beasts and +several loathsome things. Such as live more towards the interior, +and have intercourse with the barbarous Kafrs, use milk as a part +of their diet.</p> + +<p>As this country has been endowed by nature with much gold, an +eager desire to procure that precious metal has induced, first +the Arabs, and afterwards the Europeans, to possess themselves of +various parts along the coast. The first of the Arabs who came +here were called Emozadi, which signifies subjects of Zayde, who +built two inconsiderable towers, merely sufficient to defend them +against the barbarous Kafrs. Afterwards still greater numbers +came from the ports about the city of Lazah, forty leagues from +the island of Baharem[70] in the Persian gulf, who settled first +Magadoxa and afterwards Brava. The first Arabs separated from +these, new comers, and mixing with the Kafrs became Bedouins, or +Badwis, signifying people of the desert. Those Arabs who first +possessed themselves of the gold trade of Sofala were from +Magadoxa, and discovered the gold mines by accident. From thence +they spread themselves farther towards the south, but durst never +venture to navigate beyond Cape Corrientes, which is opposite to +the south-wester-most part of the Island of St Lawrence or +Madagascar. Along this coast the Arabs had possessed themselves +of Quiloa, Mombaza, Melinda, and the islands, of Pemba, Zanzibar, +Monfia, Comoro, and others; Quiloa being the principal of their +settlements, from whence many others had been formed, +particularly on the coast of Madagascar. Quiloa had been +originally a peninsula, but by the encroachments of the sea it +had become an island. The soil produces many palms and thorn +trees, and various herbs and plants; and the wild beasts, cattle, +and birds resemble those of Spain. The buildings in the places +possessed by the Arabs resemble those in Spain, having flat +roofs, with gardens and orchards behind.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 70: More properly Bahrayn, which signifies +<i>the two seas</i>, being the Arabic dual of Bahr, the +sea.--Astl. I. 59. e.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION II.</p> + +<p><i>Voyage of Don Francisco de Almeyda from Lisbon to India, in +quality of Viceroy, with an account of some of his transactions +on the Eastern coast of Africa, and Malabar.</i></p> + +<p>On the 25th of March 1505, Don Francisco de Almeyda sailed +from Lisbon with a fleet of twenty-two ships, carrying 1500 +soldiers, being bound for India of which he was appointed +viceroy. Eleven of these ships were to return with merchandize to +Portugal, and other eleven were to remain in India. On the 2d of +July the fleet met with a terrible storm, by which it was +separated. In one of the ships commanded by Diego Correa, the +sails were split to pieces and three men washed overboard, two of +whom perished; but the third, named Fernando Lorenzo, called out +that he would keep above water till morning, and begged of them +to keep an eye upon him, and on the storm abating next morning he +was taken on board. Owing to the separation of the fleet by the +storm, Almeyda arrived at Quiloa with only eight vessels; and on +saluting the port without receiving any answer, he called a +council of his officers to deliberate upon his proceedings, as he +had orders from the king to erect a fort at this place, which was +accordingly resolved upon. He landed therefore with 500 men, +accompanied by his son Don Lorenzo, and attacked the town in two +places. Amir Ibrahim fled over to the continent with his wives +and riches, having previously hoisted the Portuguese standard, by +which device he stopped the pursuit and gained time to escape. +The city was taken and plundered, without any loss on the side of +the Portuguese, though a great number of the inhabitants were +slain. Ibrahim though the forty-fourth successive sovereign, was +an usurper, who had murdered the former king, and Almeyda raised +Mohammed Ankoni, a relation of the former king and who had +espoused the Portuguese interests to the throne, placing a crown +of gold on his head with great pomp and solemnity. On this +occasion Mohammed declared that if the former king +<i>Alfudail</i> had been alive he would have refused the crown; +and he actually appointed the son of Alfudail to be his +successor, though he had children of his own. This rare example +in an unbeliever may put to shame the inhumanity and barbarism of +the Christians, who wade through seas of blood, contemn the most +sacred bonds of consanguinity and alliance, spoil provinces, +oppress the good, exalt the wicked, convert loyalty to treason, +perjury into duty, and religion into a cloak to work out their +accursed purposes, and to bereave of their crowns and sceptres +those to whom Providence had been pleased to confide them as most +worthy of rule.</p> + +<p>Having settled every thing to his mind, and constructed a fort +in twenty days, Almeyda left a garrison of 550 men, together with +a caravel and brigantine, and sailed on the 8th of August with +thirteen sail for Mombaza, which is seated like Quiloa in an +island about fourteen leagues in circumference. This city is +beautiful and strong, having a large bay before it capable of +containing many ships. Before entering the bay, two vessels were +sent to sound the bar, which is commanded by a battery of eight +cannons, which fired upon these vessels; but a ball from the +Portuguese happening to fall among the powder belonging to the +enemy, blew it up and did great injury to the natives, so that +they were obliged to abandon the work. Two smaller works being +likewise abandoned, the fleet entered the bay without farther +resistance. Being informed that the king of Mombaza had hired +1500 Kafr archers to assist in defending the place, Almeyda sent +him a message demanding submission; but the answer was, that the +Moors of Mombaza were not to be frightened by the noise of cannon +like those of Quiloa, and he might do his worst. Enraged at this +contemptuous answer, and because several of his men had been +wounded, while attempting to burn some ships in the port +belonging to Cambaya, Almeyda landed his men on the 15th of +August and attacked the city. He succeeded in the assault, +driving the enemy out at the other side of the town, and their +king along with them, whose palace he took possession of, on +which he planted a cross. Immediately after gaining possession of +the town, he received notice that his ships had succeeded in +their attack on those belonging to the Moors of Cambaya, all of +which were burnt. In this action the Portuguese lost only five +men; while of the Moors 1513 were slain and 1200 made prisoners, +of which only 200 were retained and all the rest set free. Having +plundered the city of every thing worth carrying off or which his +ships could contain, Almeyda burnt Mombaza to the ground.</p> + +<p>At this place Almeyda was joined by most of the remaining +ships, and continuing his voyage for India, he stopped by the way +at a bay called Angra de Santa Elena, where he found Juan Homem, +who had been separated along with other ships, and had discovered +some islands. Sailing from thence in continuation of his voyage, +the first place he came to in India was the island of +Anchediva[71], where according to orders from the king he +constructed a fort in which he placed a garrison of 80 men, +leaving two brigantines to protect the trade. While at this place +he was visited by ambassadors from the king or rajah of Onore, a +small kingdom of Malabar, who brought presents and a friendly +message from their sovereign. Several considerable merchants also +waited upon him, assuring him of the good will of their prince +towards the Portuguese; and several Moors from Cincatora brought +him considerable presents. All this however was the effect of +fear, as they had heard of his successes at Quiloa and Mombaza. +He was informed at this place that the prince Saboga had built a +fort at no great distance on the banks of the river Aliga on the +borders of Onore, which was garrisoned by 800 men. Meaning to +make himself master of this place, he sent his son Don Lorenzo +under pretence of a friendly visit to take a view of the fort, +which he effected and remained there some days. Having completed +the fort at Anchediva, he sailed to the port of Onore, and being +ill received, he determined to shew himself as terrible there as +he had done at Quiloa and Mombaza. The inhabitants however amused +him with excuses and pretended submission, till they had removed +their wives, children, and effects to a neighbouring mountain, +and then stood upon their defence. On this Almeyda landed most of +his forces to attack the town, sending his son Lorenzo with 150 +men in boats to set some ships on fire which were in the port. +Though the natives defended themselves with much bravery, and +discharged prodigious flights of arrows, by one of which Almeyda +was wounded, both the town and ships were set on fire; and as the +wind blew the smoke in the faces of the Portuguese they were much +incommoded for a time; but Don Lorenzo by taking a compass got +away from the smoke, and fell in with a body of 1500 of the +enemy, whom he immediately attacked. In this engagement Lorenzo +had like to have been defeated, his men falling into disorder; +but was fortunately succoured by his father, when the enemy fled +to the mountain. At this time, Timoja, who was governor of the +city and proprietor of some of the ships which were destroyed, +waited on Almeyda making excuses for the conduct of the king; and +being a man of graceful manners and appearance, and engaging for +his master to become vassal to the king of Portugal, Almeyda was +pacified and agreed to a treaty of peace.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 71: Anchediva or Anjediva is I small island +in lat. 14° 33' N. near the northern part of the Malabar +coast, between Carwar and Meerjee.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Leaving Onore, Almeyda went to Cananor, where he had an +interview on shore with the rajah, who was attended by 5000 men +well armed. He informed the rajah that he was to reside for some +time in India, in consequence of the troubles which had arisen +between the Portuguese and the zamorin of Calicut, and desired +permission to build a fort at this place for protecting the +Portuguese trade against the Moors. This being granted and the +fort begun, he left Lorenzo de Brito in the command with 150 men, +and two vessels to cruize along the coast. Going from thence to +Cochin, he received intelligence that the Portuguese factor at +Coulan and all his men had been killed by the Moors. He sent +however his son Don Lorenzo with three ships and three caravels, +with orders to endeavour to procure loading for the vessels +without taking any notice of what had happened; but in case +loading were denied he was to take ample revenge for the murder +of the factor and his people. The messenger sent upon this +occasion was answered by a flight of arrows, and twenty-four +ships belonging to Calicut and other places put themselves in +readiness to oppose the Portuguese. After a short resistance +Lorenzo burnt them all, only a very small number of the Moors +saving themselves by swimming to the shore. Don Lorenzo then went +to load at another port, after which he rejoined the viceroy at +Cochin.</p> + +<p>It had been the intention of Almeyda, according to his orders +from the king of Portugal, to crown Triumpara in a solemn manner, +with a golden crown richly adorned with jewels, brought on +purpose from Lisbon, as a recompence for the gallant fidelity +with which he had protected the Portuguese against the zamorin +and their other enemies. But as Triumpara had abdicated in favour +of his nephew Nambeadora[72], Almeyda thought proper to confer +the same honour upon him, and he was accordingly crowned with +great pomp, as a mark of the friendship of the Portuguese, and a +terror to others. From this place Almeyda sent home six ships +richly laden for Lisbon.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 72: This name mast certainly be erroneous. +In the former part of the history of the Portuguese transactions +in India, <i>Nambea daring</i> is mentioned as brother to the +zamorin of Calicut, whereas the prince of Cochin is repeatedly +named Naramuhin.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION III.</p> + +<p><i>Some Account of the state of India at the beginning of the +sixteenth Century, and commencement of the Portuguese +Conquests</i>[73].</p> + +<p>As the viceroyalty of Don Francisco de Almeyda laid the +foundation of the Portuguese dominion in India, once so extensive +and powerful, it may be proper in this place to give a general +view of its principal ports and provinces along the sea-coast. +Asia is divided from Europe by the river Don, anciently the +Tanais, by the Euxine or Black Sea, and by the Bosphorus and +Dardanelles, or Straits of Constantinople. It is parted from +Africa by the Red Sea, and a line drawn from Suez at the head of +that gulf to the Mediterranean, across a narrow neck of land +measuring only twenty-four leagues in breadth, called the Isthmus +of Suez. Its principal religions are four, the Christian, +Mahometan, Pagan, and Jewish. That portion of Asia which +principally belongs to our present purpose, may be divided into +<i>nine</i> parts, following the coast from the west to the +east.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 73: From the Portuguese Asia, Vol. I. 93. +This account is omitted in Astley's Collection, but inserted, +here as a curious record of the geographical knowledge of the +Portuguese in those times. There are numerous errors in this +short geographical sketch, especially in the names, measures, and +latitudes; but it would load this portion of our work too much +with notes, and induce great confusion, to comment upon every +step of this survey.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The <i>first</i>, commencing at the mouth of the Red Sea in +the west, reaches to the mouth of the gulf of Persia, being the +oceanic coast of Arabia. From the mouth of the Red Sea in lat. +12° 40' N. to the city of Aden, is 44 leagues: Thence to Cape +Fartaque in lat. 12° 30' N. is 100 leagues, containing the +towns of Abian, Ax, Canacan, Brun, Argel, Zebel which is the +metropolis, Herit, Cayem, and Fartach. Thence to Curia Muria is +70 leagues of coast, on which is the city of Dolfor, famous for +frankincense, and Norbate 20 leagues farther east. From Curia +Muria to Cape Ras-Algate, in lat. 22° 30' N. is 120 leagues +all barren and desert. Here begins the kingdom of Ormuz, and +hence to Cape Mozandan are 90 leagues, having the cities or towns +of Colagate, Curiate, Mascate, Soar, Calata, Orfacam, Doba, and +Lima, 8 leagues from Monbazam which Ptolomey calls Cape Assaborum +in lat. 26° N. All this track is called Ayaman or Yemen by +the Arabians, and was the Arabia Felix of the ancients, because +the most fertile and best inhabited country of all Arabia.</p> + +<p>The <i>second</i> division, from Cape Jacques or Jask to the +mouth of the river Indus, is 200 leagues in extent, called +Chirman or Kerman, and is divided into the two kingdoms of Macran +and Madel, with these towns, Guadel, Calara, Tibique, Calamate, +Goadel, and Diul. This coast is barren and most of it desert, and +cannot be approached on account of the shallowness of the sea +near the shore.</p> + +<p>The <i>third</i> division contains 150 leagues, of which 38 +from Diu[74] to Cape Jaquete or Jigat, whence to Diu in the +kingdom of Guzerat are 50 leagues, having these towns, Cotinna, +Mangalor, Chervar, Patan, and Corinar[75]. From Diu to Cambaya is +50 leagues, with these towns Madrafavat, Moha, Talica, Goda, and +Gundin[76]. Between Cambaya and Cape Jaquete or Jigat, is +included a part of the kingdom of Guzarate and the mountainous +region of the Resboutos, or Rajputs.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 74: Perhaps Debil, near the western mouth +of the Indus.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 75: Those names of sea port towns in the +Guzerate are miserably corrupted in the text: Only Puttan can be +recognised among them, and Mangalor must be a mistake; as that +place is far to the south of Guzerat on the coast of +Canara.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 76: The sea ports on this part of the coast +now are Jaffrabad, Cuttapour, Toolafee, Manuah, Gogo, Eawnagur, +and Iotian.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The <i>fourth</i> division measures 290 leagues, being the +most valuable part of India and the most frequented by the +Portuguese. This is subdivided into three portions by two rivers +which run from east to west. The first of these separates the +kingdom of the Decan from Guzerate on the north, and the second +divides the Decan from Canara which is to the south. There are +other rivers, all of which have their sources in the mountains +called <i>Gaut</i>; the chief among them being the Ganga, or +Gangue, which falls into the sea near the mouth of the Ganges, +between the cities of Angali and Pisolta, in about lat. 22° N +[77]. The river Bate, rising in the Gauts, falls into the sea +near Bombaim, dividing the kingdoms of Guzerate and Decan, the +mouth of that river being 70 leagues from the city of Cambaya. +From Chaul south of that river to the river Aliga, the south +boundary of the Decan, is 75 leagues, with these towns Bandor, +Dabul, Debitele, Cintapori, Coropatan, Banda, Chapora, and Goa +the metropolis and archiepiscopal see of Portuguese India.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 77: The Guaga or Godavery is probably here +meant, which falls into the Bay of Bengal in lat. 16° 16' N. +at the S.W. extremity of the Circars. The latitude indicated in +the text gets beyond the Bay of Bengal, and the cities between +which the Ganga is said to fall into the sea have no +representatives in our best maps.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The <i>fifth</i> division begins where Canara parts from the +Decan and ends at Cape Comorin, containing above 140 leagues. +From the Aliga to Mount Delli or Dilly is about 46 leagues, with +these towns, Onor, Baticale, Barcalor, Baranor, and others of the +province of Canara which is subject to the king of Bisnagar. +Below or south from Mount Delli to Cape Comorin is Malabar, +extending 93 leagues, and divided into three kingdoms which own +no superior. The kingdom of Cananor has 20 leagues of coast, in +which are the towns of Cota, Coulam, Nilichilam, Marabia, +Bolepatam, Cananor the metropolis in lat. 12° N. Tremapatam, +Cheba, Maim, and Purepatam. At this place the kingdom of Calicut +begins and extends 27 leagues, of which Calicut the metropolis is +in lat. 11° 17' N. besides the following towns Coulete, +Chale, Parangale, Tanor, the last of which is the capital of a +small kingdom subject to the zamorin of Calicut, and Chatua the +last in this kingdom. Next to Calicut to the south is the small +kingdom of Cranganor, which borders on Cochin, after which is +Coulan, and last of all Travancore, which is subject to Narsinga. +Near Travancore is the famous Cape Comorin, the southernmost +point of the continent of Indostan or India on this side the +Ganges, in lat. 7° 30' N [78]. at which place the coast of +Malabar ends, being the <i>fourth</i> of the nine districts into +which I have divided the coast of Asia.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 78: The latitude of Cape Comorin is 7° +54' N, or nearly so.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>From Cape Comorin in the west to Cape Cincapura in the east, +which is the southernmost point of the <i>Aurea Chersonesus</i> +or Malacca, the distance is 400 leagues, within which line is +contained the great bay of Bengal, sometimes called the <i>Sinus +Gangeticus</i>, because the river Ganges falls into this bay in +about the lat. of 22° N. after watering the kingdom of +Bengal. This river discharges a prodigious quantity of water, and +is esteemed holy by the neighbouring nations, who believe that +its water conduces to their salvation when at the point of death, +and are carried therefore that they may die with their feet in +its water, by which means the king of Bengal derives a +considerable revenue, no one being allowed to bathe in that river +without paying a certain tax. This river has many mouths, the two +most remarkable of which are Satigan on the west and Chatigan[79] +on the east, near 100 leagues from each other, and here ends the +<i>fifth</i> of the nine districts, which may be divided into +three subordinate parts. In the first place the kingdom of +Bisnagar[80] contains 200 leagues, and the following towns, +Tarancurii, Manapar, Vaipar, Trechendur, Caligrande, Charcacale, +Tucucurii, Benbar, Calicare, Beadala, Manancort, and Cannameira, +giving name to a cape which stretches out into the sea in lat. +10° N.[81] then Negapatnam, Hahor, Triminapatnam, Tragambar, +Trimenava, Colororam, Puducheira, Calapate, Connumeira, +Sadraspatnam, and Meliapour, now called St Thomas because the +body of that apostle was found there. From St Thomas to Palicata +is 9 leagues, after which are Chiricole, Aremogan, Caleturo, +Caleciro, and Pentepolii, where the kingdom of Bisnagur ends and +that of Orixa begins. The second part of this district, or Orixa, +contains 120 leagues and reaches to Cape Palmiras, with these +towns, Penacote, Calingan, Visgapatan, Bimilepatan, +Narsingapatan, Puacatan, Caregare and others. Here begins the +third part of this district, or the kingdom of Bengal, the coast +of which extends about 100 leagues.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 79: The western branch of the Ganges is now +called the Hoogly River. Satigan in the text may have some +reference to what is now called Sagar roads or anchorage. +Chatigan certainly means what is now called Chitigong: But the +most easterly mouth is properly that of the great Barhampooter, +or Bramah-putra River, long confounded among the mouths of the +Ganges. The breadth of the Sunderbunds, or Delta of the Ganges +and Barhampooter, is about 195 English miles.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 80: The kingdom of Bisnagar in the text, +appears to have contained the entire Carnatic above and below the +Gauts, with Mysore and Golconda.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 81: Now called Cape Calymere: It is next to +impossible to identify the other names in the text; and the +attempt would lead to very inconvenient length without +correspondent utility.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The <i>sixth</i> district of the nine begins at the east mouth +of the Ganges, called Chatigan or Chittagong, and ends at Cape +Cincapura, in little more than 1° N. Along this coast from. +Chittagong to Cape Negrais or Diamond Point, the southwestern +point of Pegu, in lat. 16° N. is 100 leagues, with these +towns, Sore, Satalolu, Arracan the capital of a kingdom of the +same name, and Dunadiva on the cape. Hence to Tavay in the lat. +13° is 16 leagues[82], being the extent of the kingdom of +Pegu. From Tavay to Cincapura is 220 leagues, the chief towns on +this part of the coast being Martaban, Lugor, Tanacerim, Lungar, +Pedam, Queda, Salongor, and Malacca the capital of the kingdom of +that name.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 82: It is difficult to correct this +egregious error, not knowing the kind of leagues used by Faria. +At 17-1/2 to the degree, the difference of latitude in the text +would give 52-1/2 leagues. Perhaps it is a typographical error +for 60 leagues, using the geographical measure, 20 to the +degree.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The <i>seventh</i> district begins at Cape Cincapura or +Sincapure, and ends at the great river of Siam, which falls into +the sea in lat. 14° N.[83] and has its rise in the lake of +Chiammay, called by the natives Menam, signifying the source of +two rivers. Upon this coast are the towns of Pam, Ponciam, +Calantaon, Patane, Ligor, Cuii, Perperii, and Bamplacot at the +mouth of the Siam river.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 83: The river of Siam falls into the great +gulf of the same name, in lat. 18° 30' N. But De Faria seems +to overlook the gulf.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The <i>eighth</i> district contains the kingdom of Cambodia, +through which runs the river Mecon, otherwise called the Japanese +river, which has its rise in China; the kingdom of Champa or +Tsiompa, whence comes the true aloes-wood; next to that is the +kingdom of Cochin-China;[84] and last of all the great empire of +China, divided into fifteen provinces of governments, each of +which is equal to a great kingdom. The provinces of this vast +empire on the sea-coast are Quantung, Fokein, and Chekiang, where +ends the eighth district[85]</p> + +<p>The <i>ninth</i> district begins with the province of Nanking, +and extends to the farthest discovered land on the coast of +Tartary.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 84: De Faria omits the kingdom of Tonkin or +Tonquin, which intervenes between Cochin-China and China: Perhaps +at that time Tonkin may have been: De Faria is incorrect in his +account of the provinces of China. Those on the coast are, +Quantung, Footchien, Tchetchiang, Kiangnan, Shantang, Petcheli; +or <i>six</i> maritime provinces, instead of <i>three</i> only in +the text. The others are, Yunnan, Quangsee, Kaeitchou, Hooquang, +Setchuen, Sifan, Honan, Shensee, and Shansee; or <i>nine</i> +inland provinces; making <i>fifteen</i> in all, as in the +text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 85: Or Nizam-al-mulk, and +Adel-khan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I shall speak in the sequel concerning the many islands along +this extensive coast of Asia, as they came to be discovered in +the navigations of the Portuguese; but the principal of them may +be here mentioned by name, as the Maldives, Ceylon, Sumatra, +Java, Borneo, Banda, Timor, Celebes, the Moluccas, Mindanao, +Luconia, and Japan. Having thus given a sketch of the Asian +coast, we proceed to consider its inhabitants. Although there are +many and various modes of worship in Asia, the chief religions +may be mentioned under four heads, the Christian, Jewish, +Mahometan, and Pagan; the two first of which are for the most +part under the slavery of the other two, against which the +Portuguese waged war. The power of the Mahometans and Pagans is +thus divided. All the coast from the river Cintacora opposite the +island of Anchediva, to the north and west is subject to the +Mahometans, and all to the eastwards to the Pagans; except the +kingdom of Malacca, part of Sumatra, and some parts of Java and +the Moluccas, which are held by the Mahometans. In that tract are +the following sovereign princes. The kings of Aden, Xael, and +Fartaque, who have many ports of great trade, and their subjects, +the Arabs, are brave and warlike. Next is the king of Ormuz, +greater than the other three put together. Then the king of +Cambaya, equal in grandeur and warlike power to Xerxes, Darius, +or Porus. From Chaul to Cincatora belong to Nizamaluco and +Hidalcan[85], two powerful princes, who maintain great armies +composed of sundry warlike nations well armed. The Moors[86] of +Sumatra, Malacca, and the Moluccas were well disciplined, and +much better provided with artillery than we who attacked them. +The heathen sovereigns were the kings of Bisnagar, Orixa, Bengal, +Pegu, Siam, and China, all very powerful, but chiefly the last, +so that it is difficult to express and scarcely credible the +prodigious extent of his power. Siam extends above 500 leagues, +and has seven subject kingdoms, which are Cambodia, Como, +Lanchaam, Cheneray, Chencran, Chiamay, Canibarii, and Chaypumo. +The king of Siam has 30,000 elephants, 3000 of which are armed +for war, and he has 50,000 soldiers in <i>Udia</i> alone, the +metropolis of his kingdom. The kingdom of China exceeds them all +in extent, and the king of that country is as powerful as all the +sovereigns in Europe together. His empire is above 700 leagues in +extent, possessing abundance of metals, and far exceeds Europe in +manufactures, some of which seem to exceed human art, and the +silks, provisions, and luxuries with which it abounds are beyond +computation.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 86: These are unquestionably the Malays, +called Moors by Faria, merely because they were +Mahometans.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>All the heathens of India, particularly between the Indus and +Ganges, write without ink on palm leaves, with pens or stiles +rather of wood or steel, which easily cut the letters on the +leaves. Some of these I have seen in Rome curiously folded. What +they intend to be lasting is carved on stone or copper. In +writing they begin at the left hand and write towards the right, +as we do in Europe. Their histories are extremely fabulous. About +600 years before the arrival of the Portuguese in India, there +reigned in Malabar a powerful monarch, from, whose reign the +people begin their era or historical computations, as they did +afterwards from our arrival. This king was persuaded by the Moors +who traded to his port to turn Mahometan, and gave them liberty +to build houses at Calicut. When he grew old, he divided his +kingdom among his kindred, giving Coulam to the chief, where he +placed the principal seat of his religion of the Bramins, and +gave him the title of Cobritim, which signifies high-priest. To +his nephew he gave Calicut, with the tide of Zamorin, which means +emperor. This dignity continues in the sovereign of Calicut, but +the other has been removed to Cochin. Having disposed of his +dominions, he resolved to die at Mecca, but was drowned by the +way. Calicut is a plain country well watered, and abounds in +pepper and ginger; but all the other spices are procured from +other neighbouring countries. The inhabitants are wonderfully +superstitious, and do not suffer those of one trade or profession +to marry with those of a different occupation, or to put their +children to learn any other trade but that of their fathers. The +<i>Nayres</i>, who are their nobles, if they chance to touch any +of the common people, purify themselves by ablution, as was done +by the Jews and Samaritans. The women among the Nayres axe common +to all, but chiefly those, of the Bramin cast, so that no one +knows his father, nor is any one bound to maintain the children. +These Nayres are wonderfully expert in the use of their weapons, +in which they begin to exercise themselves at seven years of age. +They are prone to all the ancient superstitions of augury and +divination.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, +during the Viceroyalty of Almeyda</i>.</p> + +<p>Besides the forts already erected on the eastern coast of +Africa at Quiloa and Mozambique, and the factory at Melinda, King +Manuel determined to build a fort at Sofala to secure the trade +in gold at that place; for which purpose he sent out Pedro de +Annaya with six ships in the year 1506: three of these ships +being destined to remain on the African coast, and the other +three to proceed to India. This fleet was separated in a storm, +during which one of the captains was washed overboard and +drowned, and another lost sixteen men who were slain by the +natives of an island on which they landed. The squadron rejoined +in the port of Sofala, where Annaya found twenty Portuguese +mariners in a miserable condition. The ship to which they had +belonged, commanded by Lope Sanchez, was forced to run on shore +at Cape Corientes, being so leaky as to be in a sinking +condition. After landing, the crew refused obedience to their +officers, and separated into different parties, endeavouring to +make their way through the unknown countries and barbarous +nations of Africa; but all perished except these twenty, and five +who were found at the river Quiloma by Antonio de Magelhaens, who +brought them to Sofala.</p> + +<p>According to his orders, and by permission of the sheikh or +king of Sofala, Annaya erected a strong wooden fort at that +place. The king soon afterwards repented of his concession, and +was for some time in hopes that the Portuguese would be soon +obliged to abandon the place on account of its unhealthiness. +About this time, three of the ships were dispatched for India, +and two of these which were destined for protecting the coast +from the attempts of the Moors were sent off upon a cruise to +Cape Guardafu, both of which were lost; the captains and part of +their crews saving themselves in the boats: In consequence of the +unwholesomeness of Sofala, the Portuguese garrison became so +weakened by sickness that it required six of them to bend a +single cross-bow. Encouraged by these disasters and instigated by +his son-in-law, the king collected a force of 5000 Kafrs with +which he invested the fort, filled up the ditch with fascines, +and made a violent assault, darkening the sun with incessant +clouds of arrows. Though only 35 Portuguese were able to stand to +their arms, they made such havock among the assailants with their +cannon, that the part of the ditch which had not been filled up +with wood was levelled with dead bodies. The enemy being thrown +into confusion Annaya made a sally at the head of fifteen or +twenty men[87], with whom he drove the Kafrs before him to a +grove of palms, and thence into the town, crying out in +consternation that their king had sent them to contend against +the gods. In the ensuing night, Annaya attacked the town, and +even penetrated into the house where the king resided, who, +standing behind a door, wounded Annaya in the neck with his +cymeter as he entered, but was soon killed with many of his +attendants. Next day the two sons of the slain king made a new +assault on the fort, but without success, many of the garrison +who were sick, being cured by the alarm, joined in the defence, +and the Moors were again repulsed with great slaughter. The two +sons of the deceased King of Sofala fell out about the +succession, and one of them named Solyman made an alliance with +Annaya to procure his aid to establish himself in the +sovereignty.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 87: In the translation of De Faria by +Stephens these are called <i>Moors</i>; but it is not easy to +conceive how Annaya should have had any of these on his +side.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The kingdom of Sofala, now called Sena by the Portuguese who +monopolize its whole trade, is of great extent, being 750 leagues +in circumference; but the inland parts are all subject to the +Monomotapa, who is emperor of this southern part of Africa, his +dominions being likewise known by the same name of Monomotapa, +called by the ancients <i>Ethiopia Inferior</i>. This country is +watered by two famous rivers, called Rio del Espiritu Santo and +Cuama, the latter of which is navigable 250 leagues above its +mouth. These and many other rivers which fall into them, are +famous for their rich golden sands. Most part of this country +enjoys a temperate climate, being pleasant, healthy, and fertile. +Some parts are covered with large flocks of sheep, with the skins +of which the natives are clothed to defend them from the cold +south winds. The banks of the Cuama river are covered with wood, +and the interior country rises into hills and mountains, being +abundantly watered with many rivers, so that it is delightful and +well peopled, being the ordinary residence of the Monomotapa or +emperor. Its woods contain many elephants, and consequently +produces much ivory. About 50 leagues southwest from Sofala are +the gold mines of Manica, in a valley of 30 leagues +circumference, surrounded by mountains on the tops of which the +air is always clear and serene. There are other gold mines 150 +leagues farther inland, but which are not so much valued.</p> + +<p>In the interior of the country there are some buildings of +wonderful structure, having inscriptions in unknown characters; +but the natives know nothing respecting their origin. The natives +of Monomotapa believe in one God, whom they name <i>Mazimo</i>, +and have no idols. Witchcraft, theft, and adultery are the crimes +most severely punished among them. Every man is permitted to have +as many wives as he pleases or can maintain. The monomotapa has a +thousand, but the first wife commands over all the rest, and her +children only are entitled to inherit the throne. Their houses +are built of wood; their apparel is made of cotton, those of the +better sort being mixed with gold threads; their funerals are +very superstitious. The attendance on the monomotapa is more +ceremonious than grand, his usual guard being 200 dogs, and he is +always attended by 500 buffoons. His dominions are ruled over by +a great many princes or governors, and to prevent them from +rebelling he always keeps their heirs about him. They have no +law-suits. Their arms are bows and arrows, javelins, daggers, and +small sharp hatchets, and they all fight on foot. The women of +this country are used with so much respect, that even the kings +sons when they meet a woman, give way to her and stand still till +she has gone past. The Moors of Magadoxa were the first who +possessed the mines of Sofala, after which they were seized by +the King of Quiloa: But Yzuf, one of their governors, rebelled +and usurped the government to himself, assuming the title of +king. This was the same person with whom Annaya had now to +contend, and whose son Solyman he established in the sovereignty, +under the protection and vassalage of Portugal.</p> + +<p>While these things happened at Sofala, the zamorin of Calicut +was using every exertion to raise up enemies to the Portuguese, +even entering into alliance with the Mameluke Soldan of Egypt, +hoping by his assistance to drive the Christians from the Indian +seas. His measures and preparations however became known to the +Rajah of Cochin, who communicated the intelligence to the viceroy +Almeyda. He accordingly sent his son Lorenzo with eleven vessels +to endeavour to counteract the designs of the zamorin by +destroying the fleet he had prepared. Learning that the Calicut +fleet was in the port of Cananor, consisting of 260 paraos, 60 of +which were larger than the Portuguese ships, Lorenzo sailed +thither and put them to flight after a severe engagement. In the +pursuit, some of the paraos were taken, but many were sunk and +run aground, by which the enemy sustained great loss, while only +five or six of the Portuguese were slain. The principal booty +taken on this occasion was four ships loaded with spice. Almost +immediately after this victory, Don Lorenzo received notice that +the fort of Anchediva was beset by 60 vessels belonging to the +Moors and Malabars, well armed and manned with a number of +resolute men under the command of a renegado. On this occasion +the besieged behaved with great gallantry, and the besiegers +pressed their attacks with much bravery, but several of their +vessels having been destroyed and others much damaged by the +cannon of the fort, and hearing of the approach of Lorenzo, the +enemy withdrew in all haste.</p> + +<p>Finding their trade almost destroyed by the Portuguese, the +Moors endeavoured to shun their cruisers by keeping out to sea in +their voyages from Cambaya and the ports of the Red Sea and +Persian Gulf, passing through the Maldive Islands, and keeping to +the south of Ceylon in their way to Sumatra and Malacca. The +viceroy on learning this new course of the Moorish trade, sent +his son Lorenzo with nine ships to intercept the trade of the +enemy. While wandering through seas unknown to the pilots, +Lorenzo discovered the island of Ceylon, formerly called +Taprobana, and came to anchor in the port of <i>Gale</i>, where +many Moors were taking in cinnamon and elephants for Cambaya. To +induce Lorenzo not to molest or destroy them, the Moors made him +an offer of 400 bahars of cinnamon in the name of the king of +Ceylon; and although he well knew this proceeded only from fear, +he thought it better to dissemble and accept the present, +contenting himself with the discovery of the island, on which he +erected a cross with an inscription of the date of his discovery. +On his return to Cochin, he attacked the town of Biramjam or +Brinjan, which he burnt to the ground and put all the inhabitants +to the sword, in revenge for the slaughter of the factor and his +people at Coulam, as this place belonged to that kingdom.</p> + +<p>While Cide Barbudo and Pedro Quaresme were coming out from +Portugal with two ships, they arrived after many misfortunes at +Sofala, where they found Annaya and most of his men dead, and the +rest of the Portuguese garrison sick. Quaresme remained there to +defend the fort; and Barbudo proceeding towards India found +Quiloa in as bad a condition, of which he carried intelligence to +Almeyda. The viceroy sent immediately Nunno Vaz Pereyra to +relieve the forts of Quiloa and Sofala[88]. But that of Quiloa +was soon afterwards abandoned and destroyed, after having lost +many lives, owing to the ill usage of the Portuguese to the +natives, whom they treated with insufferable pride, and boundless +avarice.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 88: De Faria does not give any dates to the +particular transactions in his text, merely noticing the +successive years in the titles of the various sections into which +his work is loosely divided, and occasionally on the margin: Even +this has been neglected by the editor of Astley's Collection. +These last transactions on the coast of Africa seem to have taken +place towards the end of 1506.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having been informed by Diego Fernandez Pereyra that the +island of Socotora near the mouth of the Red Sea was inhabited by +Christians who were subject to the Moors, the king of Portugal +ordered Tristan de Cunna and Alfonso de Albuquerque to direct +their course to that island, and to endeavour to possess +themselves of the fort, that the Portuguese ships might be +enabled to winter at that island, and to secure the navigation of +the Arabian Gulf against the Moors; for which purpose they +carried out with them a wooden fort ready to put up. De Cunna was +destined to command the trading ships which were to return to +Europe, and Albuquerque to cruise with a small squadron on the +coast of Arabia against the Moors. These two commanders sailed +from Lisbon on the 6th of March 1507, with thirteen vessels in +which were 1300 soldiers, some of whom died by the way, having +been infected by the plague then raging in Lisbon; but when they +came under the line, the sickness left them. Having come in sight +of Cape Augustine in Brasil, they took a new departure from +thence to cross the Southern Atlantic for the Cape of Good Hope; +but in this course De Cunna held so far to the south that he +discovered the islands still called by his name. At this place +the ships were parted in a storm, each following a separate +course till they met again at Mozambique. Alvaro Tellez, however, +who commanded one of these ships, overshot Mozambique and +proceeded to Cape Guardafu, where he took six ships belonging to +the Moors, so laden with all kind of goods, that he made a sort +of bridge from them to his own vessel, consisting of bales thrown +into the sea, over which his men passed as on dry land.</p> + +<p>During this part of the voyage likewise, Ruy Pereyra put into +the port of Matatama in the island of Madagascar; and being +informed that this island abounded in spice, especially ginger, +Tristan de Cunna was induced to go there, and anchored in a bay +which his son Nunno named <i>Angra de Donna Maria</i>, after a +lady whom he courted. By others it is named the bay of <i>Santa +Maria delta Conception</i>. As some Negroes appeared on the +coast, De Cunna sent a Moor to converse with them; but when he +mentioned that the ships belonged to Christians, they endeavoured +to kill him, and had to be driven away by the Portuguese cannon. +About three leagues farther on, they came to a village, the +<i>xeque</i> or sheikh of which carried them to another town on +an island in a well sheltered bay into which the great river +Lulangan discharges its waters. This town was inhabited by +Moors[89] somewhat civilized, who, being afraid of the fleet made +their escape to the main-land, but so overloaded their boats that +many of them perished by the way. The Portuguese surrounded the +island and took 500 prisoners, only twenty of whom were men, +among whom was the <i>xeque</i> or chief, an aged man of a +respectable appearance. Next morning the sea was covered with +boats, bringing over 600 men to demand the release of their wives +and children. After some negociation, the Portuguese commander +restored the prisoners to their liberty. He here learnt that the +island of Madagascar was chiefly inhabited by negro <i>cafrs</i>, +and produced but little ginger. He afterwards wished to have +entered a town on this island called <i>Zada</i>, but the +inhabitants set it on fire.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 89: By Moors in the writings of the early +Portuguese, Mahometans are always to be understood. The Moors of +Madagascar were a mixed breed between the Arabs and +Negroes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>From this place, De Cunna sent on Alfonso de Albuquerque with +four ships to Mozambique, with orders to reduce some places on +the coast of Melinda; while he went himself with three ships to +Matatama in Madagascar, where he was told that cloves, ginger, +and silver were to be had. On this expedition however, he lost +one of his ships, only the pilot and seven men being saved; on +which account he steered for Mozambique, but was forced by stress +of weather into the island of Angoza. At night he discovered the +lights of the ship St Jago which he had left at Mozambique, and +soon after Juan de Nova arrived from Angoza, where he had +wintered[90], laden with pepper. At Mozambique he rejoined +Albuquerque, whom he sent on before him to Melinda; and meeting +two other ships of his squadron at Quiloa, he proceeded to +Melinda. To oblige the king of Melinda, the Portuguese attacked +the city of Oja, the king of which place, aided by the king of +Mombaza, made war on the king of Melinda. In this country, which +is inhabited by Arabs, there are some ancient and wonderful +structures. Each city, and almost every village has a separate +king, whom they call <i>xeque</i> or sheikh; but the principal +among these are the sheikhs of Quiloa, Zanzibar, and Mombaza, +while the sheikh of Melinda pretends to be the most ancient, +deducing his pedigree from the sheikhs of Quitau, which, though +in ruins, shows evident marks of ancient grandeur, having been +superior to all its neighbours. These are Luziva, Parimunda, +Lamon, Jaca, Oja, and others. This country is watered by the +river Gulimanja, up which George Alfonso sailed for the space of +five days, finding the banks every where covered with impervious +woods, and the river inhabited by a prodigious number of sea +horses or <i>hippopotami</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 90: This wintering, being in the southern +hemisphere, probably refers to June and July +1507.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having now only six ships out of thirteen with which he left +Portugal, one being lost, some separated by storms, and others +sent away, Tristan de Cunna appeared before the city of Oja, on +an open shore seventeen leagues from Melinda, and defended by a +wall towards the land, to protect it against the Kafrs. De Cunna +sent a message to the sheikh desiring an interview, as having +some important matters to arrange with him; but the sheikh +answered, that he was subject to the soldan of Egypt, caliph or +head of the Musselmans, and could not therefore treat with a +people who were enemies to the prophet. Considering delay +dangerous, Tristan resolved upon an immediate attack, and +dividing his men into two parties, one commanded by himself and +the other by Albuquerque, made for the shore as soon as day light +appeared. The Moors were drawn up on the shore to resist the +landing, but were soon forced to take shelter behind their walls; +and, not trusting to them for protection, no sooner entered at +the sea gate but they ran out at the gate opposite. Nunno de +Cunna and Alfonso de Noronha pursued the sheikh and his people to +a grove of palm trees, in which the sheikh and many of his +attendants were slain. At this time, George Silveyra observed a +grave Moor leading a beautiful young woman through a path in the +wood, and made towards them. The Moor turned to defend himself, +desiring the woman to make her escape while he fought; but she +followed him, declaring she would rather die or be taken along +with him, than make her escape alone. Seeing them thus strive who +should give the strongest demonstration of affection, Silveyra +allowed both to go away unhurt, unwilling to part so much love. +The town was plundered and set on fire, and burnt with such fury +that some of the Portuguese perished in the flames while in +anxious search of plunder.</p> + +<p>On being informed of what had happened at Oja, the sheikh of +Lamo, fifteen leagues distant, came to make his submission, and +to render himself more acceptable offered to pay a tribute of 600 +meticals of gold yearly, about equal to as many ducats, and paid +the first year in advance. From hence De Cunna proceeded to +Brava, a populous town which had been formerly reduced, but the +sheikh was now in rebellion, trusting to a force of 6000 men with +which he opposed the landing of the Portuguese. But De Cunna and +Albuquerque landed their troops next day in two bodies, in spite +of every opposition from showers of arrows, darts, and stones, +and scaled the walls, routing the Moors with prodigious +slaughter. The city was plundered, and burnt; but in this +enterprise the Portuguese lost forty-two men; not the half of +them by the sword, but in consequence of a boat sinking which was +overloaded with spoil. Those who were drowned had been so blinded +with covetousness while plundering the town, that they +barbarously cut off the hands and ears of the women to save time +in taking off their bracelets and earrings. Sailing from Brava, +Tristan de Cunna was rejoined off Cape Guardafu by Alvaro Tellez, +who had been in great danger in a storm of losing his ship with +all the rich booty formerly mentioned. Having got sight of Cape +Guardafu, De Cunna now stood over for the island of Socotora, +according to his instructions.</p> + +<p>Socotora, or Zakatra is an island twenty leagues long and nine +broad, stretching nearly east and west, in lat. 12° 40' N. +and is the largest of the islands near the mouth of the Red Sea, +but has no ports fit for any great number of ships to ride in +during winter. Through the middle of this island there runs a +chain of very high hills, yet covered over with sand blown up by +the north winds from the shore to their tops, so that they are +entirely barren and destitute of trees or plants, excepting some +small valleys which are sheltered from these winds. It is 30 +leagues from Cape Guardafu, and 50 leagues from the nearest part +of the Arabian continent. The ports principally used by us are +Zoco or Calancea to the westwards, and Beni to the east, both +inhabited by Moors, who are very unpolished. In those valleys +that are sheltered from the sand, apple and palm trees are +produced, and the best aloes in the world, which from its +excellence is called Socotorine aloes. The common food of the +people is maize, with milk and tamarinds. The inhabitants of this +island are Christians of the Jacobite church, similar in its +ceremonies and belief to that which is established in +Ethiopia[91]. The men generally use the names of the apostles, +while most of the women, are named Maria. They worship the cross, +which they set up in all their churches, and wear upon their +clothes, worshipping thrice a-day in the Chaldean language, +making alternate responses as we do in choirs. They have but one +wife, use circumcision, pay tythes, and practice fasting. The men +are comely, and the women so brave that they go to war like +Amazons. They are clothed mostly in skins, but some of the better +sort use cloth; their weapons are stones, which they sling with +much dexterity, and they live mostly in caves[92]. This island +was subject to the sheikh or king of Caxem[93] in Arabia.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 91: Abyssinia is obviously here +meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 92: Though not distinguished in the text, +Faria seems here to confine himself to the barbarous Christian +natives, inhabiting the country; as the towns appear to have been +occupied by Mahometan Arabs.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 93: Cashen or Cassin.--Astley, I. +63.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this place[94] De Cunna found a tolerable fort, not ill +manned, and decently provided for defence. He sent a friendly +message to the sheikh, but receiving an insolent answer he +resolved to attack the place, though the attempt seemed +dangerous. He and Albuquerque went towards the shore with the +troops, but Don Alfonso de Noronha, nephew to De Cunna, leapt +first on shore, determining to shew himself worthy of the choice +which the king had made of him to command in Socotora, if gained. +Noronha immediately advanced against the sheikh with a few brave +men. The sheikh defended himself with great resolution, and had +even almost repulsed the assailants, when he was struck down by +the lance of Noronha. The Moors endeavoured with much valour to +rescue their wounded chief, but he and eight more were slain, on +which the rest fled to the castle. This was immediately scaled by +a party of the Portuguese, who opened the gate for the rest, who +now rushed into the large outer court.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 94: By a marginal note in Faria, it appears +to have been now the year 1508; but the particular place or town +in Socotora attacked by De Cunna is not mentioned. I am disposed +however to believe that date an error of the press, for +1507.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Moors bravely defended their inner fort to the last man, +so that of eighty-three men only one was taken alive, besides a +blind man who was found hidden in a well. Being asked how he had +got there, being blind, he answered that blind men saw only one +thing, which was the way to liberty. He was set free. In this +assault the Portuguese lost six men. During the assault the +natives of the island kept at a distance, but now came with their +wives and children, joyfully returning thanks to the Portuguese +commander for having delivered them from the heavy yoke of the +infidels; and De Cunna received them to their great satisfaction +under the protection of the crown of Portugal[95]. The Mosque was +purified by the solemnities of the Catholic church, and converted +into a church dedicated to the <i>Invocation of Neustra Sennora +della Vittoria</i>, in which many were baptised by the labours of +Father Antonio of the order of St Francis. De Cunna gave the +command of the fort, now named San Miguel, to Don Alfonso de +Noronha, his nephew, who had well deserved it by his valour, even +if he had not been nominated to the command by the king. Noronha +was provided with a garrison of an hundred men, with proper +officers; after which De Cunna wintered at the island of +Socotora, though very ill accommodated, and then sailed for +India, sending Albuquerque, according to the royal orders, to +cruise on the coast of Arabia[96].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 95: Little did these poor Jacobite +Christians suspect, that in exchanging masters they were +subjected to the more dreadful yoke of the Portuguese +Inquisition! The zeal of the Portuguese for the liberty of the +Christian inhabitants of Socotora soon cooled, when it was found +unable to pay the expence of a garrison, and it was soon +abandoned to the milder oppression of its former Mahometan +masters.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 96: From an after part of the text of +Faria, we learn that this fort in the island of Socotora was +taken on the 20th of August, probably of the year +1507.]</blockquote> + +<p>While these things occurred at Socotora, the zamorin of +Calicut was arming afresh against the Portuguese, relying on the +promises of his wizards and soothsayers; who, finding that the +succours under Tristan de Cunna were long delayed, assured him of +success in that lucky opportunity, and predicted a great change +of affairs, as indicated by an earthquake and a great eclipse of +the sun, so complete that the stars were seen at noon for a +considerable time, and which they pretended was a sure sign of +the approaching destruction of the Portuguese. But on the viceroy +Almeyda receiving notice of the preparations at Calicut, he sent +his son Don Lorenzo thither with a squadron of ten ships. At this +time Gonzalo Vaz was in Cananor with his ship, taking in water; +and on his voyage to join Don Lorenzo he fell in with a ship +belonging to Cananor having a Portuguese pass, which he sunk with +all her moorish crew sewed up in a sail that they might never be +seen. But this wicked action was afterwards discovered, for which +Vaz was broke; a very incompetent punishment for so great a +crime, owing to which the Portuguese afterwards suffered severe +calamities, as will appear in the sequel.</p> + +<p>On his way towards Dabul in search of the Calicut fleet, Don +Lorenzo cast anchor at the entrance of the port of Chaul, into +which seven vessels belonging to the Moors entered without making +any return to his salute. On this Lorenzo followed them in his +boats, and the Moors leaped overboard to escape on shore, but +many of them were slain by the Portuguese in the water. Lorenzo +then took possession of the ships, which were laden with horses +and other goods; and as the Moors endeavoured to overreach him +with regard to ransoming their vessels, greatly underrating their +cargoes, he ordered them all to be burnt. Going thence to Dabul, +where he found the Calicut fleet, he anchored off the mouth of +the river, and called a council of his officers to consult on the +proper measures for an attack; but owing to the narrowness of the +river it was carried in the council not to attack, contrary to +the opinion of Lorenzo, who was eager to destroy the enemies +ships. Passing on therefore to a river four leagues beyond Dabul, +a brigantine and parao which led the van saw a ship sailing up +the river, and pursued the vessel till it came to anchor over +against a town, where there were many other vessels. Seeing the +two vessels in pursuit of the ship Lorenzo sent a galley after +them, and the three began to clear the shore with their shot of +many Moors who flocked thither to defend their ships. Supposing +from the noise of firing that his assistance was necessary, +Lorenzo made all possible haste up the river; but before his +arrival the others had taken all the vessels in the harbour, and +had burnt a house on shore full of valuable commodities. All the +ships in this harbour were burnt, except two from Ormuz having +very rich cargoes, which were carried away. On his return to +Cochin with victory and rich spoil, expecting to be received by +his father with applause, he was astonished to find himself +threatened with severe punishment for not having fought with and +destroyed the Calicut fleet. He was however excused, as it +appeared he had been overruled by the votes of the other +captains, contrary to his own opinion. The viceroy broke them all +therefore, and sent them home in disgrace to Portugal. By this +severity, Don Lorenzo was much troubled, and in afterwards +endeavouring to restore himself to the esteem of his father, he +lost his life in rashly displaying his valour.</p> + +<p>The body of one of the Moors who had been basely destroyed by +Vaz, as formerly mentioned, was washed on shore, and discovered +to be the nephew of <i>Mamale</i>, a rich merchant of Malabar. +Founding on this circumstance, the zamorin prevailed upon the +rajah of Cananor to break with the Portuguese; and as it was not +known who had been guilty of that barbarous act, the blame fell +upon Lorenzo de Brito, captain of the fort at Cananor, who got +notice of his danger, and not being in sufficient force to defend +himself, sent intelligence to the viceroy. This message was +delivered to Almeyda while in church assisting at the service on +<i>Maunday</i> Thursday; and was of so pressing a nature that he +immediately left the church, to give orders for the immediate +shipment of provisions and men to succour Brito; and these orders +were executed with such speed, that those who had lent their arms +to others <i>to watch the sepulchre</i>, as the custom is, had to +go to the church to get them back. Don Lorenzo was appointed to +command this relief of Cananor, with orders on his arrival at +that place to put himself under the command of Brito, who +insisted that as son to the viceroy and an officer of reputation +and experience he should take the command: But Lorenzo was +positive that he would not take the command over Brito, pursuant +to the orders of his father; and being unable to prevail, he left +the relief at Cananor, and returned to Cochin.</p> + +<p>By this time the rajah of Cananor had drawn together a force +of 20,000 men, with which he besieged the Portuguese fort, which +Brito determined to defend to the last extremity, and used every +possible means to strengthen the place. Much blood was spilt +about the possession of a well, which the Portuguese at length +made themselves masters of by means of a mine. After this loss, +the enemy retired to a wood of palm-trees, meaning to prepare +engines to batter the fort, of which circumstance intelligence +was conveyed to Brito by a nephew to the rajah of Cananor, who +wished to acquire the friendship of the Portuguese, so that Brito +was prepared to receive the intended assault. Having completed +their preparations, the enemy moved on to fill up the ditch and +assault the fort; but were opposed with so much energy, at first +by incessant discharges of cannon, and afterwards by means of a +sally, that the ditch was filled with dead bodies instead of +fascines. After losing a prodigious number of men, the enemy +retreated to the wood; and next night, which was cold and rainy, +Brito sent out eighty men to beat up their quarters under the +command of a Spanish officer named Guadalaxara, who was next in +command. This enterprise was so vigorously executed, that after +the discharge of a few small pieces of artillery, the enemy fled +in every direction to save themselves, leaving 300 of their men +slain. The joy for this victory on the side of the Portuguese was +soon miserably abated in consequence of the destruction of their +entire magazine of provisions by fire, by which they were reduced +to the extremity of famine, and under the necessity of feeding on +all kinds of vermin that could be procured. In this extreme +distress, they were providentially relieved by a rough sea +throwing up vast quantities of crabs or lobsters on the point of +land where the chapel of the Virgin stands, which was the only +food which could be procured by the garrison for a long while. +While in this situation, in consequence of powerful assistance +from the zamorin, the rajah of Cananor made a fresh assault upon +Brito with 50,000 men, and was again repulsed with prodigious +slaughter, without the loss of one man on the side of the +Portuguese. Immediately after this exploit, Tristan de Cunna +arrived at Cananor with a reinforcement and a supply of +provisions, by which and the noble defence made by Brito the +rajah of Cananor was so much intimidated that he sued for peace, +which was granted upon conditions highly honourable and +advantageous to the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>As Tristan de Cunna was now ready to depart for Portugal with +the homeward bound ships, the viceroy went along with him to +Paniani, a town belonging to Calicut which he proposed to +destroy, as it was much frequented by the Moors, who took in +loadings of spices at that place under the protection of four +ships belonging to the zamorin commanded by a valiant Moor named +Cutiale[97]. The viceroy and Tristan, having anchored off the +bar, held a council of war to deliberate upon a plan of attack, +when it was determined to send their two sons in two barks and +several boats to attack the place, while the viceroy and admiral +should follow in a galley. When the foremost of the Portuguese +assailants were attacking the trenches, on which some of them had +mounted, Pedro Cam having even planted the colours of Lorenzo +Almeyda on the summit, the viceroy on coming up observed his son +climbing up with some difficulty. He immediately called out, "How +comes it Lorenzo that you are so backward?" When the young man +answered, "I have given way, Sir, to him who has gained the +honour of the day." At this moment a gigantic Moor assailed +Lorenzo and even wounded him; but in return he cleft the head of +the Moor down to the breast. The town was now carried by storm, +and all its defenders put to the sword, after which all the ships +in the port were burnt. In this exploit the Portuguese lost only +eighteen men, none of whom were of any note; but above 500 of the +enemy were slain. Though the plunder of this place was of great +value, it was all burnt along with the town and ships, the +artillery only being carried off.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 97: In an after part of De Faria, this +officer is said to have been a Chinese.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After this the fleet and army returned to Cananor where De +Cunna completed his lading, and then set sail for Portugal. At +Mozambique, on his way home, he met several ships belonging to a +squadron of twelve sail sent from Lisbon in the former year; +seven of which were to return with goods, and the other five to +cruise on the eastern coast of Africa, under the command of Vasco +Gomez de Abreu, who was likewise to command in the fort of +Sofala. There were also two other ships in this fleet, destined +to reinforce the squadron of Albuquerque on the coast of Arabia. +Of this fleet, the ship commanded by Juan Chanoca was lost in the +river Zanaga, that of Juan Gomez in another place, and Abreu was +lost with four vessels while going to Mozambique. Other vessels +of this fleet were driven to various parts, after enduring +terrible storms and imminent dangers; yet these dire misfortunes +were insufficient to damp the boldness of our nation in quest of +riches, so prevalent is covetousness over every consideration of +difficulty or danger.</p> + +<p>We must now return to Alfonso de Albuquerque, who parted from +De Cunna, after the taking of Socotora on the 20th of August, as +formerly related, being bound for the coasts of Arabia and +Persia, pursuant to the commands of the king, having with him +seven ships and 460 soldiers. He came first to Calayate, a +beautiful and strong place in the kingdom of Ormuz, built after +the manner usual in Spain, but which had once been more populous. +Sending a message to the governor, he received supplies of water +and provisions, and entered into a treaty of peace. Proceeding to +Curiate, ten leagues farther on, he was very ill received, in +revenge for which he took the place by storm, losing only three +of his own men, while eighty of the defenders were slain. After +plundering this place, it was destroyed by fire along with +fourteen vessels which were in the harbour. From thence he sailed +for Muscat, eight leagues farther, which was stronger than the +two former, and well filled with people, who had resorted there +from all quarters on hearing of the destruction of Curiate. Being +afraid of a similar disaster, the governor sent great supplies of +provisions to Albuquerque, and entered into a treaty of peace; +but while the boats were ashore for water, the cannon of the town +began unexpectedly to play upon the ships, doing, considerable +damage, and obliged them hastily to haul farther off, not knowing +the cause of these hostilities; but it was soon learnt that 2000 +men had arrived to defend the town, sent by the king of Ormuz, +and that their commander refused to concur in the peace which had +been entered into by the governor. Although Albuquerque had +received considerable damage from the smart cannonade, he landed +his men early next morning, and attacked the place with such +resolution that the Moors fled at one gate, while the Portuguese +entered at another. The town was given up to plunder, all except +the residence of the governor, who had received the Portuguese in +a friendly manner, and had very honourably given them notice to +retire, when the troops of Ormuz arrived; but he was slain during +the first confusion, without being known.</p> + +<p>After the destruction of Muscat, Albuquerque proceeded to +Soar, all the inhabitants of which fled, except the governor and +some of the principal Moors, who offered to surrender the town; +but Albuquerque gave it back to them, on condition of holding it +in vassalage from the crown of Portugal, and payment of the same +tribute which used to be given to the king of Ormuz. Fifteen +leagues farther he came to Orfucam, which was deserted by the +inhabitants. Albuquerque sent his nephew, Don Antonio, to pursue +them at the head of 100 men; who, though he brought back +twenty-two prisoners, received almost as much damage from the +Moors as he did, as they were very numerous and fought bravely in +defence of their wives and children. The deserted town of Orfucam +was plundered for three days, during which time Albuquerque +disposed all things in readiness for proceeding against Ormuz, +which was the chief object of his voyage, deeming these previous +exploits only a prelude to his grand enterprise, and accounting +them but trifles, though they might appear considerable to +others.</p> + +<p>The city of Ormuz or Hormuz is situated on the small island of +Jerun at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, only three leagues in +compass, and so barren that it produces nothing but salt and +sulphur. The buildings of the city are sumptuous. It is the great +mart for all the goods of Africa, Arabia, and India; by which +means, though having nothing of its own, it abounds in all +things. It is plentifully supplied with provisions from the +province of Mogostan or Laristan in Persia, and from the islands +of Kishom, Kissmis, or Kishmish, Larek, and others. About the +year 1273, Malek Kaez possessed all the land from the isle of +Jerun to that of Bahrayn, bordering on the kingdom of Gordunshah +of the province of Mogostan[98]. This king by subtile devices +prevailed upon Malek to give him the island of Jerun, being a +place of no value whatever; after which he fortified himself +there, and transplanting the inhabitants of the ancient city of +Ormuz on the coast, where the king used to reside to that island, +the king of Persia, fearing he would refuse the accustomed +tribute, prepared to invade him: But the king of Gordunshah +diverted him from his purpose, by engaging to be responsible for +the tribute, and by doing homage by his ambassadors once in every +five years. By these means the city and kingdom of Ormuz was +established, which continued to be ruled over by the heirs of the +first possessor and others, mostly by violence[99].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 98: The expression in the text is obscure. +It appears that Malek Kaez, ruled over the sea coast of the +kingdom or province rather of Mogostan, of which Gordunshah was +king or governor.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 99: The account in the text is +unintelligible and contradictory: But we fortunately have one +more intelligible from the editor of Astley's Collection, I. 65. +c. which being too long for a note, has been placed in the text +between inverted commas.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"This account of the origin of the kingdom of Ormuz or Harmuz +is related differently in a history of that state written by one +of its kings, and given to us by Teixeira at the end of his +history of Persia, as follows.--In the year of <i>Hejirah</i> +700, and of Christ 1302, when the Turkomans, or Turks from +Turkestan, overran Persia as far as the Persian Gulf, <i>Mir +Bahaddin Ayaz Seyfin</i>, the fifteenth king of Ormuz, resolved, +to leave the continent where his dominions then were, and to +retire to some of the adjacent islands. He first passed over with +his people to the large island of <i>Brokt</i> or Kishmish[100], +called Quixome by the Portuguese, and afterwards removed to a +desert isle two leagues distant eastward, which he begged from +<i>Neyn</i> king of <i>Keys</i>, and built a new city, calling it +<i>Harmuz</i> after the name of his former capital on the coast, +the ruins of which are still visible to the east of <i>Gamrun</i> +or Gambroon. By the Arabs and Persians, this island is called +<i>Jerun</i>, from a fisherman who lived there at the time when +Ayaz first took possession. In the course of two hundred years, +this new city and kingdom advanced so much in wealth and power, +that it extended its dominion over a great part of the coasts of +Arabia and Persia, all the way to <i>Basrah</i> or Basora. It +became the chief mart of trade in all these parts, which had +formerly been established at Keys; but after the reduction of +Ormuz, by the Portuguese, its trade and consequence declined +much, owing to their tyranny and oppression. Ayaz Seyfin, was +succeeded by Amir Ayas Oddin Gordun Shah. Thus it appears +distinctly, that the Malek Kaes in the text of Faria, ought to +have been called the Malek or king of Kaes or Keys; and that +instead of the kingdom of Gordunshah of the province of Mogostan, +it should have been Gordun Shah king of Mogostan; besides, the +island was not granted to him, but to his predecessor Ayaz. As a +mark of their sense of the riches of Ormuz, the orientals used to +say proverbially, if the world were considered as a ring, Ormuz +was its jewel."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 100: In a plan of Ormuz given in Astley's +Collection, the isle of Kishoma or Kishmis is placed at a small +distance from that of Ormuz or Jerun, and is said to be the place +whence Ormuz is supplied with water. In fact the island of Kismis +or Kishom is of considerable size and some fertility, though +exceedingly unhealthy, while that of Jerun on which Ormuz was +built, though barren and without water, was comparatively +healthy. It was a commercial garrison town of the Arabs, for the +purpose of carrying on the trade of the Persian Gulf, and at the +same time withdrawing from the oppressive rule of the Turkoman +conquerors of Persia.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>When Albuquerque arrived at Ormuz about the end of September +1507, Sayf Oddin a youth of twelve years of age was sovereign, +under the guardianship of a slave named Khojah Attar, a man of +courage but of a subtile and crafty disposition. Hearing what had +been done by Albuquerque at the towns upon the coast, Attar made +great preparations for resisting the new enemy. For this purpose +he laid an embargo on all the ships in the port, and hired troops +from all the neighbouring countries, so that when the Portuguese +entered the port there were 30,000 armed men in the city, of whom +4000 were Persians, the most expert archers then in the world. +There were at that time 400 vessels in the harbour, 60 of which +were of considerable size, the crews of which amounted to 2500 +men. Albuquerque was not ignorant of the warlike preparations +which had been made for his reception; but to shew his determined +resolution, he came immediately to anchor in the midst of five of +the largest ships riding in the harbour, firing his cannon as he +sailed along to strike a terror into the inhabitants, and the +shore was soon lined by 8000 troops. As no message was sent to +him by the king, he commanded the captain of the largest ship, +which seemed admiral over the rest, to repair on board of him, +who immediately complied, and was received with much civility, +but in great state. He then desired this man to go on shore and +inform the king of Ormuz, that he had orders from the king of +Portugal to take him under the protection of that crown, and to +grant him leave to trade in the Indian seas, on condition that he +submitted himself as vassal to the crown of Portugal, and agreed +to pay a reasonable tribute: But if these proposals were +rejected, his orders were to subdue Ormuz by force of arms. It +was assuredly no small presumption to offer such degrading terms +to a king who was at the head of above 30,000 fighting men, and +400 ships, while all the force he had against such prodigious +force, was only 460 soldiers and seven ships. The Moorish +captain, who was from Cambaya, went on shore and delivered this +insolent message to the king and his governor Attar; who +immediately sent Khojah Beyram with a message to Albuquerque, +excusing them for not having sent to inquire what the Portuguese +wanted in their port, and promising that the governor should wait +upon him next day. Attar however did not perform this promise, +but endeavoured to spin out the time by a repetition of messages, +in order to strengthen the fortifications of the city, and to +receive farther supplies. Albuquerque immediately perceived the +purport of these messages, and told Beyram that he would listen +only to the acceptation of peace on the terms proposed, or an +immediate declaration of war. To this insolent demand, Beyram +brought back for answer, that Ormuz was accustomed to receive, +and not to pay tribute.</p> + +<p>During the night, the noise of warlike instruments, and the +shouts of the troops collected in Ormuz were heard from all parts +of the city; and when morning came, the whole walls, the shore, +and the vessels in the harbour were seen crowded with armed men, +while the windows and flat tops of all the houses were filled +with people of both sexes and all ages, anxious to behold the +expected events. Albuquerque immediately began to cannonade the +city and the large Moorish ships, and was spiritedly answered by +the enemy, who took advantage of the obscurity occasioned by the +smoke to send a large party of armed men in 130 boats to attack +the ships, and did some damage among the Portuguese by incessant +and prodigious discharges of arrows and stones. But as many of +the boats were sunk by the Portuguese artillery, and numbers of +the men slain and drowned, they were forced to retire. They +returned again to the charge with fresh numbers; but after a +severe conflict were again obliged to retreat with prodigious +loss, the sea being dyed with blood, and great numbers of them +slain. By this time, Albuquerque had sunk two of the largest +ships in the port and taken a third, not without considerable +opposition on the part of the enemy, forcing the surviving Moors +to leap into the sea; and the other captains of his squadron had +captured three ships, and had set above thirty more on fire. The +crews of these cut their cables and drifted over to the Persian +shore to enable themselves to escape; but by this means +communicated the conflagration to other vessels that were lying +aground. These disasters struck such terror into the people of +Ormuz that they all fled in dismay within their walls, and Khojah +Attar sent a message to Albuquerque offering to submit to his +proposals; on which he put a stop to farther hostilities, yet +suspecting the governor of treachery, he threatened to inflict +still heavier calamities on the city unless the terms were +performed with good faith. Thus, with the loss only of ten men on +the side of the Portuguese, most of the numerous vessels +belonging to the enemy, full of various rich commodities, were +taken, burnt, sunk, or torn to pieces, and above seventeen +hundred of the Moors were slain, numbers of whose bodies were +seen floating in the harbour. Many of these were seen to have +ornaments of gold, which the Portuguese anxiously sought after, +and on this occasion it was noticed that several of the enemy had +been slain by their own arrows, none being used by the +Portuguese.</p> + +<p>Khojah Attar, dismayed by the prodigious injury sustained in +the conflict, and afraid of still heavier calamities, called a +council of the chief officers of the kingdom to deliberate on +what was best to be done, when it was agreed to submit for the +present to the demands of Albuquerque; after which articles of +pacification were drawn up and sworn to between the parties. The +two principal articles were, that the king of Ormuz submitted to +pay a tribute to the king of Portugal of 15,000 <i>Xerephines</i> +yearly[101], and that ground should be allowed for the Portuguese +on which to build a fort. The fort was accordingly immediately +commenced, and considerable progress was made in its construction +in a few days. On purpose to avoid the payment of the tribute, +Khojah Attar dressed up a pretended embassy from the king of +Persia demanding payment of the usual tribute, and required that +Albuquerque should give them an answer, as the king of Ormuz was +now subject to the crown of Portugal. Albuquerque penetrated into +this design, and desired Attar to send some one to him to receive +the answer. The pretended Persian ambassador accordingly waited +upon him, to whom he gave some spears and bullets, saying such +was the coin in which the tribute should be paid in future. +Finding this contrivance fail, Attar endeavoured to corrupt some +of the Portuguese, and actually prevailed on five seamen to +desert, one of whom had been bred a founder, who cast some cannon +like those belonging to the Portuguese. Being informed by these +deserters that Albuquerque had only about 450 soldiers, Attar +began to pick up fresh courage, and entered into contrivances for +breaking the peace, pretending at the same time to lay the blame +on Albuquerque, and refused to deliver up the deserters.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 101: A Xerephine being worth about half a +crown, this tribute amounted to about L. 1875 sterling.--Astl. I. +66. a.--According to Purchas a Xerephine is worth 3s. 9d; so that +the yearly tribute in the text is equal to L. 2812 20s. +sterling.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The high spirit of Albuquerque could not brook this conduct, +and determined upon taking vengeance, but had little success in +the attempt being badly seconded by the officers serving under +him. Taking advantage of this spirit of insubordination, of which +he had ample intelligence as it was occasioned by his own +intrigues, Attar one night set fire to a bark which the +Portuguese were building on the shore; and at the same time one +of the deserters called aloud from the wall on Albuquerque, to +defend his boat with his 400 men, and he should meet 7000 +archers. At this time some of the Portuguese captains gave +intelligence to the enemy, and had even assisted the five +renegades to desert. Enraged at this affront in burning his bark, +Albuquerque endeavoured to set some ships on fire which were +building or repairing in the arsenal of Ormuz, but failed in the +attempt. He next undertook to besiege the city; and having taken +several persons who were carrying provisions thither, he cut off +their hands, ears, and noses, and sent them into the city in that +miserable condition, to the great terror of the inhabitants. +About this time there was a hot dispute between the Portuguese +and the garrison of Ormuz, about some wells which supplied the +inhabitants with water, which Albuquerque endeavoured to fill up, +in which the Moorish captain and the guard over the wells were +all slain, and the wells filled with the carcasses of their men +and horses. The young king and his governor sallied out from the +city to drive the Portuguese away, and actually cut off the +retreat of Albuquerque; but a lucky cannon-ball opened the way, +by throwing the cavalry of the enemy into confusion.</p> + +<p>In these actions with the Ormuzians, Albuquerque was ill +seconded by his people, three of his captains having resolved to +leave him and to sail for India. These men drew up a letter or +remonstrance, assigning reasons why he should desist from his +present enterprise; which Albuquerque ordered one of the masons +to lay beneath a stone in the wall of the fort, saying that he +had there deposited his answer, and would be glad to see if any +one dared to remove the stone to read what he had written. Though +much offended by this, these captains did not venture to make any +reply; yet jealous about the command of the fort, when it should +be built, the three captains actually sailed away for India. +Though much troubled at this shameful desertion, Albuquerque +determined upon continuing his enterprise, notwithstanding that +two other captains who still remained opposed him, and were +desirous to follow the example of the other three; but by proper +severity he deterred them from executing their designs. Learning +that a fleet was on its way from Bahrayn for Keyshom with a +reinforcement of men and provisions, Albuquerque endeavoured +ineffectually to intercept it. After failing in this, he fell +upon a country palace belonging to the king which was guarded by +three hundred foot and sixty horse, whom he defeated with the +loss of one man, killing eighty of the enemy. He then fell upon +Keyshom or Queixome, which was defended by five hundred archers +sent to Ormuz by the king of Lar or Laristan in Persia under the +command of two of his nephews, both of whom were slain with most +of their men, and the bodies of the two slain princes were sent +by Albuquerque as a present to Attar. The town of Keyshom was +plundered and burnt. Among the plunder was taken a large Persian +carpet, which the soldiers were going to cut in pieces to divide +among them, and for the greater convenience of removal, which +Albuquerque purchased from them, and sent afterwards to the +shrine of St Jago in Gallicia.</p> + +<p>Having but few men left who were much harassed, and winter +approaching, Albuquerque resolved to go to Socotora, and gave +leave to Juan de Nova to sail for India, where he had formerly +had the command of a fleet. He accordingly wintered at Socotora, +where he relieved the Portuguese garrison, then much distressed +by famine; for which purpose he went in his own ship to Cape +Guardafu, and sent others to Melinda and Cape Fum, to seize some +ships for the sake of their provisions. When winter was over, be +resolved to return to Ormuz, though too weak to carry his designs +into execution, yet to see in what disposition were the young +king and his governor. On his way thither he determined to take +revenge upon the town of Kalayat, for some injury that had been +done there to the Portuguese. Kalayat is situated on the coast of +Arabia beyond Cape Siagro, called also Cape Rasalgat, at the +mouth of the Persian Gulf. Behind this town there is a rugged +mountain, in which are some passes which open a communication +with the interior; and by one of these opposite the town almost +all the trade of Yemen or Arabia Felix, which is a fertile +country of much trade and full of populous cities, is conveyed to +this port. Immediately on his arrival, Albuquerque landed his +troops and took possession of the town, most of the inhabitants +escaping to the mountains and some being slain in the streets. He +remained here three nights, on one of which a thousand Moors +entered the town by surprise and did considerable damage before +the Portuguese could be collected to oppose them, but were at +length put to flight with great slaughter. Having secured all the +provisions of Kalayat, which was the principal booty, Albuquerque +set the place on fire and proceeded to Ormuz, where he arrived on +the 13th of September[102]. He immediately sent notice of his +return to the king and governor; on which Attar sent him a +message, saying they were ready to pay the tribute of 15,000 +Xerephins, but would on no account consent to the erection of the +intended fort. Albuquerque therefore determined to recommence the +siege of Ormuz, and ordered Martin Coello to guard with his ship +the point of <i>Turumbaka</i>[103], where the wells are situated, +and Diego de Melo to prevent intercourse with the island of +Keyshom; while he and Francisco de Tavora anchored before the +city. He there observed that Khojah Attar had completed the fort +formerly begun by the Portuguese. In this new attempt the success +was no greater than it had been formerly. On one occasion Diego +de Melo and eight private men were slain; and on another +Albuquerque was himself in much danger. Finding himself unable to +effectuate any thing of importance, he returned to India, having +taken a ship in which was a great quantity of valuable pearls +from Bahrayn, and Francisco de Tavora took another ship belonging +to Mecca.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 102: No year is mentioned in the text of +Faria, which is throughout extremely defective in dates; but from +the context it was now probably the year 1508--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 103: Turumbaka, in the plan of Ormuz +mentioned in a former note, is a palace belonging to the king of +Ormuz, in the same island with the city. The Isle of Keyshom has +already been stated as the place whence Ormuz was supplied with +water; but there may have been tanks or cisterns at +Turumbaka.--E]</blockquote> + +<p>During the time when Albuquerque was employed before Ormuz, +the Soldan of Egypt fitted out a fleet of twelve sail with 1500 +Mamelukes, which he sent under the command of Mir Husseyn to +oppose the Portuguese in India. While on his voyage up the Red +Sea, Husseyn attacked the towns of Yembo and Jiddah, putting the +sheikhs of both places to death, and making great plunder. He +then sailed for Diu, where Malek Azz commanded for the king of +Cambaya, with whom he was ordered to join his forces to oppose +the Portuguese. The timber of which these ships were built was +cut in the mountains of Dalmatia, by procurement as it was said +of the Venetians, as the Soldan and the Turks were then at +variance. It was conveyed from Dalmatia to Egypt in twenty-five +vessels, commanded by a nephew of the Soldan, who had a force of +800 Mamelukes on board, besides mariners. At this time the +gallies of Malta were commanded by a Portuguese knight, Andrea de +Amarall; who, learning that the timber was designed to be +employed against his countrymen in India, attacked the Egyptian +fleet with six ships and four gallies, in which he had 600 +soldiers. After a sharp engagement of three hours, he took seven +ships and sunk five; but the rest escaped to Alexandria, whence +the timber was carried up the Nile to Cairo, and thence on camels +to Suez.</p> + +<p>At this time the viceroy Almeyda was on the coast of Malabar, +and had sent his son Don Lorenzo with eight ships to scour the +coast as far as <i>Chaul</i>, a town of considerable size and +importance seated on the banks of a river about two leagues from +the sea, and subject to the Nizam-al-Mulk[104], by whose orders +Don Lorenzo was well received. They had some intelligence of the +fleet of the Soldan, but believed it an unfounded rumour, till it +appeared in sight while Don Lorenzo was on shore with most of his +officers. They hastened immediately on board, giving such orders +as the time permitted, and were hardly on board when the enemy +entered the harbour, making great demonstrations of joy at having +so opportunely found the enemy of whom they were in search. +Husseyn thought himself secure of victory, as he had surprised +the Portuguese ships, and determined himself to board the ship +commanded by Don Lorenzo. For this purpose he ran her on board, +pouring in balls, arrows, hand-grenades, and other fireworks; but +was answered with such determined bravery, that he gave over his +intention of boarding, though the Portuguese vessel was much +smaller than his. The other Egyptian vessels had no better +success; and as night approached, both parties gave over the +engagement to prepare for its renewal next morning.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 104: Called Nizamaluco by De +Faria.]</blockquote> + +<p>As soon as day appeared Don Lorenzo gave the signal to renew +the fight; and in his turn endeavoured to board the Egyptian +admiral, in which he was imitated by the other captains: Only two +of them succeeded in capturing two gallies belonging to the +enemy, all the men on board which were put to the sword. The +battle was carried on with much bravery on both sides, and the +Portuguese seemed fast gaining the superiority; when Malek Azz, +lord of Diu, made his appearance with a great number of small +vessels well manned, coming to the assistance of Husseyn. Don +Lorenzo immediately dispatched two gallies and three caravels to +hinder the approach of this reinforcement to his enemies, which +executed their orders so effectually that Azz was obliged to flee +for shelter to another place. The battle still continued between +Lorenzo and Husseyn till night again parted them, both +endeavouring to conceal their loss from the other. In the evening +after the cessation of the battle, the Portuguese captains met in +council on board the admiral to deliberate on what was best to be +done; and were unanimously of opinion that it was rash to +continue to defend themselves in the river of Chaul, especially +as Malek Azz was so near with such a powerful reinforcement, and +strongly recommended that they should go out to the open sea, +where they might fight with less disadvantage, and would have it +in their power to escape if circumstances rendered it necessary. +But, remembering the displeasure of his father for not having +attacked the fleet of Calicut in the river of Dabul, and fearing +his retreat into the open sea might be construed as flight, +Lorenzo determined resolutely to await the events of the next +morning, only making some change in the disposition of his force, +in order to protect some ships belonging to Cochin which were +much exposed to the enemy.</p> + +<p>Next morning, on observing the change of posture in the +Portuguese ships, Malek Azz conceived that they meant to retreat; +he immediately came out therefore from the place where he had +taken shelter, and boldly charged them, undismayed at the havock +which was made among his small vessels by the Portuguese cannon. +Most unfortunately at this time the ship of Don Lorenzo ran foul +of some stakes in the bed of the river, and let in so much water +that she was in danger of sinking. The brave Lorenzo exerted +himself to the utmost in this perilous situation, till a ball +broke his thigh; then ordering himself to be set up leaning +against the main-mast, he continued to encourage his men till +another ball broke his back and killed him. His body was thrown +below deck, where it was followed by his page Gato, who lamented +the fate of his master with tears mixed with blood, having been +shot through the eye by an arrow. After a vigorous resistance, +the Moors boarded the ship, and found Gato beside his masters +body. He immediately rose and slew as many of the Moors as +covered the body of Lorenzo, and then fell dead among them. At +length the ship sunk, and of above an hundred men who belonged to +her only nineteen escaped. In all the Portuguese ships an hundred +and forty men were slain, while the enemy lost upwards of six +hundred. The other captains got to Cochin, where the viceroy then +was, and who received the intelligence of his sons glorious death +with wonderful resolution.</p> + +<p>Soon after the defeat of the Portuguese fleet at Chaul, +Almeyda received a letter from Malek Azz. This man was born in +slavery, being descended of heretic Christian parents of Russia, +and had risen by degrees to the rank he now held. The origin of +his advancement was owing to the following trivial incident. One +day a kite flying over the king of Cambaya, muted on his head, on +which the king was so enraged that he declared he would give all +he was worth to have the kite killed. Malek Azz who heard this, +was an excellent bowman, and immediately let fly an arrow which +brought down the kite. The king of Cambaya rewarded this lucky +shot so bountifully, that the archer soon rose to be lord of Diu, +a famous sea-port in Guzerat, seated on a triangular peninsula, +which is joined to the continent by so small an isthmus that it +is generally reputed an island. In this letter to the viceroy, +Malek Azz craftily endeavoured to secure himself at the same time +both in the favour of the king of Cambaya, and to conciliate the +Portuguese, though he mortally hated them for the injury they had +done to the trade of Diu. While he pretended to condole with the +viceroy on the death of his son, whose bravery he extolled in +exalted terms, he sent him the nineteen men saved from his sons +ship, who had been made prisoners in the late battle; +endeavouring by this conciliatory conduct to appease his wrath +for having aided Mir Husseyn and occasioned the defeat of the +Portuguese.</p> + +<p>In this same year 1508, seventeen vessels sailed for India +from Lisbon about the beginning of April, which were all +separated by bad weather, but all rejoined at Mozambique, except +one which was lost on the Islands of Tristan de Cunna. These +ships, with those of the former year, coming all together to +India about the close of the year 1508, greatly raised the +courage of the Portuguese, which had been much depressed by their +defeat at Chaul. By this fleet an order came from the king for +Don Francisco de Almeyda to resign the government of India to Don +Alfonso de Albuquerque, and to return to Portugal in one of the +trading ships. But Almeyda took upon him to suspend the execution +of this order, under pretence that he had already made +preparations for taking revenge upon Mir Husseyn, and the Rums or +Turks[105] who had slain his son. Owing to this a controversy +arose between Albuquerque and Almeyda, the former demanding +possession of the government, which the latter refused to demit; +which became a precedent for succeeding governors to protract the +time of their command. Albuquerque, much offended by this conduct +of Almeyda, retired to Cochin, where he appears to have lived in +private till the departure of Almeyda from India.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 105: The Turks, as having conquered the +eastern Roman empire, have succeeded in India to the name of +Rums, Rumi, or Romans. The Circassian Mamelukes of Egypt are here +named Turks, because so soon afterwards conquered by that +nation.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having dispatched the homeward bound ships under the command +of Fernando Soarez and Ruy de Cunna, who perished by the way, +Almeyda sailed on the 12th of November, 1508 from Cananor towards +Diu in pursuit of Mir Husseyn. On this expedition he had nineteen +vessels of different sizes, with 1600 soldiers and mariners, 400 +of whom were native Malabars. All western India was alarmed at +this armament, but chiefly the zamorin and Malek Azz, who had +used every precaution in his power to ward off the danger. Having +landed with his officers in the delightful island of Anchediva, +Almeyda called a council of war, in which it was unanimously +determined to attack Dabul in the first place. This city was one +of the most noted on the coast[106], seated on a navigable river +at the distance of two leagues from the sea. Its buildings were +then magnificent and stately, and it enjoyed considerable trade, +the inhabitants being a mixture of Pagans and Moors, subject to +Sabay king of the Decan. It was always defended by a considerable +garrison, which was at present augmented by 6000 men, being in +fear of an attack from the Portuguese, and new works had been +raised for its defence, which were planted with cannon. On the +approach of the Portuguese fleet, the inhabitants began to remove +their families and goods into the country, but were forbidden by +the governor under pain of death; and the more to encourage them +he brought his own wife into the town, in which example he was +followed by many of the principal inhabitants, whose wives were +brought in from their country-houses.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 106: Dabul is on the coast of Canara, in +lat. 17° 46' N. in that part usually called the Pirates +coast, which is occupied by a number of half independent Mahratta +chieftains, who often plunder defenceless trading ships, by means +of armed grabs full of desperadoes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 30th of December 1508, the fleet entered the harbour, +and the troops immediately landed with the utmost promptitude, +dividing into three bodies to attack three several gates at once. +The Moors made a brave resistance at each attack, but the works +being high, their shot flew over the heads of the assailants, who +were more obstructed by the dead bodies than by the defenders or +their works. Nunno Vaz Pereyra, who was sent with a detachment to +force an entrance at another place, put the numerous troops who +resisted him to flight after a brave resistance; but they now +fled in such haste towards the mountain, though pursued by ten +Portuguese only, that they tumbled over each other in their +haste, and retarded their own escape. In this fight, which lasted +five hours, fifteen hundred of the enemy were slain with the loss +only of sixteen Portuguese. Having gained possession, Almeyda +distributed his men in several quarters of the streets, with +orders to keep strict guard, lest the enemy might return; which +they accordingly did by stealth in the night, in order to recover +their wives, children, and goods. In the morning, the viceroy +gave permission to his troops to plunder the town; but this was +speedily prevented by the houses taking fire, which in a few +hours reduced the whole to ashes, so that the booty did not +exceed 150,000 ducats. In fact the town was purposely set on fire +by the private orders of the viceroy, lest the men might have +been so satiated by the riches of the place as to retard his +ulterior designs. The ships in the harbour were likewise +destroyed by fire, to the no small risk of the Portuguese ships +which were very near.</p> + +<p>In fitting out for this expedition, the viceroy had not laid +in any considerable store of provisions, as he expected to have +got supplies on the coast; but on sending to the neighbouring +villages none was to be had, as the last crop had been utterly +eaten up by locusts, many of which were found preserved in pots +for food by the natives, and being tasted by the Portuguese were +found palatable, and not unlike shrimps. This made them conclude +that there were land shrimps, as in some places, particularly in +the vineyards about Rome, there are crabs found not unlike those +of the sea. Hence if locusts were not so numerous and +destructive, so as to blast the hopes of harvest and to be +dreaded like a plague, they might be useful as food; and we know +from Scripture that St John fed upon them in the desert.</p> + +<p>Leaving Dabul, the viceroy proceeded for Diu, expecting to +procure provisions along the coast. Payo de Sousa, having seen +some cattle feeding on the banks of a river, went up the stream +in his galley in hopes of procuring some; but was opposed by the +natives, and he and George Guedez were both slain. Diego Mendez +succeeded in the command of that galley, and while continuing the +voyage towards Diu he met one of the Mameluke galleys going from +Diu to Dabul, which was well manned and commanded by a courageous +and experienced Turk; who, on discovering the Portuguese galley +ordered all his soldiers to conceal themselves, so that Mendez +immediately boarded without suspecting any danger, on which the +Turks rushed out from their concealment and had almost gained the +Portuguese galley; but the Portuguese recovered from their +surprise, and made themselves masters of the Turkish galley, +slaying every one of the enemy without losing a single man on +their side. The chief booty taken on this occasion consisted of a +young and beautiful Hungarian lady of noble birth, who was +brought to the viceroy, and given by him to Gaspard de la India, +who gave her to Diego Pereyra, who afterwards married her. +Farther on, they took in the river of Bombaim, now called Bombay, +a bark with twenty-four Moors belonging to Guzerat, by whose +means they procured a supply of sheep and rice, while some cattle +were procured in other places, and a farther supply was got at +the fort of Maim, all the people flying to the mountains from +terror of the Portuguese, having heard of what had happened at +Dabul.</p> + +<p>On the 2d of February 1509, the viceroy arrived at Diu, which +from the ships appeared a grand and spacious place, girt with +strong walls and lofty towers, all handsomely built and well laid +out like towns in Portugal, which recalled in the men the memory +of their own country, and animated their courage to achieve the +conquest. Malek Azz the lord of Diu was at this time with his +army about twenty leagues distant, making war upon the Rajaputs; +but immediately on receiving notice of the approach of the +Portuguese fleet, he hastened to his capital with all possible +celerity. He had already used such precautions as not to excite +suspicions in Husseyn of his fidelity, though little inclined to +assist him, and he was now anxious not to exasperate the viceroy +in case of his proving victorious. Taking into consideration the +strength of the place, the courage and conduct of Azz and +Husseyn, and above all that there were above two hundred vessels +well manned and armed, he thought it necessary to proceed with +the greatest circumspection, and accordingly it was settled in a +council of war, that Nunna Vaz Pereyra should lead in with his +ship, in which there were 120 fighting men, many of them +gentlemen of tried valour. Pereyra was to be seconded by George +de Melo, whose crew was equally numerous; after which the rest of +the ships were to follow in succession, having from 80 down to 25 +men in each according to their size. The night was spent by the +Portuguese in anxious preparation for the approaching conflict, +by exercises of religion and putting their arms of all kinds in +order.</p> + +<p>Between nine and ten next morning, when the tide had risen +sufficiently to float the ships over the bar, the viceroy gave +the signal for entering the port in the appointed order, and the +fleet moved on amid the noise of loud shouts and the din of +warlike instruments from both sides. The vessels belonging to +Malek Azz made haste to oppose the entrance of the Portuguese, +and poured in a shower of bullets and arrows into the galley +commanded by Diego Perez who led the way for Nunno Vaz, by which +ten men were slain; yet Nunno courageously continued his course, +pouring his shot among the large ships of the enemy and sunk one +of them. Vaz was in great danger between two ships of the enemy, +when Melo came up gallantly to his rescue, and ran so furiously +upon one of these ships that he drove it up against the ship +commanded by Vaz, so much disabled that it was immediately +boarded and taken by the next ship in succession commanded by +Sebastian de Miranda. All the ships having penetrated into the +harbour, pushed on in emulation of each other who should do most +damage to the enemy; while the viceroy, placing himself in the +midst of the enemy, directed his shot wherever it seemed most +calculated to annoy the enemy and to aid his own ships. In this +manner the action continued to rage for some time with reciprocal +courage and violence, till at length the paraos belonging to +Calicut fled along the coast, giving out every where that the +<i>Rumis</i> or Mamelukes were victorious.</p> + +<p>On the flight of the Moors of Calicut, and seeing many of his +fleet destroyed, Mir Husseyn, who was wounded, went on shore in +disguise; and mounting on horseback, went in all haste to the +king of Cambaya, being no less fearful of the fury of the +Portuguese than of the treachery of Malek Azz, against whom he +made loud complaints, that though he had given aid in the battle +with his vessels, he had not assisted in person. Yet did not the +absence of Husseyn discourage his men, for those of his own +vessel being boarded disdained to yield, and fought valiantly +till they were all slain. The Portuguese now attempted to carry a +large ship belonging to Malek Azz by boarding, but being unable +to succeed, the ship commanded by the viceroy in person sunk her +by repeated broadsides. Antonio de Campo boarded and took a large +galleon. Ruy Soarez, who was next in order to enter the harbour, +dashed boldly through the thickest of the enemies ships and +placed his vessel in front of the city, where he fought his ship +in so gallant a style, forcing the crews to abandon two gallies, +which he took, that being noticed by the viceroy he exclaimed, +"Who is this who so nobly excels the rest? I wish I were he!" The +victory was now complete, and the viceroy and all the captains +assailed the smaller vessels, whose crews endeavoured to escape +by swimming; but the gallies and boats of the Portuguese being +sent among them, killed such numbers that the sea was dyed in +blood. In this great battle, the enemy lost above 1500 men, and +the Portuguese only 40. Vast riches were acquired by plunder in +the captured vessels; and by the great variety of books which +were found in different languages, it was concluded that the +crews were made up of various nations. Some of these books were +in Latin, some in Italian, and others in Portuguese.[107] The +colours of the Soldan and of his admiral Mir Husseyn were taken, +and afterwards sent to the king of Portugal. Of all the vessels +taken in this glorious and decisive victory, four ships and two +gallies only were preserved, all the rest being ordered to be +burnt by Almeyda. This great victory would have much more +redounded to the honour of the Portuguese arms, had not the +conquered been treated with barbarous cruelty: owing to which, +many persons very reasonably considered the unhappy end of +Almeyda and other gentlemen, as a just punishment for their +crimes on this occasion.[108]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 107: It is hardly necessary to observe that +these books belonged in all probability to Christian galley +slaves serving under the Mamelukes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 108: Though not called upon to vindicate +the conduct of Albuquerque and the Portuguese on this occasion; +it may be noticed that the almost interminable war which +subsisted for many centuries between the Christians and Moors of +the Peninsula, and after the expulsion of the latter, with the +states of Barbary; joined to the hellish Inquisition on the one +side, and the most degrading slavery inflicted on both by their +enemies, long nourished the most rancorous spirit of enmity and +hatred, now farther exalted by commercial +rivalship.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Next morning Malek Azz sent a message to Almeyda by one of his +principal officers, in which he congratulated the Portuguese +viceroy on his glorious victory, with which he pretended to be +well pleased. It was reported in the Portuguese fleet that the +city of Diu was in the utmost consternation, being afraid of an +assault from the victors; and when the Portuguese saw that +Almeyda seemed inclined to accept the congratulatory compliments +of Azz in good part, they complained of him for checking them in +the career of fortune. On being informed of these murmurs, the +viceroy convened his principal officers, and represented to them +that he did not act on the present occasion from any regard to +Malek Azz, but out of respect for the king of Cambaya who was +still the friend of the Portuguese, and to whom the city of Diu +belonged. He requested them likewise to consider that the city +was strongly fortified, and defended by a numerous garrison; That +they were already fatigued by the exertions of the late battle; +and that between the men who had been slain and wounded, and +those who were sick, out of 1200 there were now only 600 fit to +carry arms in the assault of Diu: Even supposing they were to +succeed in capturing the place, it would be utterly impossible to +maintain possession of it; and that they might easily revenge +themselves of Malek Azz by the capture of his trading ships. All +the officers being completely satisfied by these reasons, the +viceroy received the envoy of Malek Azz very graciously, and told +him that two motives had principally induced him to make the late +assault on Diu; one of which was to be revenged on the +<i>Rumi</i> or Mamelukes, and the other to recover the Portuguese +prisoners who had been taken by them at Chaul, as he considered +them in the same light as the son he had lost on that former +occasion. The first object he had already completely attained, +and he demanded immediately to obtain the second, by having all +the Portuguese prisoners in the power of Malek Azz delivered up +to him. He demanded in addition to these, that all the artillery +and ammunition which had belonged to the <i>Rumi</i>, still +remaining in such of their ships as had been hawled on shore, +should be delivered up, and these ships burnt; and that Malek Azz +should supply the Portuguese fleet with provisions.</p> + +<p>All these conditions were readily agreed to by Malek Azz, and +executed with the utmost readiness and punctuality; in +consequence of which a treaty of peace and friendship was settled +between Azz and the viceroy. Almeyda left one of the liberated +Portuguese prisoners at Diu, to load two ships with such articles +as were in request at Cochin and Cananor; and besides supplying +his own fleet with provisions, he dispatched Norenha with a +supply of provisions, and some of the booty procured in the late +battle, to his brother Don Alfonso at Socotora. These important +affairs being dispatched, the viceroy left Diu and proceeded to +Chaul, where the king was so much intimidated by the accounts he +had received of the late victory, that he submitted to pay an +yearly tribute. Passing thence to Cananor, he was received in the +most honourable manner; and entered afterwards into Cochin in +triumph. Even before he had laid aside his festive ornaments, +Albuquerque pressed him to resign the government, pursuant to the +royal orders; but the viceroy begged he would give him time to +divest himself of his present heavy robes, after which there +would be sufficient opportunity to talk of those matters. Evil +councillors fomented the dispute on both sides, some persuading +the viceroy to retain the government in his hands, while others +incited Albuquerque to insist upon his resignation. The rajah of +Cochin even became in some measure a party in these dispute, +insomuch that he delayed loading two homeward bound ships with +pepper, till Albuquerque should be installed in the government. +Disputes at length rose so high, that Almeyda sent Albuquerque as +a prisoner to Cananor, where he was courteously received by +Lorenzo de Brito who commanded there; and to whom Almeyda wrote a +few days afterwards to conduct himself towards the prisoner as +one who was soon to be viceroy of India.</p> + +<p>Some considerable time before this, the king of Portugal +having been informed of the preparations which were making by the +Soldan of Egypt, resolved to send a powerful reinforcement to +India. This consisted of fifteen sail of ships commanded by Don +Fernando Coutinno, who had an extraordinary power given him to +regulate all matters that might happen to be amiss, as if the +king had even surmised the probability of a disagreement between +Almeyda and Albuquerque. Coutinno arrived safely at Cananor, +whence he carried Alfonso de Albuquerque along with him to Cochin +as viceroy. At first Coutinno treated Almeyda with much civility, +but afterwards thwarted him, as he refused to let him have a ship +which he had purposely prepared and fitted out for his return to +Lisbon, and was obliged to put up with another which he had no +mind to.</p> + +<p>Don Francisco de Almeyda, now divested of the viceroyalty +which indeed he had for some time unlawfully retained, sailed +from Cochin on the 19th of November 1509, with two more ships in +company. Before leaving Cochin some of the sorcerers or +astrologers of that place predicted that he would not pass the +Cape of Good Hope. He did pass the Cape however, but was slain +and buried at the Bay of Saldanna only a few leagues beyond that +place. Having passed the Cape of Good Hope with fine weather, he +observed to some of his attendants, "Now God be praised! the +witches of Cochin are liars." Near that place, he put into the +Bay of Saldanna to procure a supply of water; and as some of the +people went on shore to exchange goods with the natives for +provisions, a servant belonging to the ex-viceroy treated two of +the Hottentots so ill that they knocked out two of his teeth and +sent him away bleeding. Some of the attendants upon Almeyda +thought proper to consider this as an affront which ought to be +avenged, and persuaded him to go on shore for that purpose, when +they ought to have counselled him to punish the servant for +abusing people among whom they sought relief. Almeyda yielded to +their improper suggestions, though against his inclination, being +heard to exclaim as he went into the boat, "Ah! whether and for +what end do they now carry my old age?" Accompanied by about 150 +men, the choice of the ships, they went to a miserable village, +whence they carried off some cattle and children. When on their +return to the boats, they were attacked by 170 natives, who had +fled to the mountains, but now took courage in defence of their +children; and though these naked savages were only armed with +pointed stakes hardened in the fire, they soon killed fifty of +the Portuguese and Almeyda among them, who was struck through the +throat, and died kneeling on the sea-shores with his hands and +eyes raised to heaven. Melo returned with the wounded men to the +ships, and when the natives were withdrawn from the shore, he +again landed with a party and buried Almeyda and the others who +had been slain. This was a manifest judgment of God, that so few +unarmed savages should so easily overcome those who had performed +such heroic actions in India.</p> + +<p>Don Francisco de Almeyda was the seventh son of Don Lope de +Almeyda, Count of Abrantes, and was a knight of the order of St +Jago. He was graceful in his person, ripe in council, continent +in his actions, an enemy to avarice, liberal and grateful for +services, and obliging in his carriage. In his ordinary dress, he +wore a black coat, instead of the cloak now used, a doublet of +crimson satin of which the sleeves were seen, and black breeches +reaching from the waist to the feet. He is represented in his +portrait as carrying a truncheon in his right hand, while the +left rests on the guard of his sword, which hangs almost directly +before him[109].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 109: De Faria uniformly gives some +description, as here, of the persons and dress of the successive +viceroys and governors of Portuguese India; which however has +been generally omitted in the sequel.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Among the ships which were dispatched from Lisbon for India in +1508, were two squadrons under the command of Duarte de Lemos and +Diego Lopez de Sequeira, which were sent upon separate services, +and which could not be conveniently taken notice of in their +proper place. After encountering a storm, Lemos arrived at a +place called <i>Medones de Oro</i>, whence he went to Madagascar, +and thence to Mozambique, where he was rejoined by the rest of +the squadron, except one ship commanded by George de Aguilar, +which was lost. He now assumed the government of the coasts of +Ethiopia and Arabia, according to his commission from the king. +From Mozambique he sailed for Melinda, whence he proceeded to +visit the several islands and towns along the eastern coast of +Africa to compel payment of the tribute they had been in use to +pay to Quiloa, and which was now considered as belonging of right +to the crown of Portugal by the conquest of that place. Monfia +submitted. Zanzibar resisted, but the inhabitants were driven to +the mountains and the town plundered. Pemba acted in a similar +manner, the inhabitants taking refuge in Mombaza, and leaving +their houses empty; but some plunder was taken in a small fort in +which the sheikh had left such things as he had not been able to +remove. Returning to Melinda, he gave the necessary orders for +conducting the trade of Sofala.</p> + +<p>Lemos departed from Melinda for the coast of Arabia with seven +ships, one of which was separated from the rest in the night on +the coast of Magadoxa, and carried by the current to the port of +Zeyla near the mouth of the Red Sea, and there taken by the +Moors. In his progress along the Arabian coast, Lemos managed the +towns more by cunning than force. Using the same conduct at +Ormuz, he was well treated by the king and Khojah Attar, and +received from them the stipulated tribute of 15,000 xerephines. +From this place he dispatched Vasco de Sylveyra to India, who was +afterwards killed at Calicut. He then went to Socotora, of which +he gave the command to Pedro Ferreira, sending Don Antonio +Noronha to India, who fell in with and took a richly laden ship +belonging to the Moors. Noronha manned the prize with some +Portuguese; but she was cast away in a storm between Dabul and +Goa and the men made prisoners. His own ship was stranded in the +Bay of Cambaya, where he and some others who attempted to get on +shore in the boat were all lost, while about thirty who remained +in the ship were made prisoners by the Moors and sent to the king +of Cambaya. On his return to Melinda, Lemos took a Moorish vessel +with a rich loading. When the winter was passed, he returned to +Socotora, where he found Francisco Pantaja, who had come from +India with provisions, and had made prize of a rich ship +belonging to Cambaya; the great wealth procured in which he +generously shared with Lemos and his men, saying they had a right +to it as being taken within the limits of his government. Finding +himself now too weak for any farther enterprises, Lemos sailed +for India, where he was received with much civility by +Albuquerque, who was now in possession of the government.</p> + +<p>Diego Lopez de Sequeira, the other captain who sailed from +Lisbon at the same time with Lemos, was entrusted with the +discovery of Madagascar and Malacca. Arriving at the port of St +Sebastian in the island of Madagascar, he run along the coast of +that island, using a Portuguese as his interpreter, who had been +left there[110] and had acquired the language. In the course of +this part of his voyage he had some intercourse with a king or +prince of the natives named <i>Diaman</i>, by whom he was civilly +treated; but being unable to procure intelligence of any spices +or silver, the great object of his voyage, and finding much +trouble and no profit, he proceeded to India in the prosecution +of the farther orders he had received from the king. He was well +received by Almeyda, then viceroy, who gave him an additional +ship commanded by Garcia de Sousa, to assist in the discovery of +Malacca. In the prosecution of his voyage, he was well treated by +the kings of Pedir and Pacem[111], who sent him presents, and at +both places he erected crosses indicating discovery and +possession. He at length cast anchor in the port of Malacca, +where he terrified the people by the thunder of his cannon, so +that every one hastened on board their ships to endeavour to +defend themselves from this new and unwelcome guest.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 110: Probably a malefactor left on purpose, +as has been formerly mentioned from Castaneda in our +<i>second</i> volume.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 111: Pedier and Pisang; as called by the +English.--Astl. I. 70. b.]</blockquote> + +A boat came off with a message from +the town, to inquire who they were and what they wanted, to which +Lopez sent back for answer that he brought an ambassador from the +king of Portugal, to propose entering into a treaty of peace and +commerce advantageous for the king and city of Malacca. The king +sent back a message in dubious language, such as is usual among +the orientals when they mean to act treacherously, as some of the +Moorish merchants, from enmity to the Portuguese, had prevailed +upon him and his favourite Bandara, by means of rich presents, to +destroy Lopez and the Portuguese. On the third day, Lopez sent +Hierom Teixeyra in the character of ambassador, attended by a +splendid retinue, who was well received on shore, and conducted +on an elephant to the king, from whom he returned well pleased. +All this was only a bait to entrap the Portuguese to their +destruction; and in addition, the king sent an invitation to +Lopez to dine with him in public. Lopez accepted this invitation, +but was informed by a friend of <i>Jao-Utimuti-rajah</i>, that +the king intended to murder him, on which he sent an excuse under +pretence of indisposition. Credit was now given to an advice sent +by a Persian woman to Duarte Fernandez, after she had been +prevented by Sequeira from coming on board under night, thinking +she came on an amorous errand, but which contributed to save the +ships. Another contrivance was put in practice to destroy Lopez +and his ships, by offering a lading of spice, and pretending that +it was requisite to send for it to three several places. This +succeeded in part; as while thirty men were sent on shore +according to agreement, a fleet of small vessels was secretly +prepared under cover of a point of land, ready to assault the +ships, while the thirty men were to be murdered in the town. At +this time likewise, a son of Utimuti-rajah came on board under +pretence of a visit to Lopez, and finding him engaged at draughts +requested him to continue his game, that he might have the better +opportunity of assassinating him unobserved; and in fact he +frequently put his hand to his dagger for that purpose, but +waited till the other branches of the intended treachery should +begin. At this time, a seaman on one of the tops who was on the +outlook, seeing a throng in the town and hearing a considerable +noise, called out 'Treachery! Treachery! they kill our men.' +Lopez instantly threw away the draught board, calling out to +arms; and the son of Utimuti, perceiving the treacherous designs +discovered, leapt into his boat with his attendants in great +consternation. The fleet of boats now came round the point and +attacked the Portuguese, who exerted themselves as well as +possible in their defence, considering the suddenness of the +attack; and after sinking many of the enemies boats, forced the +rest to retire. Not having a sufficient force to take vengeance +for this treachery, Lopez was under the necessity of quitting +Malacca, where he left sixty of his men in slavery, who were made +prisoners on shore, and having eight slain. On his way back he +took two Moorish ships bound for Malacca; and, having arrived at +Cape Comorin, he sent on Teixeyra and Sousa with their ships to +Cochin; resolving, though ill provided, to return alone to +Portugal, being afraid of Albuquerque, as he had sided with +Almeyda in the late disputes respecting the government of India. +He reached the island of Tercera with much difficulty, and from +thence proceeded to Lisbon. + +<p>SECTION V.</p> + +<p><i>Transactions of the Portuguese in India under the +Government of Don Alfonso de Albuquerque, from the end of 1509, +to the year 1515</i>.</p> + +<p>Being put into possession of the government of India in +November 1509, Albuquerque prepared for an expedition against +Calicut, in conjunction with Fernando Coutinno. The design was +kept secret, yet the zamorin and all the other princes along the +coast provided for their defence, on hearing that the Portuguese +were making preparations for war. Setting out from Cochin with +thirty vessels of various sizes and 1800 land forces, besides +several boats full of Malabars who followed in hopes of plunder, +he arrived at Calicut on the 2d of January 1510; and consulting +on the difficulties attending the enterprise, it was determined +that the division of the fleet belonging to Albuquerque should be +left in charge of Don Antonio de Noronha, while that belonging to +Coutinno was to be commanded by Rodrigo Rabelo. Every one strove +to be so posted as to land first, and the men were so eager for +landing that they were under arms all night, and so tired in the +morning that they were fitter for sleep than fighting, yet soon +recovered when the signal was given and the cannon began to +roar.</p> + +<p>The troops landed in two divisions; that under Coutinno +consisting of 800 men with some field-pieces, and that commanded +by Albuquerque of the same number of Portuguese troops, together +with 600 Malabars. They marched in strange confusion, each +striving to be foremost. The first attack was made on the bulwark +or bastion of Ceram by De Cunna and De Sousa, who were bravely +resisted by 600 men, till on the coming up of Albuquerque, the +defenders fled and the Portuguese got possession of the bulwark. +Being fearful of some disastrous event from the confusion of his +men, Albuquerque sent notice to Coutinno, who came with all speed +to his assistance. On seeing the Portuguese colours flying on the +bulwark, Coutinno believed he had been called back by a +contrivance of the viceroy to prevent him from acquiring honour, +and addressed him in the following terms. "Were you ambitious, +Sir, that the rabble of Lisbon should report you were the first +in storming Cochin, that you thus recal me? I shall tell the king +that I could have entered it with only this cane in my hand; and +since I find no one to fight with, I am resolved to proceed to +the palace of the zamorin!" Without waiting any reply from +Albuquerque, Coutinno immediately marched his men to the palace. +Being above five leagues from the shore, and the road much +encumbered with palm trees, and having met some opposition by the +way, Coutinno and his people were tired by their long march, and +rested some time in a plain before the palace. He then attacked +it, and though well defended, the Moors[112] were forced to fly +to the woods and mountains. The Portuguese soldiers being now +possessed of the palace, quitted their ranks and began plundering +in a disorderly manner, as if they had been close to the shore +under protection of their ships, and had no enemy to fear. But +the enemy having procured reinforcements, returned to the palace, +and fell upon the disordered Portuguese, many of whom they killed +while loaded with plunder, and did much harm to Coutinno and his +men, though Vasco de Sylveira signalized himself by killing two +of three chiefs called <i>Caymals</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 112: The author here very improperly calls +the Nayres, or Malabar soldiers of the zamorin, Moors; though in +all probability there might be some Mahometans among the +defenders of Calicut.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the meantime Albuquerque had got possession of the city of +Cochin, which he set on fire; and finding no enemy to oppose him, +he thought proper to march to the palace to see what Coutinno was +about. On his arrival he found the palace surrounded by armed +men, and that Coutinno was within in the most imminent danger. +Having cleared the way from the enemy, he sent word to Coutinno +that he waited for him; and after the third message, Coutinno +sent back word that Albuquerque might march on and he would +follow, being busy in collecting his men who were dispersed over +the palace. Albuquerque accordingly began his march, much pressed +upon by the enemy, and had not marched far when he received +notice that Coutinno was in great danger. He immediately +endeavoured to return to his relief, but was impeded by the +multitude of the enemy, who slew many of his men, and he was +himself so severely wounded by a dart in the throat, and a stone +on the head, that he was carried senseless to the shore.</p> + +<p>By this time Coutinno and many more were slain in the palace, +and several others on their way back to the shore; being +oppressed by the multitude of the enemy, spent with labour and +heat, and almost stifled by the great dust. The whole of +Coutinnos division had certainly been cut off, if Vasconcelles +and Andrada, who had been left in the city with a reserve of +200[113] men had not checked the fury of the enemy and forced +them to retire. There was now as keen a contest about who should +get first on board, as had been about landing first, not +considering that all their misfortunes had been occasioned by +hurry and confusion. At length they got on board and sailed on +their return to Cochin, having lost 80[114] men in this ill +conducted enterprise, among whom were Coutinno and many persons +of note. On recovering his senses while at sea, Albuquerque gave +orders for the dispatch of the homeward bound ships; and on his +arrival at Cochin, immediately made preparations for an attempt +to reduce Ormuz.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 113: In Paris, this reserve is stated at +2000 men, obviously a typographical error, yet copied in Astley's +Collection, without considering that the whole original force was +only 1800.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 114: The loss acknowledged in the text is +ridiculously small for so disastrous an enterprise, and we are +almost tempted to suspect the converse of the error noticed in +the preceding note, and that the loss might have been +800.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Being recovered from his wounds, all the preparations made for +his expedition to Ormuz, and the homeward trading ships +dispatched, Albuquerque set sail from Cochin with 1700 troops in +21 vessels of various sorts and sizes. On arriving at the river +of Onor, he sent for the pirate <i>Timoja</i>, who being powerful +and desirous of acquiring the friendship of the Portuguese, came +immediately and supplied Albuquerque with provisions. Being +skilful in the political affairs of India, Albuquerque consulted +Timoja respecting his intended enterprise against Ormuz; but he +endeavoured to dissuade him from that attempt, endeavouring to +shew that Goa would be a more advantageous conquest, and might be +easily taken as quite unprovided for defence. This advice pleased +Albuquerque, and it was resolved upon in a council of war to +change the destination of the armament, for which Timoja agreed +to supply twelve ships, but gave out that he meant to accompany +the Portuguese to Ormuz, that the governor of Goa might not be +provided for defence. Timoja had been dispossessed of his +inheritance and ill treated by his kindred and neighbours, and +the desire of vengeance and of recovering his losses caused him +to embrace the alliance of the Portuguese against the interest of +his own countrymen.</p> + +<p>The small island of Ticuari, in which the city of Goa stands, +is situated in lat. 15° 30' N. in a bay at the mouth of the +river Gasim on the coast of Canara, being about three leagues +long and one broad. It contains both hill and level ground, has +good water, and is fertile, pleasant, and healthy. The city of +Goa, now seated on the northern part of the island, was formerly +in its southern part. The present city was built by a Moor named +Malek Husseyn about 40 years before the arrival of the Portuguese +in India. It is not known when the old city was founded, but some +authentic writings mention that <i>Martrasat</i>, king of that +city above 100 years before, believed in one God, the incarnation +of the Son, and the Trinity in Unity; besides which, a copper +crucifix was found affixed to a wall when the city was taken. +These Christians may have been descendants from the converts to +the true faith through the ministration of the holy apostle +Thomas.</p> + +<p>About the year 1300 the Mahometans began to conquer +India[115]. The first who attempted this with great power was +Shah Mahmud Nasraddin[116], king of Delhi, who came down with a +powerful army from the north, and conquered all the gentiles as +far as the kingdom of Canara. He returned to Delhi, leaving Habed +Shah to prosecute the conquest, who became so powerful by his +valour and conduct that he coped with his master; and his nephew +Madura prosecuting his enterprise after the decease of Habed, +cast off his allegiance to the king of Delhi, and having +possessed himself of the kingdom of Canara, called it the Deccan, +from the various nations composing his army, this word having +that import in their language[117]. Too great an empire is always +in danger of falling to pieces. Mahmud Shah[118], being aware of +this, used every possible precaution for his safety, which was +effectual for some time; but at length several of the governors +of this extensive empire erected their provinces into independent +sovereignties. The greatest of these was he of Goa, the sovereign +of which about the time of the Portuguese coming into India was +named Sabayo, who died about the time that Albuquerque went +against Goa; upon which Kufo Adel Khan, king of Bisnagar +possessed himself of Goa, and placed it in the hands of his son +Ismael. The other princes were Nizamaluco, Mudremaluco, Melek +Verido, Khojah Mozadan, Abexeiassado, and Cotèmaluco, all +powerful but some of them exceedingly so[119]. Sabayo was born of +very mean parentage at Saba in Persia, whence his name; but +having long served the king of the Deccan with great fidelity, +had a grant of the city of Calberga, whence he extended his +conquests over the Pagans of Bisnagar, and reduced Goa which had +belonged to the Moors of Onor, killing Malek Husseyn its prince +or ruler who defended it with a garrison of twelve hundred men. +Goa had several dependencies, with which and the other +territories he had acquired Sabayo, became the most powerful +prince in these parts, and was consequently hated by them all. He +maintained himself however against all his neighbours while he +lived, sometimes by means of force, and at other times by +profound policy; but his death produced great alteration.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 115: From various circumstances in the +context, the word India, is here evidently confined to the +peninsula to the south of the Nerbudda, called generally Deccan, +or the south.--E]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 116: He was the sixth king of a dynasty of +Turks from Persia, which founded the kingdom of Delhi in 12O2, or +rather usurped it from the family of Ghaur, who conquered it in +1155 from that of Ghazni, which had subdued all India in 1001 as +far as the Ganges. Mahmud Shah Nasr Addin began his reign in +1246, so that the conquests mentioned in the text must have +happened considerably before 1300.--Astl. I. 71. 2.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 117: Deccan or Dakshin signifies the +<i>south,</i> and is properly that portion of India which lies +between the Nerbudda and Kistna river. It would far exceed the +bounds of a note to illustrate the Indian history, which is very +confusedly, and imperfectly stated in the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 118: In the text of Faria named Mamud-xa, +and probably the same person named immediately before +Madura.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 119: These names are strangely corrupted in +the Portuguese orthography of Faria, and the princes are not well +distinguished. Only three of them were very considerable: Nizam +Shah, or Nizam-al-Mulk, to whom belonged Viziapour; Koth, or +Kothb-shah, or Kothb-al-Mulk, the same with Cotamaluco of the +text, who possessed Golconda; and Kufo Adel Khan, called Cufo +king of Hidalcan in Faria, who held Bisnagar.--Astley, I. 71. +d.--The great king of Narsinga is here omitted; which Hindoo +sovereignty seems at that time to have comprised the whole of +southern India, from the western Gauts to the Bay of Bengal, now +the high and low Carnatic with Mysore.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having sailed from Onor accompanied by Timoja, Albuquerque +came to anchor off the bar of Goa on the 25th of February 1510. +As it was necessary to sail up the northern arm of the bay or +river, on the bank of which the city was situated, Albuquerque +sent his nephew Antonio de Noronha, accompanied by Timoja, to +sound the channel. A light vessel of easy draught of water which +led the way gave chase to a brigantine belonging to the Moors, +which took shelter under protection of a fort or blockhouse, +erected for protecting the entrance of the harbour, which was +well provided with artillery and garrisoned by 400 men, commanded +by Yazu Gorji, a valiant Turk. Seeing the other vessel in chase, +Noronha pressed after him; and though the fort seemed strong, +they attacked and took it after a stout resistance, during which +the commandant lost greater part of one of his hands, yet +persisted to defend his post till deserted by his men, when he +too retired into the city. In the mean time, in emulation of his +new allies, Timoja attacked and took another blockhouse on the +continental shore of the channel leading to Goa, which was +defended by some artillery and forty men. After these exploits +the channel was sounded without any farther obstruction.</p> + +<p>Next day, as Albuquerque was sailing up the channel to proceed +in his enterprise, he was met by Mir Ali and other chief men of +the city, who came to surrender it to him, only stipulating, that +their lives, liberties, and goods should be secured. The reason +of this surrender was because Gorji had terrified them by his +account of the astonishing and irresistible prowess of the +Portuguese, and because a <i>Joghi</i>, or native religious +saint, had predicted a short time before, that Goa was soon to be +subjected by strangers. Albuquerque readily accepted the +surrender on the terms proposed, and having anchored before the +town on the 27th of February, was received on shore by the +inhabitants with as much honour and respect, as if he had been +their native prince. Mounting on a superbly caparisoned horse +which was brought for his use, he received the keys of the city +gates, and rode in great pomp to the palace which had been built +by Sabayo, where he found a great quantity of cannon, arms, +warlike ammunition, and horses. Having issued orders and +regulations which were much to the satisfaction of the +inhabitants, he dispatched several messages or embassies to the +neighbouring sovereigns, the only effect, of which was to shew +his high spirit. Such of the neighbouring towns as were dependent +upon God, sent deputations without delay to proffer their +obedience and submission. The command of the fort or castle was +given to Don Antonio de Noronha, the government of the infidels +to Timoja, and the other offices were disposed of to the general +satisfaction. Understanding that several ships belonging to Ormuz +and other places on the Arabian coast, were lading in the port of +Baticala, four Portuguese vessels were sent thither, which took +and carried them to Cochin, and sent an ample supply of +provisions to Goa.</p> + +<p>About four months after the easy conquest of Goa, the fortune +of Albuquerque began to change its appearance, as those persons +in Goa on whose fidelity he had reposed most confidence, in spite +of the remonstrances of Timoja, entered into plots to deliver up +the place to its former master Ismael. They had submitted so +easily to Albuquerque, because unprovided for effectual +resistance, to save their properties, and to gain time till +Ismael Adel Khan was prepared to come to their relief. Having at +length completed his preparations, he sent on before him in June +1510 his general-in-chief Kamul Khan with 1500 horse and 8000 +foot, on which Albuquerque took proper measures to defend his +recent acquisition. Having detected a conspiracy of the Moors to +deliver up the city, his first step was to secure and punish the +chief conspirators; among these were Mir Cassem and his nephew, +to whom he had confided the command of four hundred Moors, whom +he caused to be hewed in pieces by his guards; several others +were hanged in the most public places of the city, and the rest +were rigorously imprisoned, above 100 being convicted of +participating in the plot. By these rigid measures the city was +terrified into submission.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards Kamul Khan approached with the van of the army +of Ismael, and attempted to pass over into the island by means of +boats which he had provided for that purpose. He was courageously +opposed by Noronha, who captured twelve of the boats; many of the +enemy were killed by the Portuguese, and many others devoured by +the alligators which swarmed in the channel round the island; but +at length Kamul Khan effected a landing in force on the island, +and the Portuguese were obliged to take refuge within the walls +of the city. Kamul Khan then invested the city with his army, +which he began to batter with his cannon, and Albuquerque used +every possible effort to defend the place. Ismael Adel Khan now +came up to second his general, at the head of 60,000 men, 5000 of +whom were cavalry. Part of this great army passed over into the +island to strengthen the besiegers, and the rest took post in two +divisions on the continent to prevent the introduction of +provisions, one of these being commanded by an officer of +reputation, and the other by the mother and women belonging to +Ismael, who maintained their troops by <i>the gain from 4000 +prostitutes</i>, who followed the camp. By the arrival of this +vast army the city of Goa was completely surrounded, and no +opportunity was left for Albuquerque to execute any enterprise +against the numerous assailants. Making what was necessary +prudent, he and his officers resolved to abandon the city before +day, which was accordingly executed though with much hazard, the +way being occupied by the troops of the enemy, and Albuquerque +had his horse killed under him; yet he got off all his men +without loss after a siege of twenty days.</p> + +<p>After this retreat, it was resolved to spend the winter in +these seas, for which purpose the fleet came to anchor in a bay, +which although not commodious was the best that could be had on +this part of the coast; and being incommoded by a fort named +<i>Pangi</i> which had a considerable number of cannon, it became +necessary to gain possession[120]. Accordingly 300 Portuguese +troops were appointed for the assault, while Noronha had the +command of a body of reserve, and Albuquerque guarded the shore. +While the Portuguese prepared during the night to assail the fort +next morning, 500 men marched by order of Ismael to reinforce the +garrison; and when the Portuguese marched to the assault, both +the Moorish garrison and the relief, being all drunk, mistook the +Portuguese for friends; the garrison believing them to be the +reinforcement, and the relief conceiving them to have been the +garrison coming out to meet them. They were soon however fatally +undeceived by the attack of the Portuguese, in which 340 of them +were slain, and the rest put to the rout, while the Portuguese +only lost one man who was drowned accidentally. A similar +circumstance happened at the bulwark which had been formerly won +by Timoja at <i>Bardes</i>. By these two severe defeats of his +people, Ismael was so excessively alarmed that he left Goa, and +his fear was much increased as some conjurer had foretold that he +was to be killed by a cannon-shot near some river. He sent +several ceremonious messages to Albuquerque, on purpose to +discover what was doing on board the ships, and by the +threatening answers he received his fears were materially +augmented. In consequence of this intercourse of messages, Ismael +was prevailed on to exchange some Portuguese, who had necessarily +been left behind when Goa was abandoned; for the Moors engaged in +the late conspiracy who remained prisoners with Albuquerque.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 120: From the context it is obvious that +this bay and the fort of Pangi were in the close neighbourhood, +of Goa; in fact the bay appears to have been the channel leading +to Goa, and the fort one of those bulwarks on the continental +shore which defended the navigation of that +channel.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About this time Albuquerque received intelligence that some +vessels were preparing at Goa to set his ships on fire, on which +he anticipated the intentions of the Moors by sending a force up +the river to burn these vessels, which was effected, but Don +Antonio de Noronha was slain in this enterprise; Noronha used to +moderate the violent passions of his uncle Albuquerque, who after +his death allowed the severity of his temper to proceed to +extremities. Having detected a soldier in an amour with one of +the female slaves he used to call his daughters, and whom he was +accustomed to give away in marriage, he ordered him immediately +to be hanged; and as some of his officers demanded to know by +what authority he had done this arbitrary and cruel deed, he +ordered them all below deck, and flourishing his sword said that +was his commission for punishing all who were disobedient, and +immediately cashiered them all. During the continuance of this +winter, the Portuguese fleet suffered extreme hardships, +especially from scarcity of provisions; and on sailing from +thence after the cessation of winter[121], they discovered four +sail which they supposed to have been Turks, or Mamelukes rather, +but on coming nearer, they were found to be a squadron from +Portugal under the command of Diego Mendez. Besides these, the +king had sent out this year other seven ships, under Sequeira, +who arrived at Cananor soon after Albuquerque; and a third +armament of two ships to settle a trade at Madagascar.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 121: By winter on the coast of Malabar, +must only be understood, the period of storms and excessive bad +weather which occurs at the change of the monsoons, when it is +imminently perilous to be at sea.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the return of Albuquerque from Goa to Cananor, he was much +rejoiced at the prospect of such powerful succours, and +communicated his intentions of immediately resuming his +enterprise against Goa, but was overruled in the council by +Sequeira, on which Albuquerque went to Cochin, and obtained a +victory over the Malabars of Calicut, who endeavoured to obstruct +the Portuguese from loading pepper. Having dispatched Sequeira +with the homeward bound ships, and soon afterwards Lemos with +four more, he determined to resume the enterprise upon Goa. As +Diego Mendez, who had formerly been favourable to this design, +and several other captains, now opposed it, because it interfered +with their intentions of going to Malacca, as directed by the +king, Albuquerque commanded them all under the severest penalties +not to quit the coast without his orders. Though much +dissatisfied, they were obliged to obey. Accordingly, having +fitted out twenty-three ships at Cananor, in which he embarked +with 1500 soldiers, he proceeded to Onor to join his ally Timoja, +whom he found busied in the celebration of his marriage with the +daughter of a queen; and being anxious to have the honour of the +viceroys presence at the wedding he invited him to land, which +proved very dangerous, as they were kept on shore for three days +in consequence of a storm, and when Albuquerque returned to the +ships a boat with thirty men was lost. On leaving Onor for Goa, +Timoja sent three of his ships along with Albuquerque, and +promised to join him at Goa with 6000 men.</p> + +<p>Albuquerque anchored for the second time before the bar of Goa +on the 22d of November 1510. Impressed with a strong recollection +of the dangers he had escaped from on the former attempt, and +anxious to sooth the discontent which he well knew subsisted +among some of his principal officers on account of having been +reluctantly compelled to engage in this expedition, he addressed +them in a conciliatory harangue by which he won them over +entirely to concur with him in bringing the hazardous enterprise +in which he was engaged to a favourable issue. Having made the +proper dispositions for the assault, the troops were landed at +early dawn on the 25th of November, and attacked the enemy who +defended the shore with such determined intrepidity that they +were put to flight with great slaughter, and without the loss of +a man on the side of the Portuguese. The enemy fled and +endeavoured to get into the city by one of the gates, and being +closely pursued by the Portuguese who endeavoured to enter along +with them, the fight was there renewed, till at length many of +the Portuguese forced their way into the city doing prodigious +execution, and the battle was transferred to the streets. These +were successively cleared of the enemy by dint of hard fighting +all the way to the palace, in which time the Portuguese had lost +five officers of some note, and the fight was here renewed with +much valour on both sides. Albuquerque, who had exerted himself +during the whole action with equal courage and conduct, now came +up with the reserve, and the Moors were completely defeated, +flying in all directions from the city and endeavouring to escape +to the continent, but through haste and confusion many of them +perished in the river. After this decisive victory, it was found +that of 9000 men who defended the city, 6000 had perished, while +the Portuguese lost fifty men. <i>Medeorao</i>[122], or +<i>Melrao</i>, nephew to the king of Onore, who commanded the +three ships sent by Timoja, behaved with great courage and +fidelity on this occasion; Timoja came himself to Goa with a +reinforcement of 3000 men, but too late to assist in the attack, +and was only a witness to the carnage which had taken place. The +booty in horses, artillery, arms, provisions, and ships, was +immense, and contributed materially to enable Albuquerque to +accomplish the great designs he had in contemplation.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 122: This person is afterwards named by +Faria <i>Melrao</i>, and is said to have been nephew to the king +of Onore; the editor of Astley calls him <i>Melrau</i>. Perhaps +his real name might have been <i>Madeo row</i>, and both he and +Timoja may have been of the Mahrana nation.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Portuguese who were slain in this brilliant exploit were +all honourably interred; those of the enemy were made food for +the alligators who swarmed in the river. All the surviving Moors +were expelled from the city, island, and dependencies of Goa, and +all the farms were restored to the gentiles, over whom Timoja was +appointed governor, and after him Medeorao, formerly mentioned. +While employed in settling the affairs of his conquest, +ambassadors came from several of the princes along the coast to +congratulate Albuquerque on his brilliant success. Both then and +afterwards, many of the officers of Adel Khan made inroads to the +neighbourhood of Goa, but were always repelled with loss. At this +time, Diego Mendez and other two captains belonging to his +squadron, having been appointed by the king of Portugal for an +expedition to Malacca, stole away from the port of Goa under +night in direct contravention of the orders of Albuquerque, +intending to proceed for Malacca. Albuquerque sent immediately +after them and had them brought back prisoners; on which he +deprived them of their commands, ordering them to be carried to +Portugal to answer to the king for their conduct, and condemned +the two pilots who had conducted their ships from the harbour to +be immediately hung at the yard-arm. Some alleged that +Albuquerque emulously detained Diego Mendez from going against +Malacca, which enterprise he designed for himself, while others +said that he prevented him from running into the same danger +which had been already met with by Sequeira at that place, the +force under Mendez being altogether inadequate to the +enterprise.</p> + +<p>To provide for the future safety of Goa, Albuquerque laid the +foundations of a fort, which he named <i>Manuel</i>, after the +reigning king of Portugal. On this occasion, he caused the names +of all the captains who had been engaged in the capture of Goa to +be engraven on a stone, which he meant to have put up as a +monument to their honour; but as every one was desirous of being +named before the others, he turned down the stone so as to hide +all their names, leaving the following inscription,</p> + +<p><i>Lapidem quem reprobaverant aedificantes</i>.</p> + +<p>Thus they were all pleased, rather wishing their own +individual praises to be forgotten, than that others should +partake. Albuquerque assuming all the powers of sovereignty in +his new conquest for the king of Portugal, coined money of gold, +silver, and copper, calling the first <i>Manuels</i>, the second +<i>Esperas</i>, and the third half esperas. Resolving to +establish a permanent colony at this place, he engaged several of +the Portuguese to intermarry with the women of the country, +giving them marriage portions in lands, houses, and offices as an +encouragement. On one night that some of these marriages were +celebrated, the brides became so mixed and confounded together, +that some of the bridegrooms went to bed to those who belonged to +others; and when the mistake was discovered next morning, each +took back his own wife, all being equal in regard to the point of +honour. This gave occasion to some of the gentlemen to throw +ridicule on the measures pursued by Albuquerque; but he persisted +with firmness in his plans, and succeeded in establishing Goa as +the metropolis or centre of the Portuguese power in India.</p> + +<p>The king of Portugal had earnestly recommended to Albuquerque +the capture of the city of Aden on the coast of Arabia near the +entrance of the Red Sea; and being now in possession of Goa, he +thought his time mispent when not occupied in military +expeditions, and resolved upon attempting the conquest of +Malacca; but to cover his design, he pretended that he meant to +go against Aden, and even sent off some ships in that direction +the better to conceal his real intentions. Leaving Don Rodrigo de +Castel Branco in the command of Goa with a garrison of 400 +Portuguese troops, while the defence of the dependencies and the +collection of the revenue was confided to Medeorao with 5000 +native soldiers, Albuquerque went to Cochin to prepare for his +expedition against Malacca.</p> + +<p>The city of Malacca is situated on the peninsula of that name, +anciently called <i>Aurea Chersonesus</i>, or the Golden +Peninsula, and on the coast of the channel which separates the +island of Sumatra from the continent, being about the middle of +these straits. It is in somewhat more than two degrees of north +latitude[123], stretching along the shore for about a league, and +divided in two nearly equal parts by a river over which there is +a bridge. It has a fine appearance from the sea, but all the +buildings of the city are of wood, except the mosque and palace +which are of stone. Its port was then frequented by great numbers +of ships, being the universal mart of all eastern India beyond +the bay of Bengal. It was first built by the <i>Celates</i>, a +people who chiefly subsisted by fishing, and who united +themselves with the <i>Malays</i> who inhabited the mountains. +Their first chief was Paramisora, who had been a person of high +rank in the island of Java, whence he was expelled by another +chief who usurped his lordship, on which occasion he fled to +Cincapura, where he was well received by the lord of that place +and raised to high employment. But having rebelled against his +benefactor, he was driven from thence by the king of Siam, and +was forced to wander about Malacca, as a just punishment for his +ingratitude. Having drawn together a number of the +before-mentioned natives, with whom he established a new colony, +he gave the name of <i>Malacca</i> to the rising city, signifying +in the language of the country <i>a banished man</i>, as a +memorial of his own fortunes. The first king of Malacca was +<i>Xuque Darxa</i>, or sheikh Dár-shah, called by some +authors <i>Raal Sabu</i>, or Ra-el-Saib, who was the son of +Paramisora, and was subject to the kings of Siam; but from whom +his successors revolted. The country of Malacca is subject to +inundations, full of thick woods, and infested by dangerous and +savage beasts, particularly tigers, so that travellers are often +forced to pass the nights on the tops of high trees, as the +tigers can easily take them off from such as are low by leaping. +The men of Malacca are courageous, and the women very wanton. At +this time the city of Malacca was rich and populous, being the +centre of trade between the eastern and western parts of India, +Mahomet was then king of Malacca, against whom the king of Siam +had sent an army of 40,000 men, most of whom perished by sundry +misfortunes, but chiefly through similar treacherous devices with +those which had been put in practice against Sequeira. But now +Albuquerque approached to revenge them all. Mahomet, fearing to +meet the reward of his former treachery to the Portuguese, had +procured the assistance of the king of <i>Pam</i>[124], who +brought an army of 30,000 men with a great number of pieces of +artillery[125].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 123: In lat. 2° 25' N.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 124: Named Pahang or Pahan, by the editor +of Astleys Collection.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 125: In the text of Faria, and following +him in Astley, the number of cannon is said to have been 8000; a +number so incredible that we have used a general expression only +on this occasion in the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 2d of May 1511, Albuquerque sailed from Cochin on his +expedition against Malacca, with 19 ships and 1400 soldiers, 800 +of whom were Portuguese, and 600 Malabars. While off the island +of Ceylon he fell in with and captured five vessels belonging to +the Moors, which were bound for Malacca. On arriving at the +island of Sumatra, the kings of Pedier and Pisang sent friendly +messages to Albuquerque, on which occasion Juan de Viegas, one of +the men left behind by Sequeira was restored to freedom, he and +others having made their escape from Malacca. About this time +likewise, Nehoada Beguea, who had been one of the principal +authors of the treachery practiced against Sequeira, fled from +Pedier and being taken at sea by Ayres Pereira, to the great +astonishment of every one shed not one drop of blood, though +pierced by several mortal wounds; but on taking off a bracelet of +bone from his arm the blood gushed out. The Indians, who +discovered the secret, said this bracelet was made from the bone +of a certain beast which is found in Java, and has this wonderful +virtue. It was esteemed a great prize and brought to Albuquerque. +After this, they fell in with another ship in which were 300 +Moors[126] who made so resolute a defence, that Albuquerque was +obliged to come up in person to assist in the capture, which was +not accomplished without considerable danger. In this vessel was +<i>Geniall</i>, the rightful king of Pisang; who had been +banished by an usurper. Three other vessels were taken soon +after, from one of which a minute account was procured of the +military preparations at Malacca.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 126: All are Moors with Faria, particularly +Mahometans. The crew of this vessel were probably Malays, perhaps +the most ferociously desperate people of the whole +world.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 1st of July 1511, the Portuguese fleet cast anchor in +the roads of Malacca, infusing terror and dismay among multitudes +that covered the whole shore, by the clangour of their warlike +instruments, and the noise of repeated discharges of cannon; +being sensible of their guilty conduct to Sequeira and conscious +that the present armament was designed for their condign +punishment. Next day a Moor came off in great state with a +message from the king, and was received with much courtesy and +ceremonious pomp by Albuquerque[127], to whom he said that if he +came for trade, the king was ready to supply whatever merchandise +he wanted. Albuquerque made answer that the merchandise he sought +for was the restitution of the Portuguese who had been left there +by Sequeira, and when they were restored, he should then say what +farther demands he had to make from the king. On his return to +the city, the Moor spread universal consternation by this answer, +and it was agreed to endeavour to avert the threatened danger, by +restoring the Portuguese, and by paying a large sum of money. But +Prince Al'oddin, the son of the king of Malacca, and his +brother-in-law the king of Pahang opposed this, and made ready +for defence. Upon this Albuquerque began some military execution, +and the king restored the captives. After this some farther +negotiations ensued, as the king was desirous of peace, which +Albuquerque offered to agree to, on condition of having +permission to build a fortress at Malacca, and that the king +should repay the entire charges incurred by Sequeira and the +present armament, all the damage having been occasioned by his +own treachery and falsehood; but he demanded to have an immediate +answer; whether the king chose peace or war. The king was willing +to have submitted to the terms demanded by the Portuguese +viceroy, but his son and the king of Pahang opposed him, and it +was at length determined to stand on their defence.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 127: On this occasion, Faria mentions that +Albuquerque wore his beard so long that it was fastened to his +girdle; having made a vow when he was forced to retreat from +Ormuz, that it should never be trimmed till he sat on the back of +Khojah Attar for that purpose.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 24th of July, being the eve of St James the apostle, +every thing being disposed in order for attack, the signal was +given for landing, by the discharge of artillery, and immediately +the Portuguese leapt on shore and charged the enemy with loud +shouts. The hottest of the battle was about gaining and defending +the bridge, which enterprise Albuquerque undertook in person, and +where the enemy after a vigorous defence, in which great numbers +of them were slain, were forced to leap into the river, where +many of them were drowned. The prince and the king of Pahang +bravely opposed another party of the Portuguese who endeavoured +to force their way to the bridge to join the viceroy, and at the +same time King Mahomet came out on a large elephant, attended by +two others having castles on their backs, whence numbers of darts +were launched against the Portuguese. But the elephants being +soon severely wounded, turned and fled through among their own +men, trampling many of them to death and making way for the +Portuguese to join those who had possession of the bridge. At +this place Albuquerque fortified himself, and as considerable +harm was done to his men by poisoned arrows discharged from the +tops of the adjoining houses, he caused them to be set on fire. +After bestowing great praises on his captains for their +courageous behaviour, and perceiving that his people began to +grow faint by long exertions, excessive heat, and want of food, +he withdrew to the ships towards night. Ten of the Portuguese +died in consequence of their wounds from the poisoned arrows. The +loss of the enemy was not known. The king of Pahang withdrew to +his own country, under pretence of bringing a reinforcement, but +never returned.</p> + +<p>While Albuquerque rested and refreshed his men on board, +Mahomet was busily employed in making every possible preparation +for defending the city. For this purpose he undermined the +streets in several places, in hopes to blow up the assailants, +and strewed poisoned thorns in the way, covering them over to +prevent their being observed. He likewise fortified the bridge, +and planted cannon in many places. As a prelude to the second +assault, Albuquerque sent Antonio de Abren in a vessel well +manned to gain possession of the bridge. On his way thither he +had to pass through showers of bullets from both sides of the +river and from the battlements of the bridge, and though +desperately wounded, refused to be brought off, when Deniz +Fernandez Melo, who came up to his rescue proposed sending him to +the ships to have his wounds dressed, saying, "Though he neither +had strength to fight nor voice to command, he would not quit his +post while life remained." Floats of wildfire were sent down the +river to burn the vessel; but at length Albuquerque in person +gained possession of the bridge, and the vessel being freed from +the fire rafts, had liberty to act against the enemy. Having +rested his men a short time on the bridge, Albuquerque penetrated +the city, through showers of bullets, darts, and arrows; and +having been apprised of the mines in the principal street, he +took, another way and gained the mosque. At length, after a +prodigious slaughter of the enemy, he gained entire possession of +the city, having only with him in this action 800 Portuguese and +200 Malabars.</p> + +<p>At the end of nine days every one of the Moors who inhabited +this great city were either slain or driven out, and it was +repeopled with strangers and some Malays, who were permitted to +take possession of the vacant houses. Among these last was +Utimuti rajah, whose son had formerly endeavoured to assassinate +Sequeira. Utimuti was a rich and powerful native of Java, of whom +more hereafter. The soldiers were allowed to plunder the city +during three days. There were found 3000 pieces of <i>great +cannon</i>, out of 8000[128] which King Mahomet had relied upon +for the defence of his city, the rest having been carried off to +<i>Bintang</i>, where the king and prince Al'oddin had fortified +themselves. As it might have been of dangerous consequence to +permit these princes to establish themselves so near the city of +Malacca, Albuquerque sent a force to dislodge them, consisting of +400 Portuguese, 400 Malays belonging to Utimuti, and 300 men +belonging to the merchants of Pegu who resided in Malacca. On the +approach of these troops, the king and prince took flight, +leaving seven elephants with all their costly trappings, and the +Portuguese returned to Malacca. Now reduced to wander in the +woods and mountains of the interior, Mahomet so severely +reflected upon the obstinacy of his son and the king of Pahang, +that he and his son quarrelled and separated, each shifting for +himself.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 128: This prodigious train of artillery is +quite incredible, though, twice repeated in the same terms, but +it is impossible to form any rational conjecture for correcting +the gross error or exaggeration in the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>To secure this important conquest, Albuquerque built a fort or +citadel at Malacca, which from its beauty was called +<i>Hermosa</i>. He likewise built a church, which was dedicated +to the <i>Visitation of our Lady</i>; and coined money of +different values and denominations, which was ordered to pass +current by proclamation, and some of which he caused to be +scattered among the populace. By these and other prudent measures +he gained the hearts of the people, attracted strangers to settle +in Malacca, and secured this important emporium of trade. +Although Albuquerque was perfectly conscious of the deceitful +character of Utimuti rajah, yet considering it to be sometimes +prudent to trust an enemy under proper precautions, he gave him +authority over all the Moors that remained in Malacca. It was +soon discovered however, that Utimuti carried on a private +correspondence with Prince Al'oddin, under pretence of restoring +him to the sovereignty of Malacca, but in reality for the purpose +of using his remaining influence among the people to set himself +up. On receiving authentic information of these underhand +practices, Albuquerque caused Utimuti with his son and son-in-law +to be apprehended, and on conviction of their treason, he ordered +them to be publicly executed on the same scaffold which they had +formerly destined for Sequeira. This was the first public +exertion of sovereign justice which was attempted by the +Portuguese in India, but was soon followed by others. <i>Pate +Quitir</i>, another native of Java, whom Albuquerque appointed to +succeed Utimuti in the government of the Moors in Malacca, was +gained by the widow of Utimuti, by promise of her daughter in +marriage with a portion of 100,000 ducats, to revenge the death +of her husband on the Portuguese, and to assassinate Albuquerque. +Quitir accepted her offer, meaning to seize the city for himself. +About the same time also, the king of Campar formed a similar +design, for the attainment of which purpose he sent a +congratulatory embassy to Albuquerque, from whom he demanded the +office which had been conferred on Quitir. These plots having no +consequences at this time, shall be farther explained in the +sequel.</p> + +<p>During his residence at Malacca, Albuquerque received +embassies from several princes, particularly from the king of +Siam; and he sent likewise embassies in return, to the kings of +Siam and Pegu. He sent also two ships to discover the Molucca +islands and Banda[129], and gave orders to let it be known in all +quarters that Malacca was now under the dominion of Portugal, and +that merchants from every part of India would be received there +on more favourable terms than formerly. Having now established +every thing in Malacca to his mind, Albuquerque determined upon +returning to Cochin, leaving Ruy de Brito Patalim to command the +fort with a garrison of 300 men. He left at the same time +Fernando Perez de Andrada with ten ships and 300 soldiers to +protect the trade, and carried four ships with himself on his +return to Cochin.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 129: According to some authors these were +commanded by Lopez de Azevedo and Antonio de Abreu, who set out +in 1511 and returned in 1513; but according to others Antonio de +Abreu, Francisco Serrano, and Ferdinand Magalhaens were the +officers employed on this occasion, during which Magalhaens +projected his circumnavigation of the globe.--Astley, I. 74. +2.]</blockquote> + +<p>During these transactions at Malacca a rebellion broke out +among the natives at Goa, taking advantage of which, <i>Pulate +Khan</i>, an officer in the service of Kufo Adel Khan king of +Bisnagar passed over into the island of Goa with considerable +army, and laid siege to the city. One of the principal exploits +during this siege was a sally made by Rodrigo Robello de Castello +Franco the governor, in which the besiegers suffered considerable +loss. But Rodrigo was soon afterwards slain, and Diego Mendez de +Vasconcellos was chosen to take the command by the universal +suffrages of the besieged. At this time Adel Khan became jealous +that his general Pulate Khan intended to usurp the sovereignty +over the territory of Goa, on which account he sent his +brother-in-law, Rotzomo Khan to supersede him, who entered into a +treaty with Diego Mendez, by whose assistance he got the mastery +over Pulate Khan. Finding himself at the head of 7000 men, while +there were not above 1200 troops in the city of Goa, 400 only of +whom were Portuguese, Rotzomo resolved to endeavour to drive them +out, and resumed the siege. Being short of provisions, the +besieged began to suffer severely from famine, and several of the +men deserted to the enemy, some of whom repented and returned to +the city. In this critical situation, Emanuel de la Cerda who had +wintered at Cochin fortunately arrived with succours, and was +followed soon after by Diego Fernandez de Beja, who had been sent +to demolish the fort at Socotora, and to receive the tribute at +Onnuz. By these the besieged were abundantly relieved and +succoured with recruits and provisions when almost reduced to +extremity. Soon afterwards arrived Juan Serram who had gone from +Portugal the year before with Peyo de Sa, in order to settle a +trade in the island of Madagascar, but ineffectually; and +Christopher de Brito, who happened to be at Cananor with a large +ship and four smaller vessels, where he heard of the distressed +situation of Goa, went immediately thither with a strong +reinforcement and an ample supply of provisions.</p> + +<p>On his voyage from Malacca to Cochin, the ship in which +Albuquerque was embarked struck during the night on a rock off +Cape Timia in the kingdom of <i>Aru</i> on the coast of Sumatra. +Being completely separated a midships, the people who had taken +refuge on the poop and forecastle were unable to communicate with +each other, and the night was so exceedingly dark that no +assistance could be sent from the other vessels. When day-light +appeared next morning, Albuquerque was seen holding a girl in his +arms, whom chance had conducted to him during the confusion. +Pedro de Alpoem came up to his relief, though with much +difficulty and danger. On this occasion some of the men were +lost, and much valuable commodities, but what Albuquerque most +regretted was the wonderful bone which prevented the wounded Moor +from bleeding, and some iron lions of curious workmanship, which +he had intended for supporters to his tomb. Albuquerque continued +his voyage after this disaster in the ship commanded by Alpoem; +and on his way back took two Moorish ships, which, though rich +did not make amends for the loss he had sustained in the wreck of +his own. Immediately on his arrival at Cochin, being informed of +the distress of Goa, he dispatched eight vessels to that place +with men and provisions, promising soon to repair thither in +person. There were then in the town 1000 men, who were besieged +by an army of 20,000 natives.</p> + +<p>It being now the year 1512, six ships arrived in India from +Portugal, having spent a whole year on the voyage without +touching at any port; and though the men were tired and sick, +they relieved several places. At this time likewise a fleet of +thirteen ships arrived from Portugal, one of which was lost on +the island of <i>Angoxa</i>. This fleet, which carried 1800 +soldiers, anchored off the bar of Goa on the 15th of August 1512. +They immediately drove the enemy from a fort which they had +constructed at Benistarim; after which Don Garcia and George de +Melo passed on with their squadrons, accompanied by Juan Machado +and others, who had been recently delivered from slavery in +Cambaya. Albuquerque was much rejoiced at the great +reinforcements brought out by his nephew Don Garcia and Melo, and +by the relief of the captives, as they enabled him to proceed in +the enterprises which he had in contemplation. His satisfaction +was much increased by the arrival of Antonio de Saldanna with the +garrison of Quiloa, which had been abandoned as a place of small +importance. About the same time there arrived ambassadors from +Persia and Ormuz, the latter of whom had orders from his master +to proceed to Portugal.</p> + +<p>Having arranged everything at Cochin, and appointed Melo to +the command of Cananor, Albuquerque proceeded to Goa, where he +was received with every demonstration of joy and respect. After +visiting the fortifications, he endeavoured to concert measures +for driving Rotzomo Khan from the works which he had constructed +for besieging Goa. On the sixth day after his arrival, being on +an eminence with several officers taking a view of the works of +the enemy, 4000 Moors, 200 of whom were horse, were seen sporting +on the plain, it being Friday, which is the sabbath of the +Mahometans. On this occasion, a detachment of the Portuguese made +a sudden attack on the Moors, and after a hot skirmish drove them +for shelter to their works, having slain above an hundred of the +enemy, with the loss of one officer and one private, and several +wounded. Having resolved to take possession of a strong fort +which the enemy had erected near Goa for the protection of their +camp, Albuquerque caused it to be attacked both by sea and land +at the same time; and thinking that the sea attack was not +conducted with sufficient vigour, he went himself in a boat to +give orders, and came so near that a cannon-shot struck the head +of a Canara who steered his boat, dashing the blood and brains on +his beard. Enraged at this incident, he offered a high reward to +any one who should destroy that cannon; on which one of his +gunners aimed a shot so exactly that it struck the muzzle of the +cannon which flew in pieces, and killed the Moorish cannoneer. By +this fortunate circumstance, the Portuguese were able to get +farther up the river and to get close to the fort. At this time +<i>Zufolari</i>, one of the generals of the Moors, appeared with +7000 men on the continental shore to relieve the fort; but being +unable to effectuate his purpose, was forced to retire after +sustaining some loss by a distant cannonade. Albuquerque now +closely invested the fort with 4000 men, 3000 of whom were +Portuguese. He divided these into two bodies, one under his own +immediate command, and the other under the charge of his nephew +Don Garcia. At first the Portuguese received some damage; but in +the end Rotzomo Khan agreed to surrender the fort with all its +cannon and ammunition, to deliver up all the Portuguese prisoners +and deserters, and to evacuate the island of Goa and its +dependencies. The Portuguese deserters were severely punished by +order of Albuquerque, having their ears, noses, right hands, and +the thumbs of their left cut off, in which mutilated condition +they were sent home to Portugal. One of these, named Ferdinando +Lopez, as a penance for his crimes, voluntarily remained with a +negro at the island of St Helena, where he began some +cultivation, and was afterwards serviceable to several ships that +called in there, by furnishing them with refreshments.</p> + +<p>Having thus completely relieved Goa, Albuquerque endeavoured +to gain over Rotzomo Khan to the Portuguese service, but +unsuccessfully; but his good fortune made a great impression on +many of the native princes, several of whom sent pacific +embassies to the viceroy. The king of Calicut, terrified at the +growing power of the Portuguese, concluded a treaty of peace with +Don Garcia, whom his uncle had sent to take the command at +Cochin[130]. The kings of Narsinga, Visiapour, Bisnagar, and +other districts of India, sent ambassadors to the viceroy; who +endeavoured in his answers to impress them powerfully with the +value of amity with the Portuguese, and dread of encountering +their arms, and sent back envoys of his own to these princes, to +acquire intelligence respecting their power and resources. There +arrived likewise at Goa an ambassador from the Christian +sovereign of Abyssinia, whom the Europeans denominate Prester +John[131], who was destined to go over to Portugal, carrying a +piece of the <i>true cross</i>, and letters for the king of +Portugal from the queen-mother <i>Helena</i>, who governed +Abyssinia during the minority of her son David. The purport of +this embassy was to arrange a treaty of amity with the king of +Portugal, and to procure military aid against the Moors who were +in constant hostility with that kingdom. This ambassador reported +that there were then three Portuguese at the Abyssinian court, +one of whom, named Juan, called himself ambassador from the king +of Portugal; and two others, named Juan Gomez and Juan Sanchez, +who had been lately set on shore at Cape Guardafu, by order of +Albuquerque, in order to explore the country.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 130: The editor of Astleys Collection adds, +<i>with liberty to build a fort</i>; but this condition is not to +be found in the text of Faria, which is followed in that work +literally on most occasions, though often much +abridged.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 131: In our early volumes it will be seen +that this imaginary <i>Prete Jani</i>, Prester John, or the +Christian Priest-king, had been sought for in vain among the +wandering tribes of eastern Tartary. The Portuguese now absurdly +gave that appellation to the Negus of Habesh, or Emperor of the +Abyssinians; where a degraded species of Christianity prevails +among a barbarous race, continually engaged in sanguinary war and +interminable revolution.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Every thing at Goa being placed in order, the viceroy now +determined upon carrying the enterprise against Aden into +execution, which had been formerly ordered by the king of +Portugal. Without communicating his intentions to any one, he +caused twenty ships to be fitted out, in which he embarked with +1700 Portuguese troops, and 800 native Canaras and Malabars. When +just ready to sail, he acquainted the captains with the object of +his expedition, that they might know where to rendezvous in case +of separation. Setting sail from Goa on the 18th of February +1513, the armament arrived safe at Aden. This city, called +Modocan by Ptolemy, is situated on the coast of Yemen or Arabia +Felix, in lat. 12° 45' N. near the mouth of the Red Sea, and +looks beautiful and strong from the sea, being rich and populous +owing to the resort of many nations for trade. But Immediately +behind are the barren and rocky mountains of Arzira, which +present numerous cliffs and precipices. The soil is arid, having +very little water, which is procured from a few wells and +cisterns, as this part of the country is scarcely watered from +the heavens above once in two or three years. Hence it is devoid +of all trees, and has neither gardens nor orchards.</p> + +<p>Immediately on the arrival of the Portuguese fleet, Miramirzan +the governor sent a complimentary message to the viceroy with a +present of provisions; but as there was no prospect of voluntary +submission or surrender, Albuquerque resolved upon carrying the +place by assault, but found the enterprise more difficult than he +expected. Having landed his men early in the morning, the troops +advanced to the walls with scaling ladders: but after a +considerable number had got up to the top of the wall, the +ladders broke under the weight of the multitudes who pressed to +get up; so that Albuquerque was obliged to order down those who +had already ascended, by means of a single ladder constructed out +of the broken fragments of the rest. Thus, after four hours +engagement, the Portuguese were forced to desist from the attack +with some loss, occasioned more by the insufficiency of the +ladders than by the prowess of the enemy. George Sylveyra and +five men were killed on the spot, but several others died +afterwards of their wounds, and some from bruises occasioned by +falling from the walls and ladders. Submitting to his bad +fortune, and by the persuasion of his officers, Albuquerque +resolved to abandon this enterprise, that he might have +sufficient time remaining to sail for the month of the Red Sea. +But before leaving Aden, he took a redoubt or bulwark which +defended the entrance into the harbour, where a great many Moors, +or Arabs rather, were slain, and 37 pieces of cannon taken. +Having plundered the ships in the harbour, they were all burnt; +and on the fourth day after arriving at Aden, the fleet set sail +for the mouth of the Red Sea, on their arrival at which great +rejoicings were made by Albuquerque and the Portuguese, as being +the first Europeans who had ever navigated that celebrated +sea.</p> + +<p>The form of the Red Sea is not unlike that of a crocodile, +having its mouth at the narrow Straits of Mecca or Babelmandeb, +the head being that sea which lies between Cape Guardafu and +Fartaque, and the extremity of the tail at the town of Suez. Its +general direction is from N.N.W. to S.S.E. being 530 leagues +long, and 40 over where broadest[132]. The channel for navigation +is about the middle, where it has sufficient depth of water for +the largest ships, but both sides are very shallow, and much +encumbered by sand banks and numerous small islands. No river of +any note falls into it during its whole extent. It is called by +the Moors or Arabs, <i>Bahar Corzu</i> or the Closed Sea, and by +others the Sea of Mecca; but by Europeans the Arabian Gulf or the +Red Sea, owing to the red colour it derives from its bottom, as +was proved by a subsequent viceroy, Don Juan de Castro, who +caused some of the bottom to be dragged up in several places, +when it was found to consist of a red coralline substance; while +in other places the bottom was green, and white in some, but +mostly red. The water itself, when taken up, is as clear as in +any other part of the sea. The Red Sea does not abound in fish, +but it produces small pearls in many places. The mouth of the Red +Sea, called the Straits of Mecca or of Bab-al-mandeb, is in lat. +12° 40' N. and is as it were locked up by seven small +islands, the largest of which, now <i>Mehun</i>, was called by +Ptolemy <i>Perantonomasiam</i>. On going from the straits towards +Suez along the eastern or Arabian shore, there are only a few +small ports of no note for the first 44 leagues, till we come to +the island of <i>Kamaran</i>, which is subject to the king of +Aden. At 60 leagues from thence we come to <i>Gezan</i> a large +town; thence 130 leagues to <i>Yambo</i>, all in the dominions of +Mecca, having several good towns and harbours. Among these are +the famous and well known ports of <i>Ziden</i> and +<i>Juddah</i>, or <i>Joda</i>; <i>Mecca</i> being 15 leagues +inland from the latter. From Yambo it is 60 leagues to +<i>Toro</i>, where the children of Israel are said to have +crossed the Red Sea, which at this place is 3 leagues across. +Thence to <i>Suez</i> is 40 leagues, and there ends the Arabian +shore. On sailing back to the straits along the western shore of +Egypt and Ethiopia, from Suez which is 20 leagues from Grand +Cairo the vast metropolis of Egypt, it is 45 leagues to +Al-cosier; thence 135 to the city of Suakem, in which space there +are many ports: From thence 70 leagues farther on is the island +and port of Massua, and opposite to it Arkiko; and thence other +85 leagues bring us back to the Straits of Bab-el-mandeb. Behind +a ridge of mountains which runs close along the whole coast of +Ethiopia, lie the dominions of Prester John, which has always +preserved Christianity after its own manner, and has of late been +much supported therein by the Portuguese arms.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 132: The extreme length of the Red Sea is +400 geographical leagues, 20 to the degree, or about 1380 statute +miles, and its greatest breadth 65 of the same leagues, about 225 +miles.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Entering into the Red Sea, Albuquerque sailed along the coast +to the island of Kamaran, which he found abandoned by its +inhabitants from dread of his approach. He took two vessels by +the way, and found four others at this place, one of which +belonged to the Soldan of Egypt. From this island he visited +several others; and one day there appeared in the sky to the +whole persons in the fleet a very bright red cross, seemingly +about six feet broad, and of a proportional length. All the +Portuguese knelt down and worshipped the heavenly sign, +Albuquerque making a devout prayer; after which the happy omen +was joyfully hailed by the sound of music and cannon, till at +length it was covered over by a bright cloud and disappeared. As +the trade wind failed for carrying him to Judduh, Albuquerque +returned to Kamaran where he wintered, and where his people +suffered extreme misery from famine and sickness. In July 1513, +as soon as the weather would permit, he sailed again for India, +meaning to appear again before Aden, and touched at the island of +Mehun, in the middle of the straits, to which he gave the name of +Vera Cruz, in memory of the miraculous vision with which they had +been favoured, and erected a very high cross upon an eminence. +From thence he sent two ships to examine the city and port of +Zeyla, on an island in a bay of the coast of Adel, where they +burnt two ships belonging to the Moors, and joined the fleet +again before Aden. He found the fortifications of this place +repaired and strengthened; and after exchanging a cannonade which +did little damage on either side, and burning some ships in the +harbour, he sailed for India.</p> + +<p>Albuquerque arrived at Diu about the middle of August 1513, +and was immediately supplied, with some provisions accompanied by +a courteous message from Malek Azz the lord of that city under +the king of Cambaya, more from fear than affection. Being aware +of his duplicity, Albuquerque dealt cautiously with this chief, +and demanded permission to erect a fort at Diu; but Malek Azz +excused himself, referring Albuquerque to the king of Cambaya, +whom he secretly advised to refuse if asked. However it was +agreed to settle a Portuguese factor at this place to conduct the +trade; and at parting Azz treated Albuquerque with so much artful +civility, that he said he had never seen a more perfect courtier, +or one more fitted to please and deceive a man of understanding. +Some time afterwards, the king of Cambaya gave permission for the +Portuguese to erect a fort at Diu, on condition that he might do +the same at Malacca. At this time there arrived two ships from +Portugal, a third having been cast away in the voyage, but the +men saved. Albuquerque went to Goa, and sent his nephew Noronha +to Cochin to dispatch the homeward bound trade, along with which +an ambassador was sent from the zamorin to the king of Portugal, +peace being now established with that sovereign, who permitted a +fort to be erected at his capital. By these ships likewise were +sent the presents of many of the Indian princes to the king of +Portugal, together with many captives taken in war. There went +also a Portuguese Jew, who had been an inhabitant of Jerusalem, +and had been sent by the guardian of the Franciscans to acquaint +Albuquerque that the Soldan of Egypt threatened to destroy all +the holy places at Jerusalem.</p> + +<p>Pate Quitir, the native of Java, who had been preferred by +Albuquerque to the command of the native inhabitants of Malacca, +continued to carry on measures for expelling the Portuguese, and +having strengthened himself secretly, at last broke out into +rebellion. Having slain a Portuguese captain and several men, and +taken some pieces of cannon, he suddenly fortified the quarter of +the city in which he resided, and stood on his defence with 6000 +men and two elephants. Ferdinando Perez and Alfonso Pessoa went +against him with 320 men, partly by land and partly by water, and +after a long contest forced him to flee for refuge into the woods +after many of his men were slain. A considerable quantity of +artillery and ammunition was found in that part of the city which +he had fortified, which was burnt to the ground after being +plundered of much riches. Having received succour from Java and +Mahomet, the expelled king of Malacca, Quitir, erected another +fort in a convenient place at some distance from the city, where +he became powerful by sea and land, being in hopes of usurping +the sovereignty of Malacca. Perez went out against him, but +though he fought as valiantly as before, he was forced to retreat +after losing three captains and four soldiers. At this time +<i>Lacsamana</i>, an officer belonging to Mahomet, entered the +river of Malacca with a great number of men and many cannon on +board several vessels. Perez attacked him with three ships, and a +furious battle took place which lasted for three hours, with much +advantage on the side of the Portuguese, but night obliged the +combatants to desist, and Perez took a position to prevent as he +thought the Malayans from escaping out of the river during the +darkness. But Lacsamana threw up an intrenchment of such +respectable appearance during the night, that it was thought too +dangerous to attempt an attack, and Perez retired to the fort. At +this time three ships entered the port from India, bringing a +supply of ammunition and a reinforcement of 150 soldiers; but +Lacsamana had established himself so advantageously, that he +intercepted all the vessels carrying provisions for Malacca, +which was reduced to such straits that many fell down in the +streets from famine. The same plague attended Pate Quitir in his +quarters.[133]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 133: It is probable that Mr Stevens has +mistaken the sense of Faria at this place, and that the famine in +Malacca was occasioned by the joint operations of Lacsamana and +Pate Quitir, holding the city in a state of +blockade.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>When the season became fit for navigation, Perez set out with +ten ships and a galley in quest of provisions. While sailing +towards Cincapura, the galley discovered a sail, and stuck by it +till the fleet came up. It was found to be laden with provisions +and ammunition for Pate Quitir. Perez brought the captain and +other head men on board his own ship, where they attempted to +slay the Portuguese, even Perez being stabbed in the back by a +cris or dagger. Being foiled in this attempt, most of them leapt +into the sea, but some were taken and put to the rack who +confessed there was a son of Quitir among them, and that they +were followed by three other vessels similarly laden. These were +likewise captured and carried to Malacca. At the same time Gomez +de Cunna arrived with his ship laden with provisions from Pegu, +where he had been to settle a treaty of amity and commerce with +the king of that country. The famine being thus appeased, and the +men recovered, Perez attacked Pate Quitir by sea and land; and +having fortunately succeeded in the capture of his fortified +quarters, which were set on fire, that chieftain was forced to +retire to Java, and Lacsamana, on seeing this success of the +Portuguese, retired with his forces.</p> + +<p>Java is an island to the south-east of Sumatra, from which it +is divided by a strait of fifteen leagues in breadth. This island +is almost 200 leagues in length from east to west, but is narrow +in proportion to its breadth, being divided by a long range of +mountains through its whole length, like the Apennines of Italy, +which prevents intercourse between the two coasts. It has several +ports and good cities, and its original inhabitants appear to +have come from China. In after times the Moors of Malacca[134] +possessed themselves of the sea coast, obliging the natives to +take shelter in the forests and mountains of the interior. At +this period a Malay chief named <i>Pate Unuz</i> was lord of the +city of Japara, who became afterwards king of Sunda. Indignant +that the metropolis of the Malayan territories should he +possessed by the enemies of the Mahometan faith, he had been +seven years preparing a powerful armament of 90 sail to attempt +the conquest of Malacca, during all which time he kept up a +secret correspondence with the Javan Malays who inhabited that +city. Several of his ships were equal in size to the largest +Portuguese galleons, and the one destined for himself was larger +than any ship then built by the Europeans. Having completed his +preparations, he embarked with 12,000 men and a formidable train +of artillery, and appeared suddenly before the city. Ferdinando +Perez immediately embarked with 350 Portuguese and some native +troops in 17 vessels, and attacked the Javan fleet, with which he +had an obstinate engagement, doing considerable damage to the +enemy, but night parted the combatants. Next morning Pate Unuz +endeavoured to get into the river Maur with his fleet; but Perez +pursued him, and penetrating into the midst of the enemy plied +his cannon and fireworks with such success, that many of the +Javan ships were sunk and set on fire. After a furious battle of +some endurance, Unuz fled and was pursued all the way to Java, +where he preserved his own vast vessel as a memorial of his +escape and of the grandeur of his fleet, and not without reason, +as a merchant of Malacca engaged to purchase it of Perez for +10,000 ducats if taken. This victory cost the Portuguese some +blood, as several were slain, and few escaped without wounds. +From this time forwards, the natives of Java were for ever +banished from Malacca.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 134: Faria perpetually confounds all +Mahometans under the general denomination of Moors. These +possessors of the coast of Java were unquestionably +Malays.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Soon after this brilliant victory, Ferdinando Perez sailed +from Malacca to Cochin with a valuable cargo of spice, +accompanied by Lope de Azevedo and Antonio de Abreu, who came +from the discovery of the Molucca islands with three ships. After +their arrival at Cochin, Antonio de Miranda arrived there from +Siam, to the great joy of Albuquerque, who thus reaped the rich +fruits of his care and labour for the acquisition of Malacca, and +the happy return of those whom he had sent upon other +discoveries.</p> + +<p>King Mahomet had not yet lost all hope of recovering Malacca, +to which he now drew near; and having in vain attempted to +succeed by force, had recourse to stratagem. For this purpose he +prevailed on a favourite officer named Tuam Maxeliz, to imitate +the conduct of Zopirus at Babylon. Being accordingly mutilated, +Tuam fled with some companions to Malacca, giving out that he had +escaped from the tyrannical cruelty of his sovereign. Ruy de +Brito, who then commanded in the citadel of Malacca, credited his +story and reposed so much confidence in his fidelity that he was +admitted at all times into the fortress. At length, having +appointed a particular day for the execution of his +long-concerted enterprise, on which Mahomet was to send a party +to second his efforts or to bring him off, he and his accomplices +got admittance into the fort as usual, and immediately began to +assassinate the Portuguese garrison by means of their daggers, +and had actually slain six before they were able to stand to +their defence. Brito, who happened to be asleep when the alarm +was given, immediately collected his men and drove the traitor +and his companions from the fort, at the very moment, when a +party of armed Malays came up to second their efforts. The +commander of this party, named Tuam Calascar, on learning the +miscarriage of Tuam Maxeliz, pretended that he came to the +assistance of Brito, and by that means was permitted to +retire.</p> + +<p>Soon after this Pedro de Faria arrived at Malacca from the +Straits of Sabam, bringing with him <i>Abdela</i> king of Campar, +who being no longer able to endure the insolence of his +father-in-law Mahomet, came to reside in security under the +protection of the Portuguese in Malacca. This was in the month of +July [135], shortly after the arrival of George de Albuquerque +from Goa to command at Malacca. By instructions from the viceroy, +Abdela was appointed <i>Bendara</i>, or governor, of the natives, +which office had till then been enjoyed by <i>Ninachetu</i>, who +was now displaced on account of some miscarriage or malversation. +Ninachetu, who was a gentile, so much resented this affront, that +he resolved to give a signal demonstration of his fidelity and +concern. He was very rich, and gave orders to dress up a scaffold +or funeral pile in the market-place or bazar of Malacca, +splendidly adorned with rich silks and cloth of gold, the middle +of the pile being composed of a vast heap of aromatic wood of +high price. The entire street from his dwelling to the pile was +strewed with sweet-scented herbs and flowers, and adorned with +rich hangings, correspondent to the magnificence of the pile. +Having collected all his friends, and clad himself and family in +splendid attire, he went in solemn procession to the bazar, where +he mounted the scaffold and made a long harangue, in which he +protested his innocence and declared that he had always served +the Portuguese with the utmost zeal and fidelity. Having ordered +the pile to be fired, and seeing the whole in flames, he declared +that he would now mount to heaven in that flame and smoke, and +immediately cast himself into the flaming pile, to the great +admiration of all the beholders.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 135: Faria omits any mention of the year, +but from the context it appears to have been in +1513.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time the king of Campar had gone home, intending to +return to assume his office of Bendara, but was hindered by +Mahomet and the king of Bintang, who fitted out a fleet of 70 +sail with 2500 men under the command of the king of <i>Linga</i>, +and besieged Campar, in the harbour of which town there were +eight Portuguese vessels and some native <i>proas</i>, under the +command of George Botello. Observing this squadron to be somewhat +careless, the king of Linga fell suddenly with his galley on the +ship commanded by Botello, followed by the rest of his fleet; but +met with so warm a reception that his galley was taken, so that +he had to leap overboard, and the rest of the enemies fleet was +put to flight. The siege was now raised, and Botello conveyed the +king of Campar to Malacca, where he exercised the office of +Bendara with so much judgment and propriety, that in four months +the city was visibly improved, great numbers of people resorting +thither who had formerly fled to Mahomet to avoid the oppressions +of Ninachetu. Perceiving the growth of the city under the wise +administration of Abdela, Mahomet determined to put a stop to +this prosperity by means of a fraud peculiar to a Moor. He gave +out secretly, yet so that it might spread abroad, that his +son-in-law had gone over to the Portuguese at Malacca with his +knowledge and consent, and that the same thing was done by all +those who seemed to fly there from Bintang, with the design to +seize upon the fort on the first opportunity, and restore it to +him who was the lawful prince. This secret, as intended by +Mahomet, was at length divulged at Malacca, where it produced the +intended effect, as the commandant, George de Albuquerque, gave +more credit to this false report than to the honest proceedings +of the Bendara, who was tried and condemned as a traitor, and had +his head cut off on a public scaffold. In consequence of this +event, the city was left almost desolate by the flight of the +native inhabitants, and was afterwards oppressed by famine.</p> + +<p>During the year 1513, while these transactions were going on +at Malacca, the viceroy Albuquerque visited the most important +places under his charge, and gave the necessary, orders for their +security. He dispatched his nephew Don Garcia to Cochin, with +directions to expedite the construction of the fort then building +at Calicut. He appointed a squadron of four sail, under the +command of his nephew Pedro de Albuquerque, to cruise from the +mouth, of the Red Sea to that of the Persian Gulf, with orders to +receive the tribute of Ormuz when it became due, and then to +discover the island of Bahrayn, the seat of the great +pearl-fishery in that gulf. He sent ambassadors well attended to +several princes. Diego Fernandez de Beja went to the king of +Cambaya, to treat about the erection of a fort at Din, which had +been before consented to, but was now refused at the instigation +of Maluk Azz. Fernandez returned to Goa with magnificent presents +to Albuquerque, among which was a Rhinoceros or <i>Abada</i>, +which was afterwards lost in the Mediterranean on its way from +king Manuel to the pope along with other Indian rarities. Juan +Gonzalez de Castello Branco was sent to the king of Bisnagar, to +demand restitution of the dependencies belonging to Goa, but with +little success.</p> + +<p>In September 1513, five ships arrived at Goa from Portugal +under the command of Christopher de Brito, one of which bound for +Cambaya was lost. Having dispatched these ships with their +homeward cargoes, Albuquerque prepared for a military expedition, +but was for some time indetermined whether to bend his course for +Ormuz or the Red Sea, both expeditions having been ordered by the +king. In order to determine which of these was to be undertaken, +he convened a council of all his captains, and it was agreed that +Ormuz was to be preferred, which was in fact quite consonant to +the wishes of the viceroy. He accordingly set sail on the 20th of +February 1514, with a fleet of 27 sail, having on board a land +force of 1500 Portuguese and 600 native Malabars and Canaras. The +fleet anchored in the port of Ormuz on the 26th of March, and an +immediate message of ceremony came off from the king with rich +presents; but Albuquerque was better pleased with finding that +Michael Ferreyra, whom he had sent on an embassy to Ismael king +of Persia, to negociate a treaty of amity and commerce, had +strong hopes of success.</p> + +<p><i>Seif Addin</i> king of Orrauz and his governor Khojah Attar +were now both dead, and Reis Hamet now possessed the entire +favour and confidence of the new king. Among other things, +Albuquerque sent to demand being put immediately in possession of +the fort which he had formerly begun to build at Ormuz, and that +some principal persons should be sent to ratify and confirm the +submission which the former king Seif Addin had made of the +kingdom to the supremacy of the king of Portugal. All was +consented to, as there was no sufficient power for resistance; +and Reis Noradin the governor came to wait upon Albuquerque +accompanied by his nephew, to make the desired ratification. The +viceroy made rich presents on the occasion, and sent a splendid +collar of gold to the king, with the Portuguese standard, as a +mark of the union between the two nations. Public rejoicings were +made on both sides on account of this amicable arrangement; and +Albuquerque took possession of the fort, which had been formerly +begun, and by using every exertion it rose in a few days to a +great height, so that the viceroy and his principal officers took +up their residence in some houses in its neighbourhood. +Albuquerque now made splendid preparations to receive the +ambassador from the king of Persia, who brought a magnificent +present from his sovereign, consisting of rich brocades, precious +stones, splendid golden ornaments, and many fine silks. The +ambassador was honourably received, and the treaty concluded to +mental satisfaction. This ceremony took place on a scaffold +erected in public near the residence of the viceroy, and had been +delayed for a considerable time on purpose to be exhibited in +great splendour to the people of Ormuz, that they might see that +the Portuguese friendship was sought after by so powerful a +sovereign. The king of Ormuz was at a window to see the +procession.</p> + +<p>Reis Hamet[136], formerly mentioned, had come to Ormuz from +Persia with the design of seizing the city and delivering it up +to the Sophi. He had insinuated himself so effectually into the +favour of the king as to govern him in all respects, and nothing +was done but by his directions. The better to carry on his +enterprise, he had gradually introduced a number of his +dependents into the city, and was actually preparing to kill the +king and seize the government, but deferred his intentions to a +more favourable opportunity. Albuquerque was fully informed of +all these secret practices, and that the king was anxious to be +delivered from the influence of Hamet; he therefore endeavoured +to devise means for effectuating the purpose, and fortune soon +gave him an opportunity. An interview had been appointed to take +place between the king and Albuquerque; but prompted by his +fears, Hamet endeavoured to shun this danger, by proposing that +Albuquerque should wait upon the king, lest if the king went to +visit the viceroy, he might be obliged to attend him. But +Albuquerque insisted upon receiving the visit of the king, which +was at last agreed to, on condition that neither party was to be +armed. Some of the attendants upon Hamet were however secretly +armed, and Hamet came armed himself, and pressed foremost into +the room with much rudeness, on which Albuquerque made a +concerted signal to his captains, who. instantly dispatched him. +After this the king came, and a conference began between him and +the viceroy, which was soon interrupted by a violent clamour +among the people, who supposed their king was slain. But the +people belonging to Hamet, knowing that their master had been +killed, ran and fortified themselves in the kings palace. +Albuquerque proposed immediately to have dispossessed them by +means of his troops; but the king and governor found other means +of expelling these men from the city, who to the number of 700 +men went to Persia.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 136: Reis or Rais signifies a chief, and is +commonly given on the coasts of Arabia and Persia to sea +captains: In Faria it is Raez.--Astl I. 75. 2.]</blockquote> + +<p>When this tumult was appeased, the people of Ormuz were much +gratified at seeing their king conducted back to his palace in +great pomp, attended by Albuquerque and all his officers, more +especially as he was now freed from the tyranny of Hamet, and +restored to the majesty of a king[137]. Albuquerque now +dispatched the Persian ambassador, accompanied by Ferdinando +Gomez, carrying a present of double the value of that he had +received, and having orders to give a proper account of the late +transactions at Ormuz, especially in regard to Reis Hamet. Gomez +was well received, and brought back a favourable answer. It would +require more room than can be spared in this history to give an +account of the affairs of Persia; it may therefore suffice to say +that the valiant prince who reigned over Persia at this time was +engaged in war with the Turks, and was desirous of taking +advantage of the Portuguese assistance against his enemy.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 137: It is scarce possible to conceive how +Faria could gravely make this observation, when the Portuguese +had imposed an annual tribute on the king of Ormuz, and were +actually building a fortress to keep the capital under +subjection.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>While the fort of Ormuz was building, or rather finishing, +Albuquerque persuaded the king that it would contribute to the +safety of the city to put all their cannon into the fort to +defend them against their enemies, but in reality to disable them +from resisting the Portuguese domination. Security is a powerful +argument with those who are in fear, so that the king and his +governor reluctantly consented to this demand. Thus the rich and +powerful kingdom of Ormuz was completely subjected to the +Portuguese dominion, yet more to the advantage than detriment of +its native princes; who were more oppressed before by the tyranny +of their ministers, than afterwards by the tribute they had to +pay to the Portuguese, besides the security they enjoyed under +protection of the Portuguese arms. Yet liberty is sweeter than +all other conveniences.</p> + +<p>Albuquerque dispatched his nephew Don Garcia de Noronha with +most of the fleet to Cochin, with orders to send home the ships +of the season with the trade to Portugal, remaining behind to +conclude such arrangements as seemed to require his presence. He +soon afterwards fell sick, and was persuaded by his attendants to +return to India for the recovery of his health, which he +consented to, and left Pedro de Albuquerque in the command of the +fort at Ormuz. His departure gave great concern to the king, who +loved him as a father. While on the voyage to Goa, he got notice +that 12 ships were arrived in India from Portugal with orders for +his return to Europe, Lope Soarez who commanded that fleet being +appointed his successor. He was likewise informed that Diego +Mendez and Diego Pereyra, both of whom he had sent home as +prisoners for heinous crimes, had come back to India, the one as +governor of Cochin and the other as secretary to the new viceroy. +These news gave him much dissatisfaction, and he is reported to +have vented his distress on the occasion to the following +purpose. "It is now time for me to take sanctuary in the church, +having incurred the kings displeasure for the sake of his +subjects, and their anger for the sake of the king. Old man! fly +to the church! Your honour requires that you should die, and you +have never yet omitted any thing in which your honour was +concerned!" Then raising his hands and eyes to heaven, he gave +God thanks that a governor had come out so opportunely, not +doubting that he should soon die. He fell into a profound +melancholy, and arrived at Dabul almost in the arms of death, at +which place he wrote the following letter to the king. "This, +Sir! is the last letter your highness will receive from me, who +am now under the pangs of death. I have formerly written many to +your highness full of life and vigour, being then free from the +dread thought of this last hour, and actively employed in your +service. I leave a son behind me, <i>Blas de Albuquerque</i>, +whom I entreat your highness to promote in recompence of my +services. The affairs of India will answer for themselves and +me."</p> + +<p>Having arrived on the bar of Goa, which he called his <i>Land +of Promise</i>, he expired on the 16th of December, 1515, in the +sixty-third year of his age, retaining his senses to the last, +and dying as became a good Christian. Alfonso de Albuquerque was +second son to Gonzalo de Albuquerque lord of Villaverde, by Donna +Leonora de Menezes, daughter of Alvaro Gonzalez de Atayde, first +count of Atouguia. He had been master of the horse to King John +the Second. He was of moderate stature, having a fair and +pleasing countenance, with a venerable beard reaching below his +girdle to which he wore it knotted. When angry his looks were +terrible; but when pleased his manners were merry, pleasant, and +witty. He was buried in a chapel which he built near the gate of +the city of Goa, dedicated to <i>Our Lady of the Mountain</i>, +but, after a long resistance from the inhabitants of Goa, his +bones were transferred to the church of <i>Our Lady of Grace</i> +at Lisbon.</p> + +<p>The dominion of the Portuguese in India was founded by three +great men, Duarte Pacheco, Francisco de Almeyda, and Alfonso de +Albuquerque; after whom scarcely was there a single successor who +did not decline from their great character, having either a +mixture of timidity with their valour, or of covetousness with +their moderation, in which the vices predominated. In gaining +this Indian crown, Pacheco alone acted with that fiery heat which +melted the arms and riches of the zamorin; only <i>Almeyda</i> +could have filed and polished it, by his own and his sons sword, +bringing it into form by humbling the pride of the Egyptian +Soldan while <i>Albuquerque</i> gave a finish to its ornaments, +by adorning it with three precious jewels, <i>Goa, Malacca</i> +and <i>Ormuz</i>[138].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 138: Portuguese Asia, II. vii. This +rhetorical flourish by De Faria, gives a specimen of what was +perhaps considered fine writing in those days; but it strongly +marks the important services of Albuquerque, and is therefore +here inserted.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION VI.</p> + +<p><i>Portuguese Transactions in India, under several governors, +from the close of 1515, to the year 1526</i>.</p> + +<p>While the great Alfonso de Albuquerque was drawing towards the +last period of his life, Manuel, as if he had foreseen that +event, sent out Don Lope Soarez de Albergaria to succeed him in +the government, with a fleet of 13 ships, carrying a force of +1500 soldiers, many of whom were gentlemen by birth, and still +more so by their actions. Among them was Duarte Galvam, a person +of learning and judgment, who was sent ambassador to Abyssinia +with considerable presents, some for <i>Prester John</i>, and +some for the church. On his arrival at Cochin, the new governor +offended many by the reservedness of his carriage and manners, +and became particularly disagreeable to the rajah, who had been +accustomed to the discreet and easy civility of Albuquerque. Don +Garcia de Noronha took charge of the homeward bound ships, and +went away after no small disagreement with Soarez. Till this +time, the Portuguese gentlemen in India had followed the dictates +of honour, esteeming arms their greatest riches; but +henceforwards they gave themselves entirely up to trade, those +who had been captains becoming merchants; insomuch that command +became a shame, honour a scandal, and reputation a reproach. +Having entered upon the exercise of his government, he visited +the forts, in which he placed new captains, gave out orders, and +transacted other affairs of small moment, which serve rather to +fill the page than to advance the dignity of history.</p> + +<p>In the year 1515, five ships sailed from Lisbon under the +command of Juan de Sylveira, three of which arrived in Lisbon, +and the other two were lost on the sands of St Lazarus. By orders +from the king, proceeding on information that the Soldan was +fitting out a great fleet at Suez, Soarez sailed from Goa on the +8th of February 1516, with 27 sail of vessels of various sizes +and descriptions, having 1200 Portuguese and 800 Malabar soldiers +on board, besides 800 native seamen, and directed his course for +the Red Sea in order to oppose the Mameluke fleet. On arriving at +Aden, Miramirzan the governor immediately offered to surrender +the place, declaring he would have done so to Albuquerque if that +officer had not at the very first proceeded to hostility. The +real state of the matter was that the place was indefensible, as +Reis, Soliman, the admiral of the Egyptian fleet of which Soarez +was in search had beaten down a part of the wall so that the town +was defenceless. Lope Soarez was so much pleased by this +flattering offer that he trusted Miramirzan and declined taking +possession of the city till his return from the Red Sea, and went +away in search of Reis Soliman; but he neither met with him, nor +did he take Aden on his return. While on his voyage up the Red +Sea, Don Alvaro do Castro with forty men was lost through +covetousness, as he so overloaded his ship with goods from some +captured vessels that she became water-logged and went to the +bottom. Some other ships of the fleet received damage during this +part of the voyage. Hearing that Soliman was driven by stress of +weather to Jiddah, where he had no means of defence, Soarez +determined to sail to that place.</p> + +<p>Jiddah or Juddah, the sea-port of Mecca, is a town and harbour +of Arabia on the eastern shore of the Red Sea in about 22° of +north latitude, situated in a most barren soil composed of deep +loose sand, being more calculated for commerce than delight. The +buildings are good, but the harbour very bad, and its inhabitants +consist partly of native Arabs and partly of foreign merchants. +It was fortified by Mir Husseyn after his defeat by Almeyda, +under pretence, of defending the sepulchre of Mahomet, but in +reality for his own security as he was afraid to return defeated +to the Soldan. While he was occupied in constructing the +fortifications, Reis Soliman a low born Turk of Mitylene in the +Archipelago, but a bold and successful corsair, offered his +services to the Soldan, and was appointed admiral of the Suez +fleet of 27 sail, which was fitting out for the attack of Aden. +Mir Husseyn was accordingly discarded and Soliman appointed in +his place. After the failure of his attempt on Aden, where he +lost a considerable number of men, Soliman made a descent on +Zobeid in the Tehamah near the island of Kamaran, where he +acquired a considerable booty, from whence he proceeded to +Jiddah, where he slew Mir Husseyn: And learning that the emperor +of the Turks had slain the Soldan in battle, and subverted the +sovereignty of the Mamelukes in Egypt, he surrendered the +Egyptian fleet and the port of Jiddah to the conqueror.</p> + +<p>Finding the port dangerous, Soarez came to anchor about a +league from the city of Jiddah, yet so excellent were some of the +cannon of the place, that three or four pieces were able to carry +that prodigious distance. Soliman sent a message to the Christian +fleet offering a single combat man to man, which Gaspar de Silva +and Antonio de Menezes both offered to accept, but Soarez would +not allow the combat. Soarez now caused the channel leading up to +Jiddah to be sounded, and at this time the inhabitants were much +alarmed by the fire of one of the Portuguese vessels; but Soliman +appeased the tumult, and made his appearance without the walls +with some of his men, while the walls were filled by vast +multitudes of the infidels, who rent the air with loud cries. +After two days of inaction, the Portuguese began to complain of +the delay; but Soarez appeased his officers by shewing his +instructions, in which he was ordered to fight the fleet of the +Mamelukes, which could not be accomplished, and not to attack the +city, where there might be much danger and little chance of +profit. Though the votes differed in the council of war, it was +resolved by a majority to desist from the enterprise against +Jiddah, and accordingly Soarez and his armament retired to +Kamaran, whence he detached several ships to different parts of +the Red Sea. At this place died Duarte Galvam, a learned and +ingenious man, who had been employed in several embassies in +Europe, and though above seventy years of age was now going +ambassador to <i>Prester John</i>. At the time of his death, he +told his attendants that his son George and all his men had been +cast away in their vessel, and that the inhabitants of the island +of Dalac had cut off the heads of Lorenzo de Cosme and others +that had been sent to that place. All this was afterwards found +true, yet it was utterly impossible that the intelligence could +have reached Duarte at Kamaran before his death.</p> + +<p>After suffering much distress from famine, of which several +men died, and losing seventeen Portuguese who were made prisoners +by the Arabs, and carried to Jiddah, Soarez set sail from Kamaran +and appeared before Zeyla in the kingdom of Adel, on the +north-east coast of Africa, a little way out from the mouth of +the Red Sea. This place was called <i>Emporium Avalite</i> by +Ptolemy, who describes it as a great mart in ancient times. On +the present occasion Zeyla was taken with little opposition, +being unprepared for defence, and was reduced to ashes. From +Zeyla, Soarez went to Aden on the coast of Arabia, but soon found +he had been to blame for not taking possession when formerly +offered it; as Miramirzan had repaired the wall, and now +procrastinated the surrender of his city by various affected +delays. Soarez fearing to lose the season of the trade winds for +returning to India, set sail for Barbora on the same coast with +Zeyla, which he meant likewise to destroy; but the fleet was +dispersed in a storm, and on its being afterwards collected, it +was found that more than eight hundred men had perished, from +famine, disease, and shipwreck, in this disastrous and +ill-conducted expedition.</p> + +<p>While these disasters attended Soarez, the city of Goa, where +Monroy commanded, was threatened with destruction. According to +orders from Soarez, some ships had been taken from the enemy, but +with more profit than reputation, though not without danger. One +Alvaro Madureira, who had married at Goa, fled to the enemy and +turned Mahometan. He afterwards repented and returned to Goa; but +again fled to the Moors and brought them to attack the Portuguese +ships, which were in imminent danger of being captured. About +this time likewise, one Ferdinando Caldera, who was also married +at Goa, fled from that city to avoid punishment for some crime he +had committed, and joined the Moors; though some say that he was +forced to desert by Monroy, who was in love with his wife. +However this may have been, Caldera went to serve under +<i>Ancostan</i> an officer of the king of Bisnagar. Don Gutierre +de Monroy demanded of Ancostan to deliver him up, which was +refused; after which Monroy suborned another person to go over to +the enemy to assassinate Caldera; which was done, but the +assassin was instantly slain by the Moors. On the return of +Soarez to Goa, being informed of these incidents, he left Monroy +to take what satisfaction he thought proper from Ancostan. Monroy +accordingly sent out his brother Don Fernando at the head of 150 +Portuguese, 80 of whom were horse, and a considerable body of +natives, to attack Ancostan. Fernando defeated the Moors at +<i>Ponda</i>; but the Moors having rallied defeated him in his +turn, and obliged him to retire with the loss of 200 men killed +and taken prisoners. On these hostilities, the whole country was +up in arms, and Adel Khan the king of Bisnagar ordered his +general <i>Sujo Lari</i> to besiege Goa. Lari accordingly +endeavoured to cross over into the island at the head of 4000 +horse and 26,000 foot, but was repulsed. In the mean time, as all +intercourse was cut off between the island and the continent, the +besieged became distressed by want of provisions; but on the +arrival of three ships, one from Portugal, one from Quiloa, and +the third from China, Lari raised the blockade and the former +peace was renewed.</p> + +<p>Similar misfortunes took place at Malacca, through the misrule +of George de Brito and others, which occasioned all the native +inhabitants to desert the city to avoid oppression. In this +situation, Mahomet, the exiled king, sent a considerable force to +attempt recovering his capital, under the command of <i>Cerilege +Rajah</i> his general. Cerilege intrenched his army, and so +pressed the besieged that the Portuguese had assuredly been +driven from Malacca, had not Don Alexius de Menezes arrived to +assume the government with a reinforcement of 300 men.</p> + +<p>Antonio de Saldanna arrived in India in 1517 with six ships. +In this fleet one Alcacova came out as surveyor of the king's +revenue, invested with such power as greatly curtailed the +influence of Soarez, and having the inclination to encroach still +farther on his authority than he was warranted. This occasioned +great dissensions between the governor and surveyor; who finding +himself unable to prevail, returned into Portugal where he made +loud complaints against the administration of affairs in India. +Hence began the practice of listening to complaints at home +against the governors and commanders employed in India; and hence +many took more care in the sequel to amass riches than to acquire +honour, knowing that money is a never-failing protection from +crimes. Soarez sent Juan de Sylveira to the Maldive islands, +Alexius de Menezes to Malacca, Manuel de la Cerda to Diu, and +Antonio de Saldanna with six ships to the coast of Arabia by +orders from the king. The only exploit performed by Saldanna was +the capture and destruction of Barbora, a town near Zeyla but +much smaller, whence the inhabitants fled. Saldanna then returned +to India, where he found Soarez about to sail for the island of +Ceylon.</p> + +<p>The island of Ceylon, the southernmost land in India, is to +the east of Cape Comorin. It is sixteen leagues distant from the +continent[139], to which some imagine that it was formerly +joined. This island is about 80 leagues from north to south, and +about 45 leagues from east to west[140]. The most southerly +point, or Dondra Head, is in lat. 5° 52' N. The most +northerly, or Point Pedro, in 9° 48'. In the sea belonging to +this island there is a fishery of the most precious pearls. By +the Persians and Arabs it is called <i>Serendib</i>[141]. It took +the name of <i>Ceylon</i> from the sea by which it is surrounded, +owing to the loss of a great fleet of the Chinese, who therefore +named that sea <i>Chilam</i>, signifying danger, somewhat +resembling <i>Scylla</i>; and this word was corrupted to Ceylon. +This island was the <i>Taprobana</i> of the ancients, and not +Sumatra as some have imagined. Its productions are numerous and +valuable: Cinnamon of greatly finer quality than in any other +place; rubies, sapphires, and other precious stones; much pepper +and cardamoms, Brazil wood, and other dyes, great woods of +palm-trees, numbers of elephants which are more docile than those +of other countries, and abundance of cattle. It has many good +ports, and several rivers of excellent water. The mountains are +covered with pleasant woods. One of these mountains, which rises +for the space of seven leagues, has a circular plain on the top +of about thirty paces diameter, in the middle of which is a +smooth rock about six spans high, upon which is the print of a +man's foot about two spans in length. This footstep is held in +great veneration, being supposed to have been impressed there by +a holy man from Delhi, who lived many years on that mountain, +teaching the inhabitants the belief in the one only God. This +person returned afterwards to his own country, whence he sent one +of his teeth to the king of the island as a token of remembrance, +and it is still preserved as a holy relick, on which they repose +much confidence in time of danger, and many pilgrims resort +thither from places a thousand miles distant. The island is +divided into nine kingdoms, <i>Columbo</i> on the west being the +chief of these. The others are <i>Gale</i> on the south, +<i>Jaula, Tanavaca, Cande, Batecalon, Vilacem, Trinquinimale,</i> +and <i>Jafanapatam</i>[142].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 139: The distance between Ceylon and the +Carnatic across Palks Bay is about 63 English miles; but at +Jafnapatnam and Ramiseram, this distance is lessened to 43, by +two capes, at the former projecting from the island, and at the +latter from the continent.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 140: From Point Pedro in the north to +Dondra Head in the south are 265 miles, and its widest part from +Negombo in the west to Poukiri Chene in the east is 143 statute +miles.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 141: More properly Selan-dib, or the Isle +of Selan. The derivation of the name of Ceylon in the text does +not admit of commentary.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 142: All of these except <i>Cande, +Candi</i>, or <i>Kandi</i>, the central mountainous region, still +occupied by the native Hindoo race, appear to have been small +sovereignties of the Moors or Malays; and have been long under +European rule, having been conquered by the Portuguese, Dutch; +and British in succession. The topography of Ceylon will be +illustrated hereafter, and does not admit of being explained in +the compass of a note--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Albuquerque had established a treaty of amity and commerce +with the king of Columbo, who furnished the Portuguese with +cinnamon; and Soarez went thither at this time, by order of the +king of Portugal, to construct a fort at Columbo, and to reduce +the prince of that country to pay tribute. On this occasion his +fleet consisted of seven gallies, two ships, and eight small +vessels, carrying materials and workmen for building the fort, +and 700 Portuguese soldiers. At first the king consented to have +the fort built, but changed his mind at the instigation of the +Moors, and put Soarez to considerable difficulty; but in the end +the Moors were put to flight, the fort built, and the king +constrained to become a tributary vassal of Portugal, by the +yearly payment of 1200 quintals of cinnamon, twelve rings of +rubies and sapphires, and six elephants.</p> + +<p>At this time Juan de Sylveira returned from the Maldives, +where he had taken two ships belonging to Cambaya, and had got +permission of the king of the Maldives to erect a fort at the +principal harbour. Sylveira went upon a similar mission to +Bengal, where he was in great danger; as a young man of Bengal +who sailed there with him, gave notice of his having taken these +two ships, so that he was considered as a pirate. He had fared +worse than he did, but for the arrival of Juan Coello from +Pisang, sent by Andrada to the king of Bengal. After passing the +winter in Bengal with great difficulty on account of famine, +Sylveira set sail, being invited by the king of Aracan to come to +his port of Chittagon by a messenger who brought him a valuable +present; but all this kindness was only intended to decoy him to +his ruin, at the instigation of the king of Bengal. He escaped +however from the snare, and arrived at Ceylon as Soarez had +finished the fort of Columbo, of which he appointed Sylveira to +the command, leaving Azevedo with four ships to guard the sea in +that neighbourhood.</p> + +<p>About the same time Menezes secured the safety of Malacca, as +mentioned before, by supplying it with men and ammunition, and +appointed Alfonso Lopez de Costa to the government, in place of +Brito who was dying. Duarte de Melo was left there with a naval +force; and Duarte Coello was sent with an embassy and present to +the King of Siam, to confirm a treaty of peace and amity, and to +request of him to send a colony of his subjects to inhabit the +city of Malacca, so that the Moors whom he hated as much as the +Portuguese, might be for ever excluded from that place. All this +was agreed to, and as a testimonial of his friendship to the +Christians, he caused a great cross, ornamented with the arms of +Portugal, to be erected in a conspicuous part of the city of +Hudia, where he then resided. Having thus succeeded in his +mission, Coello was forced by stress of weather upon the coast of +Pahang, where he was received in a friendly manner by the king, +who voluntarily submitted to become a vassal to the crown of +Portugal, and to pay a cup of gold as an annual tribute. This was +done more from hatred to the king of Bintang, than from love to +the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>The kingdom of Siam was at this time one of the greatest in +the east, the two others of greatest consequence being China and +Bisnagar. The great river <i>Menam</i> runs through the middle of +the kingdom of Siam from north to south, having its source in the +great lake of <i>Chiamay</i> in lat. 30° N. and its mouth in +13°, so that the length of this kingdom is 330 leagues. On +the west it joins Bengal, on the south Malacca, on the north +China, and on the east Cambodia. Its territory contains both +mountains and plains, and it is inhabited by many different races +of people, some of whom are extremely cruel and barbarous, and +even feed on human flesh. Among these the <i>Guei</i> ornament +themselves with figures impressed by hot irons[143]. Siam abounds +in elephants, cattle, and buffaloes. It has many sea-ports and +populous cities, <i>Hudia</i> being the metropolis or residence +of the court. The religion of the Siamese agrees in many +considerable points with Christianity, as they believe in one +God, in heaven and hell, and in good and bad angels that attend +upon every person[144]. They build sumptuous temples, in which +they have images of vast size. They are very religious, sparing +in their diet, much given to divination, and addicted to the +study of astrology. The country is exceedingly fertile, and +abounds in gold, silver, and other metals. The memorable services +of the subjects are recorded that they may be read to the kings. +When the king of Siam takes the field, he is able to set on foot +a force of 300,000 men and 10,000 elephants.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 143: Perhaps tattooing may be here alluded +to.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 144: It is hardly possible to conceive how +it could enter into the conception of any one to compare the +stupid polytheism of the worshippers of Budda with the Christian +religion: In one thing indeed the Catholic church has contrived +to establish a resemblance, by the subordinate worship of +innumerable idols or images.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About this time, Fernan Perez de Andrada arrived at Pisang, +where he was well received, but lost his largest ship, which was +set on fire by the careless management of a lighted candle, so +that he was forced to return to Malacca. From that place Juan +Coello[145], was sent to China, meeting with furious storms and +other dangers by the way. While on the coast of Tsiompa, taking +in fresh water, he was nearly lost. At Patane and other places he +established commercial treaties with the native princes, and +spent the winter without being able to reach China, being obliged +to return to Malacca to refit. After which he again resumed his +voyage for China with eight ships. The empire of China is the +most eastern in Asia, as Spain is the most westerly in Europe; +and opposite to China is the island of Hainan, as that of Cadiz +is to Spain. It is almost as large as all Europe, being divided +from Tartary by a wonderful wall which runs from east to west +above 200 leagues, and ends at a vast mountain or promontory +which is washed by the eastern sea of Tartary. This vast empire +is divided into fifteen provinces. Along the coast are those of +<i>Quantung, Fokien, Chekiang, Nanking, Xantung</i>, and +<i>Leaotung</i>; those of the inland country are <i>Queichieu, +Junnan, Quangsi, Suchuen, Huquang, Xensi, Kiangsi, Honan</i>, and +<i>Xansi</i>, in all of which there are 244 cities. Its riches +are prodigious, and its government admirable above all others. +The natives allege that they alone have two eyes, the Europeans +one, and that all the other nations are blind. They certainty had +both printing and cannon long before the Europeans. The city of +Quantung or Canton, which is the principal sea-port, is +remarkable for its size, the strength of its fortifications, and +the prodigious resort of strangers for trade.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 145: It will appear from the sequel that +Fernan Perez de Andrada commanded on this voyage, not Coello as +stated in the text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After some considerable difficulties and dangers, Fernan Perez +arrived at Canton, where he had a conference with the three +governors of the city, to whom he presented Thomas Perez as +ambassador to the emperor from the king of Portugal, and +requested them to forward him and the present he was charged +with. Perez settled a commercial treaty with the governors of +Canton, and having concluded his traffic there and at the +neighbouring parts, he returned to Malacca, loaded with riches. +He was no less welcome there than Menezes had been formerly, as +it was reduced to a dangerous situation in consequence of war +with the king of Bintang, of which we shall have occasion to give +an account in the sequel.</p> + +<p>In 1518 Diego Lopez de Sequeira was sent out as governor of +India, in reward for his services in Africa and for having +discovered Malacca. One of his ships was in danger of perishing +at the Cape of Good Hope in consequence of being run against by a +great fish, which stuck a long horn or beak two spans length into +her side. It was afterwards found that this was a fish called the +<i>needle</i>. Soarez immediately resigned the government to +Sequeira, and set sail for Portugal with nine ships. On taking +possession of the government, Sequeira sent Alonson de Menezes to +reduce Baticala in the island of Ceylon, the king of which place +had neglected to pay the stipulated tribute; and Juan Gomez was +sent to build a fort at the Maldive islands. Sequeira then went +from Cochin to Goa, whence he dispatched Antonio de Saldanna to +the coast of Arabia, and Simon de Andrada to China.</p> + +<p>About this time the king of Bintang attacked Malacca by land +with 1500 men and many elephants, while 60 vessels blockaded the +harbour. The Portuguese garrison consisted only of 200 men, many +of whom were sick, but the danger cured them of their fevers, and +every one ran to repel the enemy. After a severe encounter of +three hours the enemy was repulsed with great loss: He continued +however before the town for three weeks and then retired, having +lost 330 men, while 18 of the Portuguese were slain. On the +arrival of reinforcements, having been much injured by frequent +inroads from the fort of <i>Maur</i> not far from Malacca, the +Portuguese took that place by assault, killing most of the +garrison which consisted of 800 Moors, and after securing the +spoil burnt Maur to the ground. There were 300 cannon at this +place, some of which were brass. Nothing more of any note +happened this year, except that Diego Pacheco with most of his +men were lost in two ships, which went in search of the <i>Island +of Gold</i>[146].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 146: Possibly Japan is here +meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1519, Antonio Correa concluded a treaty of amity +and commerce with the king of Pegu, which was mutually sworn to +between him and the kings ministers, assisted by the priests of +both nations, Catholic and Pagan. The heathen priest was called +the grand <i>Raulim</i>, who, after the treaty or capitulation +was read, made according to their custom <i>in the golden +mine</i>[147], began to read from a book, and then taking some +yellow paper, a colour dedicated to holy purposes, and some +sweet-smelling leaves impressed with certain characters, set both +on fire; after which, holding the hands of the minister over the +ashes, he pronounced some words which rendered the oath +inviolable. By way of a parallel to this solemnity, Correa +ordered his priest to attend in his surplice with his breviary; +but that was so tattered and torn that it was unfit to be seen by +these heathens, on which he ordered a book of church music to be +brought, which had a more creditable appearance, being larger and +better bound; and opening at the first place which appeared, the +priest began the lesson <i>Vanity of Vanities</i>, which answered +among these ignorant people as well as if it had been the +gospel[148]. The metropolis of the kingdom is called +<i>Bagou</i>, corruptly called Pegu, which name is likewise given +to the kingdom. It has the Bay of Bengal on the west, Siam on the +east, Malacca on the south, and Aracan on the north. This kingdom +is almost 100 leagues in length, and in some places of the same +breadth, not including the conquered provinces. The land is +plain, well watered, and very fertile, producing abundance of +provisions of all kinds, particularly cattle and grain. It has +many temples with a prodigious multitude of images, and a vast +number of ceremonies. The people believe themselves to have +descended from a Chinese <i>dog</i> and a woman, who alone +escaped from shipwreck on that coast and left a progeny; owing to +which circumstance in their opinion, the men are all ugly and the +women handsome. The Peguers being much addicted to sodomy, a +queen of that country named Canane, ordered the women to wear +bells and open garments, by way of inviting the men to abandon +that abominable vice.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 147: This singular expression may have been +some court phrase of the court of Pegu, meaning the royal +presence.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 148: On this trifling incident, the editor +of Astley's Collection gives the following marginal reference, +<i>A merry passage</i>. Ludere cum sacris is rather a stale jest, +and perhaps the grand Raulim was as ingenious as Correa and his +priest, to trick the ignorant unbelievers in their sacred +doctrines of Bhudda.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the arrival of Antonio Correa with relief at Malacca, +Garcia de Sa resolved to take revenge on the king of Bintang. He +therefore gave Correa the command of 30 ships, with 500 soldiers, +150 of whom were Portuguese, with which armament Correa proceeded +to the place where the king had fortified himself, which was +defended by a fort with a great number of cannon and a numerous +garrison. The access to this place was extremely difficult and +guarded by a great number of armed vessels; yet Correa attacked +without hesitation and carried the fort, which had 20 pieces of +cannon, the garrison being forced to retire to the town, where +the king still had a force of 2000 men and several armed +elephants. The Portuguese, following up their first success, +pushed up the river clearing away all that obstructed them; after +which they landed and took the town, killing many of the enemy, +and put the rest to flight, the king among the rest fled on an +elephant, and never stopped till they came to Bintang. The town +above mentioned was plundered and burnt by the Portuguese; and +the discomfited king remained long at Bintang unable for any new +enterprise against the Portuguese. The successes of the king of +Bintang in the beginning of this war had encouraged the kings of +Pisang and Acheen to commit some outrages against the Portuguese; +for which reason being now victorious, Garcia de Sa determined to +be revenged upon them. Having some success, he fitted out a ship +commanded by Manuel Pacheco to take some revenge for the +injuries, he had sustained; and Pacheco had occasion to send a +boat for water rowed by Malays, having only five Portuguese on +board, which fell in with three ships belonging to Pisang each +having 150 men. Finding it impossible to escape, they boarded the +commander with such resolute fury that they soon strewed the deck +with the dead bodies of the enemy, and the remainder of the crew +leapt overboard, followed by their captain, who was seen hewing +them with his cymeter in the water in revenge for their +cowardice. The <i>five</i> Portuguese thus obtained possession of +the ship, and the other two fled, on which Pacheco returned to +Malacca with his prize in triumph, and the captured ship was long +preserved as a memorial of this signal exploit. The king of +Pisang was so much terrified by this action that he sued for +peace, and offered ample reparation of all the injuries he had +done to die Portuguese.</p> + +<p>In this same year 1519 Diego Gomez went to erect a fort at the +principal island of the Maldives; but behaved himself with so +much arrogance that the Moors lulled ten or twelve of his men. +This is the chief of <i>a thousand isles</i> which lie in +clusters in that sea, and such is the signification of +<i>Male-dive</i>. They resemble a long ridge of mountains, the +sea between being as valleys and serving for communications from +isle to isle; and about the middle of the group is the large +island, in which the king resides. The natives of these islands +are gentiles, but the government is in the hands of the Moors. +They are so close together, that in many of the channels the +yard-arms of ships passing through rub against the shores, or on +the trees on both sides. Their chief product is cocoa-nut trees, +the kernel of these nuts producing a pleasant and nutritive +fruit, while the outer rhind or husk is useful for making cables. +There is another sort of these trees <i>growing at the bottom of +the sea</i>, having larger fruit than the land cocoa-nut, and +which is a more powerful antidote against poison than even the +<i>Bezoar</i> stone[149].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 149: This submarine cocoa-nut tree is +utterly inexplicable. --E.]</blockquote> + +<p>During this same year 1519, a fleet of 14 ships was sent from +Portugal to India, which was dispersed to several parts. Some +fell in with the coast of Brazil, where fifty men were slain; and +Don Luis de Guzman, one of the captains, turned pirate and became +very rich, but afterwards met with his deserts. Six staid at +Mozambique. George de Albuquerque the admiral reached India with +only four sail. One was driven back to Lisbon. Another watering +at <i>Matira</i> lost some men, and six more at <i>Oja</i>, whom +the king long kept with kind entertainment; but their ship which +left them was lost on a sand bank off Quiloa, and the Moors of +that place and of Monfia and Zanzibar slew them all except one +man.</p> + +<p>After Sequeira had dispatched the homeward bound trade of the +season, under the command of Fernan Perez de Andrada, he sailed +on the 13th of February 1520, from Goa with 24 sail of ships of +various sizes, having on board 1800 Portuguese soldiers, and +about an equal number of Malabars and Canarins, bound for the Red +Sea. Off the coast of Aden his ship struck on a rock and split in +pieces; but the men were all saved, and Sequeira the governor +went into the galleon of Pedro de Faria. A Moorish ship was taken +at the entrance into the Red Sea, from which they learnt that +there were six Turkish gallies at Jiddah with 1200 men, intending +to proceed against Aden.. The weather prevented the Portuguese +from going in quest of the Turkish squadron, and in fact it would +have been to no purpose; as on hearing that the Portuguese were +in these seas, the Turks hauled their gallies on shore. While +Sequeira was on his voyage for Massua, a small black flag was +seen on the disk of the sun towards evening on the 9th of April +being Easter Sunday. On arriving at Massua they found all the +inhabitants had fled, yet they found some vessels in the port +which they captured. The inhabitants of Massua had fled to the +neighbouring port of <i>Arkiko</i> in the dominions of <i>Prester +John</i>, and the governor of the town sent a messenger with a +letter to Sequeira desiring that he would make peace with the +people who had fled to him for protection; at the same time he +asked nothing for the town where he commanded, because they were +all Christians, and because they had a prophecy among them which +foretold the coming of Christians to settle a correspondence with +them, and which he now believed to be fulfilled on seeing the +Christian colours. Sequeira sent a courteous answer, and drew +nearer the shore, on which several Christians came on board. They +told him that their prince had sent several years before an +ambassador named Mathew, to a king at the other end of the world +whose fleet had conquered India, on purpose to become acquainted +with these remote Christians and to demand succour against the +Moors; but that the ambassador had never returned. On hearing +this, Sequeira was satisfied that they dealt ingeniously with +him, as he had actually brought that ambassador along with him, +and had orders from the king of Portugal to land him safe in the +dominions of <i>Prester John</i>. On this, the ambassador of whom +they spoke of was brought before them, to their great mutual joy, +as he had been ten years absent from his country. Next day ten +monks came from a neighbouring convent of <i>the Vision</i> to +visit Mathew, and were received in great ceremony by the priests +of the fleet dressed in their surplices. Great rejoicings were +made on occasion of this meeting between two such distant nations +agreeing in the same faith; and the consequence of this meeting +was, that those who from the beginning had not acknowledged the +supremacy of the Roman pontiff, now submitted to his +authoritye[150].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 150: The submission of the Abyssinian +church to the Roman pontiff was a mere pretence, which afterwards +produced long and bloody civil wars, and ended in the expulsion +of the Portuguese from the country.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The kingdom of <i>Prester John</i>, now first visited by +Sylveira, is mostly known by this appellation but improperly, as +its right name is the empire of Abyssinia, Abassia, Habesh, or +the higher Ethiopia. It received the former appellation from the +great king <i>Jovarus</i>, who came to it from the Christians of +Tartary, having a cross carried before him like our bishops, and +carrying a cross in his hand, with the title of <i>Defender of +the Faith</i>, as being a Jacobite Christian[151]. The dominions +of this prince are situated between the rivers <i>Nile, +Astabora</i>, and <i>Astapus</i>. To the east they border on the +Red Sea for 120 leagues, this being the smallest side, as their +whole extent is 670 leagues. On the west it borders on those +Negroes who possess the great mines of gold, and who pay tribute +to the sovereign of Abyssinia. On the north it is divided from +the Moors by a line drawn from the city of <i>Suakem</i> to the +isle of <i>Meroe</i> in <i>Nubia</i>. On the south it borders on +the kingdom of <i>Adel</i>, from the mountains of which country +the river <i>Obi</i> descends, and falls into the sea at the town +of <i>Quilimane</i> in the kingdom of <i>Melinda</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 151: It is not worth while to inquire +whence this ridiculous legend of king or Saint Jovarus has been +derived. The origin of Christianity in Abyssinia will be +considered on an after occasion, when we come to the particular +travels in that country.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The kings of Abyssinia pretend to descend from King Solomon by +the queen of <i>Sheba</i> or <i>Saba</i>; who being delivered by +the way, named her son <i>Melech</i>, and sent him to his father, +to be by him declared king of Ethiopia. Whereupon Solomon +anointed him, and gave him the name of <i>David</i>, after his +grandfather. Solomon likewise appointed him a household, giving +him officers of his own, and sent with him as high priest, Azaria +the son of Zadoc, who stole the tables of the law from the temple +of Jerusalem, and carried them along with his new prince. It is +affirmed that the descendants of these original officers still +possess the same employments. The Abyssinians had some knowledge +of the law of Christ from Queen <i>Candace</i>, in whom they +glory as being of their country: But their true apostles were St +Philip and St Mathew. In memory of his descent, the king or +emperor of Abyssinia begins the enumeration of his many titles in +this manner: "<i>David</i>, beloved of God, pillar of the Faith, +descendant of Judah, grandson of David, son of Solomon, son of +the pillar of Sion, son of the progeny of David, son of the hand +of Mary, &c. Emperor of the higher Ethiopia," &c. He +dwells for the most part in a camp, resembling a populous city, +and is frequently removing from one part of the country to +another. In his messages, he uses a style similar to that of the +kings of Portugal and Spain, beginning "<i>I the king</i>." The +people are very religious, having many churches and great numbers +of monasteries which belong only to two religious orders, that of +St Anthony, and the Canons regular. Those religious persons who +live in convents wear long cotton garments; but all the others, +and their priests and nuns, are dressed in skins, hardly covering +so much as modesty requires. They have no considerable towns, +have little learning, no skill in mechanics, and are very rude in +their diet and clothing. In such houses as assume any degree of +grandeur, all the furniture is brought from other countries. +There are as expert thieves in this country as our gypsies are in +Europe. This is the substance of what could be gathered by the +first discoverers of Abyssinia.</p> + +<p>On the news of the arrival of the Portuguese fleet at Massua, +and of the return of Mathew the ambassador, the Baharnagash[152] +or governor of the province in which Arkiko is situated came +there attended by 200 horse and 2000 foot. After some difference +about a proper place of meeting between him and Sequeira, they at +length agreed to meet on the sea-shore, and were seated on chairs +on the sand, under the burning heat of the sun. At this meeting, +Sequeira delivered Mathew the Abyssinian ambassador to the +Baharnagash, and recommended to his protection Don Rodrigo de +Lima who was sent ambassador from King Manuel to the emperor of +Abyssinia. They treated likewise about building a fort as a +protection against the Moors, either at Kamaran or Massua, and +both swore to the sincerity of their friendly intentions on a +cross, after which they separated and presents were mutually +interchanged. Don Rodrigo de Lima set forwards on his journey +unaccompanied by Mathew, who soon afterwards died in the +monastery of the Vision. Sequeira erected a great cross in that +port, in memory of the arrival of the Portuguese fleet, and +caused many masses to be said in the mosque of Massua. From that +port he went to the island of Dalac, where he burnt the town, +previously abandoned by its inhabitants. He then stood over to +the coast of Arabia, where one galley was cast away in a storm +and most of her men lost. Leaving the Red Sea and sailing along +the coast of Yemen, the fleet arrived at Cape Kalayat, towards +the entrance of the Persian Gulf, where George Albuquerque waited +its arrival. Going from thence to Muscat, Albuquerque was left to +winter there with all the ships, and Sequeira went on to Ormuz +with the gallies.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 152: In Faria called +Barnagux.]</blockquote> + +<p>In this same year 1520, during the expedition of Sequeira to +the Red Sea, <i>Chrisna-rao</i> king of Bisnagar collected +together a vast army of 35,000 horse, 733,000 foot, and 686 armed +elephants, each of which carried a castle on its back with four +men. In this army there were 12,000 water-bearers, that all might +be supplied without any being under the necessity of dispersing +to seek for it. The baggage was immense and the followers +numberless, among whom were above 20,000 common women. This +prodigious army was collected for the purpose of taking the city +of <i>Rachol</i> then under the power of Adel Khan king of +Visiapour, but which had belonged to the ancestors of +Chrisna-rao, who had left it in charge to their successors to +attempt its recovery. The city of Rachol was naturally almost +impregnable, being situated on a high mountain and fortified by +several stone walls, with large deep ditches and strong towers, +well stored with artillery and other means of defence, and having +a garrison of 400 horse, 8000 foot, 20 elephants, and a +sufficient quantity of provisions and ammunition to tire out the +most patient besiegers. Chrisna-rao encamped his vast army around +the city, to which he gave many fruitless assaults during three +months. At length Adel Khan approached to relieve the siege, +having an army of 18,000 horse, 120,000 foot, 150 elephants, and +many large pieces of cannon. After many skirmishes, the two +armies at last joined battle, in which at the beginning +Chrisna-rao received much damage; but rallying his innumerable +forces, made such havoc among the troops of Adel Khan, that only +those escaped from the sword or from captivity who at last moved +pity even in their enemies. Besides great riches in the camp of +Adel Khan, the victor got 100 elephants, 4000 horses, 400 large +cannons, and a great many small ones. Adel Khan made his escape +on an elephant; but forty Portuguese who served in his army were +all slain after behaving themselves with great valour.</p> + +<p>After this great victory, Chrisna-rao resumed the siege of +Rachol, but was unable to make any impression on its walls. At +this tine one <i>Christopher de Figueredo</i> came to his camp, +attended by twenty other Portuguese, bringing some Arabian horses +for sale to the king. In discourse with Chrisna-rao respecting +the siege, Figueredo asked permission to view the place, and to +try what he could do with his Portuguese, which was granted. +Figueredo gave two assaults, and being seconded in the latter by +the troops of Chrisna-rao, he gained possession of the place. +Soon afterwards, Adel Khan sent an embassy to Chrisna-rao, +begging the restoration of the prisoners and plunder which had +been taken in the late battle and in the captured city. +Chrisna-rao offered to restore the whole, on condition that Adel +Khan would acknowledge his supreme authority, as emperor of +Canara, and come to kiss, his foot in token of submission and +vassalage. This degrading condition was accepted, but its +performance was prevented by several accidents. In the mean +while, however, Ruy de Melo, who commanded in Goa, taking +advantage of the declining situation of the affairs of Adel Khan, +possessed himself of those parts of the continent adjoining to +the Isle of Goa, with a force only of 250 horse and 800 Canara +foot.</p> + +<p>In the same year 1520, Lope de Brito went to succeed Juan de +Sylveira in the command of the fort of Columbo in Ceylon, and +carried with him 400 soldiers and many workmen, by whose means he +made the fort so strong that it raised the jealousy of the +natives of Columbo, who at the instigation of the Moors gave over +trade with the Portuguese, and besieged the fort for five months, +during which the garrison suffered great hardships. At length +Antonio de Lemos arrived with a reinforcement of fifty men; with +which small additional force Brito ventured to attack the vast +multitude of the enemy, whom he completely routed, and matters +were immediately restored to their former quiet.</p> + +<p>On the change of the monsoon, Sequeira set sail from Ormuz and +joined Albuquerque at Muscat, where he found one ship from Lisbon +of nine that sailed together, but all the rest came safe +afterwards. One of the ships of this fleet, while sailing before +the wind beyond the Cape of Good Hope, was stopped all of a +sudden. On examining into the cause, it appeared that a sea +monster bore the ship on its back, the tail appearing about the +rudder and the head at the boltsprit, spouting up streams of +water. It was <i>removed by exorcisms</i>, no human means being +thought sufficient. By the sailors it was called the +<i>Sambrero</i>, or the <i>hat-fish</i>, as the head has some +resemblance to a hat. A similar fish, though less, had been seen +on the coast of Portugal near <i>Atouguia</i>, where it did much +harm.</p> + +<p>As the king had sent orders to the governor to build forts at +the Moluccas, Sumatra, Maldive, Chaul, and Diu, Sequeira +determined upon attempting the last first. Having dispatched the +homeward ships from Cochin, he collected a fleet of 48 vessels of +various kinds and sizes, on board of which he embarked 3000 +Portuguese and 800 Malabars and Canarins. With this great force +he appeared before Diu on the 9th of February 1521. Malek Azz, +being suspicious that this armament was destined against him, had +fortified and intrenched the city with great care. At the arrival +of the Portuguese, Malek Azz was at the court of Cambaya, but had +left his son Malek Saca with a strong garrison and three +experienced commanders. Observing the strength of the place, +Sequeira called a council of war to consult upon what was proper +to be done, when it was concluded to desist from the enterprise. +The officers of the fleet, though they had all concurred in this +decision, and even privately allowed its prudence and necessity, +accused the governor of cowardice on this occasion, though his +valour was well known. Sequeira accordingly retired to Ormuz for +the winter, sending Alexius de Menezes to Cochin with full power +to conduct the government during his absence, and several of the +other captains went to different ports to trade. Menezes +dispatched the homeward trade from Cochin, and sent other ships +to various parts of India, some of which went to Sumatra.</p> + +<p>The island of Sumatra extends in length from the north-west to +the south-east, for about 220 leagues, by 70 in its greatest +breadth, and is cut nearly in two equal parts by the equinoctial +line. It is separated from Malacca by a narrow strait, and its +most southern point is parted from Java by one still narrower. +Java is above 100 leagues long by twelve in breadth. To the east +of Sumatra is the great island of Borneo, through which likewise +the equinoctial passes, leaving two-thirds of the island on the +north side of the line. The maritime parts of Sumatra are flat, +but the interior is full of mountains, pervaded by many large +rivers, and covered by impenetrable woods which even the rays of +the sun are unable to pierce. Owing to these circumstances +Sumatra is very unhealthy, yet is much resorted to for its rich +and valuable productions, and particularly on account of its +abounding in gold. Besides gold, it produces white sandal-wood, +benzoin, camphor, pepper, ginger, cinnamon[153], abundance of +silk, and abounds in fish and cattle. It has in one part a spring +of petroleum or rock oil, and one of its mountains is a volcano. +The original natives of the island are pagans; but the Moors who +came there first as merchants, have possessed themselves of the +island as lords ever since the year 1400. Among the inland tribes +is one called <i>Batas</i>, who are of most brutal manners, and +even feed on human flesh. The Moors who dwell on the coast, use +several languages, but chiefly the <i>Malay</i>. Their weapons +are poisoned arrows like the natives of Java from whom they are +descended, but they likewise use fire-arms. This island is +divided into nine kingdoms; of which <i>Pedier</i> was once the +chief; but now that of <i>Pacem</i> or <i>Pisang</i> is the most +powerful, yet its kings only continue to reign so long as it +pleases the rabble.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 153: Probably cassia.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time George Albuquerque was sent to Sumatra, on +purpose to restore a king of Pisang who had been expelled and had +fled to the Portuguese for protection and aid. On his arrival, +having secured the co-operation and assistance of the +neighbouring king of Ara, Albuquerque sent a message to the +usurper desiring him to resign the kingdom to the lawful prince, +who had submitted to the king of Portugal, <i>Genial</i>, the +usurper, offered to make the same submission, if allowed to +retain possession, but this offer was refused. Albuquerque then +attacked Genial in his fort, which was scaled and the gate broke +open; yet the usurper and thirty men valiantly defended a tower +over the gateway, till Genial was slain by a musket-shot, on +which the others immediately fled. The Portuguese troops, about +300 in number, were opposed by 3000 Moors in the market-place, +assisted by some elephants. Hector de Sylveira endeavoured to +strike one of these in the trunk with his lance, which the beast +put aside, and laying hold of Sylveira threw him into the air, +yet he had the good fortune to survive. Two other Portuguese +soldiers had better success, as one of them killed the rider and +the other wounded the elephant, on which he turned among his own +party whom he trampled to death without mercy. The Moors now +returned to another post, but with the aid of the king of Ara, +they were completely defeated by the Portuguese, 2000 of them +being slain. In this battle Albuquerque received two wounds in +his face, and four or five persons of note were killed on the +side of the Portuguese, besides a great many wounded. Next day +the dispossessed prince of Pisang was reinstated with much +ceremony, being made tributary to the king of Portugal, and a +fort was erected at his capital, as at other places, to keep him +under subjection.</p> + +<p>At this time Antonio de Brito arrived at Pisang from, Acheen, +where his brother George de Brito had been slain by the Moors +with a great number of men, in a scandalous attempt to rob the +sepulchres of the kings of that country of a great quantity of +gold they were said to contain. Antonio was now left by +Albuquerque in the command of the new fort of Pisang, with three +ships which were afterwards of great service against a Moor who +infested the coast. On his return to Malacca, of which he had the +command, Albuquerque prepared to make war upon the king of +Bintang. That island, about 40 leagues from Malacca, is forty +leagues in circumference, having two strong castles, and its +rivers staked to prevent the access of ships, so that it was +considered as almost impregnable. Albuquerque went from Malacca +with 18 vessels and 600 men, and finding it impossible to get his +ships up, he endeavoured to land his men from boats to attack one +of the forts; but the water being up to their middles, and the +enemy making a brave resistance, they were forced to retire after +losing twenty men, besides a great number wounded.</p> + +<p>In the same year 1521, Antonio de Brito sailed for the Molucca +islands. These islands are in the middle of a great number of +others under the equator, about 300 leagues east from Malacca. +There are five principal islands to which the general name of +Moluccas is applied, about 25 leagues distant from each other, +the largest not exceeding six leagues in circumference. The +particular names of these are <i>Ternate</i>, <i>Tidore</i>, +<i>Mousell</i>, <i>Macquein</i> and <i>Bacham</i>[154]. They are +covered with woods and subject to fogs, and are consequently +unhealthy. These five islands produce cloves, but no kind of +food; and the large island of <i>Batochina</i>, which is 60 +leagues long, produces food but no cloves. In some of these +islands, particularly Ternate, there are burning mountains. Their +chief subsistence is of a kind of meal made from the bark of +certain trees resembling the palm[155]. There are certain canes +that have a liquor in their hollows between the joints, which is +delightful to drink. Though the country abounds in animals, the +natives eat very little flesh, but live chiefly on fish which +their seas produce inexhaustibly. They are very warlike and by no +means affable, and are most expert both in running and swimming. +Their religion is idolatrous, but we have no account whatever +respecting their original. The Moors had possessed themselves of +this country not long before the coming of the Portuguese, as a +Mahometan priest who had come along with the first of the Moorish +invaders was still alive at the arrival of Brito.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 154: The principal island of the Molucca +group is Gilolo; those in the text being small islands to the +west of Gilolo. The large island mentioned in the text under the +name of Batochina, can be no other than Gilolo.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 155: This is obviously an erroneous account +of <i>Sago</i>, an alimentary substance procured from the +<i>pith</i> of a tree of the palm tribe, not from the +<i>bark</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Antonio de Brito was sent on this occasion to build a fort in +the island of Ternate, which had been long desired by its king +<i>Boylefe</i>. His force consisted of six ships and 300 +soldiers, and was increased at the island of Agacim by four sail +under the command of Garcia Enriquez. On arriving at Ternate, the +old king Boylefe was dead, and the king of Tidore had admitted +the Spaniards to settle on his island; yet seeing that the queen +who governed Ternate during the minority of her son gave a +friendly reception to Brito, the king of Tidore visited him and +offered to deliver up the Spaniards to him if he would build the +fort on Tidore instead of Ternate. But Ternate was preferred as +the most convenient, Brito laying the first stone on the festival +of St John the Baptist, the 28th of December 1521.</p> + +<p>At this time a private correspondence was carried on between +Francis Serram, who resided in Ternate and Ferdinando de +Magallanes in Portugal, which turned to the advantage of Spain +and the detriment of Portugal. Magalanes, otherwise named +Magellan, was a man of note and a knight of St Jago, who had +served with reputation at Azamor in Africa and in several parts +of India. Having solicited for a small allowance usually given in +reward of service, and which was refused, he left Portugal and +entered into the service of Spain. From his skill in sea affairs, +and the correspondence he held with Serram at Ternate, he +concluded there might be another way to India; and as the +Spaniards had already tasted the fruits of these islands, he +wrote to Serram that he hoped soon to be his guest at Ternate +going thither by a new way[156]. He accordingly got the command +of five ships with 250 men, some of whom were Portuguese. Sailing +from the port of San Lucar de Barameda on the 20th of September +1519, after having renounced his country by a solemn act, he +sailed toward the south along the eastern coast of South America. +When past Rio de Janeiro on the coast of Brazil, the men began to +grow mutinous, and still more so when they had gone beyond the +river of St Julian on the coast of Patagonia, where they did not +immediately find the strait of passage to the Pacific Ocean, and +found themselves pinched by the cold of that inhospitable +climate. As they proceeded to hold disrespectful discourses +against Magellan, both reflecting upon his pretended knowledge, +and espousing doubts of his fidelity, which came to his +knowledge, he called together all the principal people in his +squadron, to whom he made a long and learned discourse. Yet a +conspiracy was entered into to kill Magellan, by three of his +captains, named Cartagene, Quixada, and Mendoza. Their design +however was discovered, on which Mendoza was immediately stabbed, +and the other two arrested and punished as traitors; Quixada +being quartered <i>alive</i>, while Cartagene and a priest +concerned in the plot were set ashore on the barbarous coast. +Most of the men were engaged in the conspiracy, but it was +necessary to pardon them that there might be seamen for +prosecuting the voyage.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 156: From the text, coupled with a +consideration of the infallible grants of his holiness, who had +given every part of the world to the west of a certain meridian +to the Spaniards and all eastwards to the Portuguese, or all to +both, those Spaniards who had been at the Moluccas must have come +from the western coast of Mexico. Magellan proposed a new route +by the southwest, to evade the grant of the sovereign pontiff, +which was actually accomplished, though he lived not to enjoy +what may in some measure be termed the treasonable +honour.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Magellan wintered at this place[157], and some men who were +sent about twenty leagues into the interior brought a few natives +to the ships, who were of a gigantic stature, being above three +yards high. After suffering much through cold, hunger, and +continual fatigue, they at length reached the <i>Cabo de las +Virgines</i>, in lat. 52° S. so named because discovered on +the day of the 11,000 virgins. Below this cape, they discovered +the strait of which they were in search, being about a league +wide.[158] In their progress, the strait was found in some places +wider and in others narrower than its mouth. The land on both +sides was high, partly bare, and part covered with wood, among +which were many cypress trees. The mountains were covered with +much snow, which made them appear very high. Having advanced +about 50 leagues into this strait, another was seen and Magellan +sent one of his ships to explore it; but after waiting much +beyond the time appointed for her return, <i>he ordered the +astrologer</i>, Andrew Martin <i>to erect a figure</i>, who +answered that she was gone back to Spain, and that the crew had +confined the captain, Alvaro de Mesquita, for opposing that +measure. This was actually the case, and they were eight months +on the voyage. After this event, which gave much vexation to +Magellan, he continued his voyage through the straits much +against the inclination of his people, and at length got out into +the southern Pacific Ocean with three ships, that commanded by +Juan Serrano having been wrecked and the men saved with much +difficulty.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 157: Though not directly so expressed in +the text, Magellan appears to have wintered at Port St +Julian.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 158: Now called the Straits of Magellan +from its discoverer.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>To escape from the excessive cold of the southern extremity of +America, Magellan now shaped his course W.N.W. and when about +1500 leagues from the straits, he found an island in lat. 18° +S. and another 200 leagues further on. Having lost his +computation for the Moluccas, he discovered several islands in +lat. 15° 30' N. and at length came to the island of +<i>Subo</i> in lat. 10° N. being about 12 leagues in +circumference. He was hospitably received here, and found the +natives of so tractable a disposition, that the king and queen of +the island, with their children and above 800 of the inhabitants +were baptised. This prince was at war with a neighbour, and was +assisted by Magellan. After two victories, Magellan was slain in +a third battle on the 27th of April 1521, together with his +astrologer and some others. The baptised king now entered into an +agreement with his enemies, and poisoned all the Christians who +were on shore. Those who remained on board, being too few in +number to navigate the three ships, burnt one, and set sail with +the other two, one of which was the famous <i>Victory</i>, +commanded by Juan Sebastian Cano, <i>being the first ship that +circumnavigated the globe</i>. They arrived at the Moluccas, +where they were well received by the king of Tidore, who was much +dissatisfied by the Portuguese having given the preference to +Ternate in forming their establishment. At this place they took +in a loading of spice, and went thence to <i>Banda</i>, where +they completed their cargo by the assistance of a Portuguese +named Juan de Lourosa. One of the Spanish ships returned to +Ternate, many of the crew having died of a contagious disease, +and the small remnant being unable to continue the voyage. They +were hospitably received by Antonio de Brito, who relieved and +sent them to India, whence they returned to Europe in the +Portuguese ships.</p> + +<p>The <i>famous ship Victory</i> returned in triumph to Spain, +after performing that wonderful <i>Voyage round the World</i>. +Her arrival occasioned new contests between the courts of Spain +and Portugal, Charles V. and John III. then reigning, because the +Molucca islands were considered as belonging to Portugal, +according to the former agreement respecting the discoveries of +the globe. In the year 1524, a congress of civilians and +geographers was held to determine this affair, at a place between +Badajos and Elvas; but it was not settled till the year +1526.[159]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 159: As this first circumnavigation will +fall to be related more at large, in a division of our +arrangement devoted expressly to that subject, it has not been +deemed necessary to elucidate this short incidental account from +De Faria, by any geographical commentary.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In one of the former years, Fernan Perez de Andrada had +established a trade at Quantung or Canton in China, which was so +exceedingly profitable that every one was eager to engage in it. +In the present year 1521, Simon de Andrada was sent by Sequeira +to China with five ships, and cast anchor in the port of the +island of <i>Tamou</i> opposite to Canton, where his brother had +been formerly. The Portuguese ambassador to the emperor of China +still remained at that place, but set out soon afterwards up a +large river with three vessels splendidly decorated with +Portuguese colours, it being a received custom that none but +those of China should be seen there, which are gules a lion +rampant.[160] In this manner he arrived at the foot of a mountain +from which that great river derives its source. This mountainous +ridge, called <i>Malexam</i>, beginning at the bay of +Cochin-China in the province of Fokien,[161] runs through the +three southern provinces of China, Quangsi, Quantung, and Fokien, +dividing them from the interior provinces, as Spain is divided +from France by the Pyrenees. Thomas Perez, leaving the vessels at +this place, travelled northwards to the city of Nanking, where +the king then was, having spent four months in the journey +without stopping at any place. The emperor however thought proper +to appoint his audience at Peking, a city far distant, to which +place Perez accordingly followed. While on the journey, Simon de +Andrada behaved himself so improperly in the island of Tamou that +an account of his proceedings was sent to court, and Thomas Perez +and his companions were condemned to death as spies. The rigour +of this sentence was mitigated, but the embassy was not received, +and Perez was sent back as a prisoner to Canton, with orders that +the Portuguese should restore Malacca to its native king, who was +a vassal to China, in which case the embassy would be received; +but otherwise the ambassador and his suite were to be put to +death, and the Portuguese for ever excluded from China as +enemies. Simon de Andrada conducted himself with a high hand, as +if he had been king of Tamou, where he raised a fort, and set up +a gallows to intimidate the people. He committed violence against +the merchants who resorted to the port, and bought young people +of both sexes, giving occasion to thieves to steal them from +their parents. These extravagant proceedings lost nothing in +their transmission to court, and were the cause of the severe +orders respecting Perez and his followers.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 160: The text seems irreconcileably +contradictory, perhaps from mistranslation; but the circumstance +is not important.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 161: This account of the ridge of Malexam +is considerably erroneous. The ridge of mountains in the text +begins in the west of China on the borders off the province of +Yunnan, between Koeitchoo and Quansee, and ends in the east at +the province of Foo-tchien.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time Diego Calva arrived with one ship from Lisbon, +and several others from Malacca, and in consequence of this +addition to their strength, the Portuguese acted still more +insolently than before, and so exasperated the governors of the +province that they apprehended several of them, and even +contrived to take the last arrived ship. At the commencement of +hostilities Duarte Coello arrived from Malacca with two ships +well manned and armed. The <i>Itao</i>, or Chinese admiral in +these seas, attacked the Portuguese with fifty ships, and though +he did them some damage, he was so severely handled by the +artillery that he was forced to retire and to remain at some +distance, keeping up a strict blockade. After matters had +remained in this state for forty days, Ambrose del Rego arrived +with two additional ships from Malacca, and the Portuguese +determined upon forcing their way through the Chinese fleet. The +battle on this occasion was very bloody; but in consequence of a +gale of wind dispersing the Chinese fleet, the Portuguese were +enabled to get away from the island of Tamou. The Itao revenged +himself upon such of the Portuguese as had fallen into his hands, +and particularly upon Thomas Perez and his companions, who were +all slain, and their baggage robbed of the present intended for +the emperor, and of all the commodities which Perez had purchased +during his residence in China. Such was the profitableness of the +China trade at this time, that Perez though only an apothecary of +mean parentage, had by this time acquired 2000 weight of rhubarb, +1600 pieces of damask, 400 pieces of other silks, above 100 +ounces of gold, 2000 ounces of silver, 84 pounds of loose musk, +above 3000 purses or cods of that perfume, called <i>Papos</i>, +and a great deal of other commodities.</p> + +<p>As <i>Mocrim</i> king of <i>Lasah</i> refused to pay the +tribute which was due to the king of Ormuz for the islands of +Bahrayn and Catifa on the coast of Arabia, the king of Ormuz was +backward in paying the tribute to the Portuguese, alleging his +inability on account of not receiving payment from his vassal. On +this account a force had been already sent against the king of +Lasah, accompanied by some Portuguese auxiliaries, but had been +unsuccessful. The king of Ormuz, wishing effectually to humble +his vassal, applied to Sequeira for assistance, who consented on +purpose to secure the tribute due to the Portuguese. Accordingly +in the year 1521, an armament of 200 vessels belonging to the +king of Ormuz, having on board 3000 Arabs and Persians, sailed +for Bahrayn under the command of Reis Xarafo or Sharafo, +accompanied by seven Portuguese ships with 400 soldiers commanded +by Antonio Correa. On their arrival at Bahrayn, Mocrim was found +well prepared for their reception, having 300 Arab horse, 400 +Persian archers, 20 Turkish musketeers besides some natives armed +with firelocks, and above 11,000 native troops armed with +different weapons. He had besides thrown up strong intrenchments +and redoubts, well provided with cannon, and these formidable +military preparations were under the charge of experienced +commanders.</p> + +<p>The Persian Gulf, which intervenes between Arabia and Persia, +takes its name from the latter, as the more noble country. This +famous gulf begins at Cape <i>Jasques</i> or <i>Carpela</i>, in +lat. 26° N. and ends at the mouth of the river Euphrates, +having many cities, rivers, woods, and islands along its northern +or Persian shores. On the other or Arabian shore, beginning at +Cape <i>Mozandan</i> or <i>Musaldon</i>, named <i>Assaborum</i> +by the ancients, and ending where it meets the other side at the +Euphrates, there are only four towns. One of these, <i>Catifa</i> +or Al Katif, is opposite the island of Bahrayn, where is the +pearl-fishery. This island is 30 leagues in circumference, and +seven leagues long, and is 110 leagues from Ormuz. The principal +product of this island is tamarinds, but it has likewise all the +other fruits that grow in Spain. The largest town is of the same +name with the island, besides which there are about 300 villages, +inhabited by Arabs and Moors[162]. The air is very unhealthy. The +pearls found here, though not in such abundance, are more +valuable than those of Ceylon in India, or of Hainan in China. On +the continent of Arabia, opposite to Bahrayn is the city of +<i>Lasah</i>[163], of which Mocrim was king.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 162: It is difficult to comprehend the +distinction; and perhaps we ought to read Arabs <i>or</i> +Moors.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 163: Lasah may have been the name of the +territory, and perhaps applied likewise to the capital which is +named <i>Al Katif</i> in our maps, and the territory +<i>Bahrayn</i>. These are two islands of Bahrayn, one of which +from the text appears to have been named +Catifa.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having formed his dispositions of attack, Correa landed at the +head of 170 Portuguese, giving orders to Reis Xarafo to send +assistance wherever he might see it necessary. Ayres Correa, the +brother of the Portuguese commander, led the van or forlorn hope +of fifty men, all of whom were knee deep in water. The Portuguese +assaulted the trenches with great bravery, and were opposed with +much resolution by the enemy, headed by the king; and after some +time both parties were so much fatigued by the heat as to be +under the necessity of taking some respite, as by mutual consent. +After a short rest, the attack was renewed, and the king being +shot through the thigh, of which wound he died six days +afterwards, his men lost heart, and great numbers of them being +killed and wounded, they fled leaving a complete victory to the +Portuguese. During the whole engagement, Reis Xarafo looked on +from his vessel as an unconcerned spectator; but when afterwards +the body of the deceased king was carried over to Lasah for +interment, he went there and cut off his head, which he sent to +Ormuz. In this engagement the Portuguese had seven men killed and +many wounded, but the island was effectually reduced. For this +exploit, Correa had the title of Bahrayn added to his name, and +was authorized to bear a kings head in his coat of arms, which is +still borne by his descendents.</p> + +<p>In this same year 1521, the zamorin of Calicut made war +against Cochin at the head of 200,000 men; and although only +forty Portuguese were in the army of Cochin, and but thirty of +these armed with muskets, the enemy retired in dismay. At this +time likewise Diego Fernandez de Beja, who had been left before +Diu, came to join Sequeira at Ormuz, having been attacked by some +vessels belonging to Malek Azz, whose double dealing was now +apparent. To prevent certain frauds that had been practised by +the native officers of the customs at Ormuz, Sequeira thought +proper to appoint Portuguese officers in that charge, which so +exasperated the natives that they endeavoured to shake off the +yoke, as will appear hereafter.</p> + +<p>Being determined to resume the plan of establishing a fort at +Diu, Sequeira sent back Beja to that place with four stout +vessels, with orders to hinder all ships from entering the port. +Beja executed these orders for some time effectually, and even +took some vessels; but Malek Azz came against him with a number +of ships well armed with cannon, sunk one of the Portuguese +galleons and did much damage to the others which were becalmed; +but on the wind springing up, the vessels of the enemy were +forced to retire. While Sequeira was on his voyage from Ormuz +against Diu, he captured a vessel by the way, and divided the +Moorish crew among his ships. Those who were put on board the +ship commanded by Antonio Correa, set fire to the powder-room, by +which the poop was blown into the air and the vessel sunk; in +which miserable catastrophe the brave conqueror of Bahrayn +perished. [164]. Owing to these misfortunes, Sequeira desisted +from the enterprise against Diu, and went to <i>Chaul</i> where +he found Ferdinando Camelo, who had brought permission from Nizam +al Mulk to build a fort at that place, chiefly to favour the +importation of horses for his own use, as that trade was then +confined to Goa. The building of the fort was accordingly begun +without delay. As Malek Azz suspected that the establishment of +the Portuguese at this place might lessen greatly the trade of +Diu, he made his appearance off Chaul with above fifty vessels, +and sunk a large Portuguese ship just come from Ormuz. Azz +continued to blockade the port of Chaul for three weeks, doing +much damage to the squadron which was opposed to him; yet the +construction of the fort went on with all diligence. Learning +that his successor was arrived at Cochin, which rendered his +presence necessary at that place, Sequeira forced his way through +the enemy, leaving his nephew Henry de Menezes to command the +fort, and Antonio Correa with the charge of the ships.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 164: Yet only a few lines afterwards, +Antonio Correa is found to be alive and commanding a squadron off +Chaul. Having no means to correct this contradiction, the text is +left as published by Stevens.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After the departure of Sequeira for Cochin, Aga Mahomet who +commanded the fleet belonging to Malek Azz did every thing in his +power to hinder the construction of the fort. To secure the +entrance of the river, the Portuguese had erected a redoubt or +bulwark on the side opposite the fort, which was commanded by +Pedro Vaz Permeo with a garrison of thirty men. Mahomet sent 300 +of his men by night to surprise this bulwark, but they were so +valiantly opposed by the small garrison, though the captain and +several men were slain, that they maintained their ground till +relieved by Ruy Vaz Pereira with a reinforcement of sixty men, +who put the enemy to flight after having lost a hundred men. By +this success the enemy were much daunted, and particularly one +Sheikh Mamud, a great man in the city, who pretended to be a +friend to the Portuguese, yet did every thing in his power +secretly to molest them. On occasion of the defeat of Aga +Mahomet, the sheikh sent to congratulate Antonio Correa; who well +knowing his treachery, sent him back the heads of his messengers, +and hung up their bodies along the shore. The sheikh was +astonished at this act, and now proceeded to open hostilities, +encouraging Aga Mahomet to persevere in the blockade, giving him +intelligence that the Portuguese were in want of ammunition. But +Don Luis de Menezes arrived with reinforcements and a supply of +ammunition and provisions, to whom Correa resigned the +command.</p> + +<p>Don Duarte de Menezes entered upon the government of India on +the 22d of January 1522, John III. being then upon the throne of +Portugal. Having dispatched his predecessor with the homeward +trade, and sent off commanders to the different establishments in +India, he began to experience the bad effects of Sequeira having +appointed Portuguese officers to the custom-house at Ormuz; as he +received advice that the Moors of that place had taken arms and +killed some men, and had even besieged the fort. He immediately +sent his brother with relief, and appointed Simon de Andre to +command at Chaul, who began his career by taking two Turkish +gallies, and gaining a victory over the people of Dabul, by which +that city was reduced to pay tribute. Malek Azz was terrified by +these successes, and withdrew his fleet from before Chaul.</p> + +<p>As formerly mentioned, the late governor Sequeira had +appointed Portuguese officers to collect the revenue of Ormuz, +which in fact had been done contrary to his own private judgment, +but by command of the king of Portugal. These officers conducted +themselves oppressively to the natives, from whom they made many +undue exactions to satisfy their own cupidity, and behaved to +them with much insolence and violence, even forcing from them +their wives and daughters. Unable to endure these oppressions, +the inhabitants of Ormuz and its dependencies formed a conspiracy +against the Portuguese, and broke out into open insurrection +against them suddenly at Ormuz, Bahrayn, Muscat, Kuriat, and +Zoar[165], all in one night by previous concert, by a private +order from the king of Ormuz. This attack was so sudden and well +concerted, that above 120 of the Portuguese were slain on that +night, and one <i>Ruy Boto</i> was put to the torture by the +Moors in defence of the faith. The Portuguese at Ormuz, where Don +Garcia Coutino then commanded, exerted themselves as well as they +could to defend themselves, and secured the ships which happened +to be at that place under the protection of the fort, which was +immediately besieged. Of these events immediate intelligence was +sent by Don Garcia to Cochin and other places for relief, fearing +he might be constrained to surrender for want of provisions and +water; and in fact two of the Portuguese vessels were burnt by +the Moors under the guns of the fort.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 165: These three last mentioned places are +all on the north-eastern point of Arabia, near Cape Rasaigat, and +appear to have been then dependent on the kingdom of +Ormuz.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Tristan Vaz de Vega and Manuel de Souza happened to be then at +Muscat in their ships, and immediately made sail to the relief of +Ormuz. Tristan Vaz arrived first, and made his way to the fort +through 160 sail of Moorish vessels by which it was blockaded. +Two days afterwards the ship commanded by Manuel de Souza was +seen at anchor at the distance of two leagues. It was very +dangerous for those at the fort to assist him, and yet it was +absolutely necessary for the common safety that he should be +relieved; wherefore Tristan Vaz adventured with his ship to his +aid, forcing his way as before through the vast Moorish fleet, +eighty of which pursued him in full sail, and even De Souza, +thinking him at first an enemy did him some harm. The king of +Ormuz, to inspire his people to exert themselves in the capture +of these two ships, exhibited a large heap of gold as his +intended reward for such of his subjects as should take Tristan +and Manuel prisoners; while at the same time he set apart a heap +of female attire, to be worn in disgrace by those who might not +behave valiantly. Actuated at the same time by desire of reward +and fear of disgrace, the Ormuzians manned 130 of their vessels, +with which they furiously assailed the two Portuguese ships: yet +they both made their way through showers of bullets and arrows to +the fort, to the great joy and relief of the governor and +garrison. Despairing of being able to shake off the Portuguese +yoke, and dreading the punishment of his revolt, the king of +Ormuz abandoned his city and retired to <i>Kishom</i> or +<i>Queixome</i>, an island about 15 leagues in length and 3 +leagues from Ormuz, close to the shore of Persia. This island is +sufficiently fertile but very unhealthy. On his retreat, he gave +orders for all the inhabitants of Ormuz to follow him, and to set +their city on fire, which burnt furiously for four days and +nights. Even at this time some of the Portuguese gentlemen in the +fort of Ormuz were in private correspondence with the king, +giving him instructions how to conduct himself with the +succeeding governor, so as to ensure his restoration; which they +did on purpose to enrich themselves by exacting presents from the +king in recompence of their services.</p> + +<p>Don Luis de Menezes, as already mentioned, was sent by his +brother Duarte, the governor-general, with ten sail to relieve +and take the command of Ormuz. On arriving at Zoar, he destroyed +the town with fire and sword, and then gave the sovereignty of it +to Sheikh Husseyn, to hold it in direct vassalage of Portugal, +instead of being dependent upon Ormuz as hitherto. In the mean +time the king of Ormuz was murdered at Kishom by his own +officers, who crowned his son Mamud Shah, a youth of thirteen. On +the arrival of Don Luis, a treaty was entered Into with the new +king, by which it was agreed that the king and inhabitants were +to return to Ormuz; that the former tribute of 20,000 +<i>Xerephines</i> should be continued, and all arrears paid up; +and that the Portuguese officers should not interfere in the +government of the city or its revenues. On the conclusion of this +treaty, the king sent a present of gold, jewels, pearls, and +silks for the king of Portugal, and another for Don Luis, but +which he publicly ordered to be sent along with the other.</p> + +<p>Some time after this, but in the same year 1522, Don Duarte +went to Ormuz to examine into the cause of the late troubles; but +he punished those who had least influence, and overlooked the +most guilty. <i>Reis Xarafo</i>, a person of great power, who had +been the most active instigator in the late troubles, was +rewarded; and <i>Reis Xamexir</i>, who had killed <i>Reis +Xahadim</i> at the instigation of Don Luis, was banished instead +of the promised reward. Duarte augmented the tribute by adding +35,000 Xerephines to the former 25,000[166], which could not be +paid when the city was in a flourishing condition, and yet 60,000 +were now demanded when it lay in ruins and its trade was +destroyed.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 166: It was only called 20,000 a few lines +before.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time Don Luis was sent with nine ships to the Red Sea. +At Socotora he lost one of his ships. He took and burnt the town +<i>Zaer</i>[167] on the coast of Arabia, because the sheikh +refused to restore the goods of a Portuguese merchant or factor +who had died there. At <i>Veruma</i>[168] he burned some ships, +and then battered the city of Aden, after which he entered the +Red Sea, where he did nothing worthy of notice, and returned to +his brother at Ormuz, but was much dissatisfied with the conduct +of Duarte at that place.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 167: Perhaps <i>Shahr</i> near Makulla on +the coast of Yemen.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 168: This place was probably near Aden on +the coast of Arabia.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>That part of the continent of India adjoining to Goa, +belonging to Adel Khan king of Visiapour, which had been seized +by Ruy de Melo during the war with the king of Narsinga, was now +lost by Francisco Pereyra Pestana. Pestana was a brave officer, +and exerted himself to the utmost; but as Adel Khan had now no +other object to employ his arms, his power was not to be +resisted. Ferdinando Rodriguez Barba indeed obtained a signal +victory over the forces of Adel Khan; and after this Pestana and +Sotomayor, with only thirty horse and a small number of foot, +defeated 5000 foot and 400 horse. But in the end numbers +prevailed, and the country was reduced to the obedience of Adel +Khan, and afterwards confirmed to him by treaty.</p> + +<p>About this time the governor Duarte made particular inquiry +respecting St Thomas the apostle, in consequence of orders to +that effect from the king of Portugal; and the following is the +substance of the information he transmitted. In the year 1517, +some Portuguese sailed in company with an Armenian, and landed at +Palicat on the coast of Coromandel, a province of the kingdom of +Bisnagar, where they were invited by the Armenian to visit +certain ruins of many buildings still retaining the vestiges of +much grandeur. In the middle of these was a chapel of indifferent +structure still entire, the walls of which both outside and in +were adorned with many crosses cut in stone, resembling those of +the ancient military order of Alcantara, which are <i>fleuree</i> +and <i>fitched</i>[169]. A Moor resided there who pretended to +have miraculously recovered his sight by a visit to this holy +place, and that his ancestors had been accustomed to entertain a +light in the chapel. There was a tradition that the church, of +which this small chapel was all that remained entire, was built +by St Thomas, when he preached Christianity to the Indians, and +that he and two of his disciples were here interred, together +with a king who had been converted by his miracles. In +consequence of this information, Don Duarte sent Ernanuel de +Faria, with a priest and a mason to repair this chapel. On +digging about the foundation on one side which threatened to +fall, they found about a yard below ground a tomb-stone with an +inscription implying "That when St Thomas built this church the +king of Meliapour gave him the duties of all merchandize +imported, which was the tenths[170]." Going still deeper, they +came to a hollow place between two stones, in which lay the bones +of a human body with the butt and head of a spear, which were +supposed to be the remains of the saint, as those of the king and +disciple were also found, <i>but not so white</i>. They placed +the bones of the saint in a <i>China chest</i>, and the other +bones in another chest, and hid both under the altar. On farther +inquiry, it appeared by the ancient records of the kingdom, that +Saint Thomas had come to Meliapour about 1500 years before, then +in so flourishing a condition that it is said by tradition to +have contained 3300 stately churches in its environs. It is +farther said that Meliapour was then twelve leagues from the +coast, whereas its ruins are now close to the shore; and that the +saint had left a prediction, "That when the sea came up to the +scite of the city, a people should come from the west having the +same religion which he taught." That the saint had dragged a vast +piece of timber from the sea in a miraculous manner for the +construction of his church, which all the force of elephants and +the art of men had been unable to move when attempted for the use +of the king. That the <i>bramin</i> who was chief priest to the +king, envious of the miracles performed by the saint, had +murdered his own son and accused the saint as the murderer; but +St Thomas restored the child to life, who then bore witness +against his father; and, that in consequence of these miracles, +the king and all his family were converted.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 169: Heraldic terms, implying that the +three upper arms of the cross end in the imitation of flowers, +while the lower limb is pointed.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 170: The strange expression in the text +ought probably to have been the tenths of the duties on +importation.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>An Armenian bishop who spent twenty years in visiting the +Christians of that part of India which is near +<i>Coulam</i>[171], declared on oath that he found what follows +in their writings: That, when the twelve apostles were dispersed +through the world, Thomas, Bartholomew, and Judas Thaddeus went +together to Babylon where they separated. Thaddeus preached in +Arabia, since possessed by the Mahometans. Bartholomew went into +Persia, where he was buried in a convent of Armenian monks near +<i>Tebris</i>. Thomas embarked at Basrah on the Euphrates, +crossed the Persian Gulf, to Socotora, whence he went to +Meliapour, and thence to China where he built several churches. +That after his return to Meliapour and the conversion of the +king, he suffered martyrdom through the malice of the bramins, +who counterfeited a quarrel while he was preaching, and at length +had him run through by a lance; upon which he was buried by his +disciples as formerly related in the church he had built at +Meliapour. It was likewise affirmed by a learned native of +Coulam, that there were two religious houses built in that part +of the country by the disciples of St Thomas, one in Coulam and +the other at Cranganor; in the former of which the <i>Indian +Sybil</i> was buried, who advised King <i>Perimal</i> of Ceylon +to meet other two Indian kings at Muscat, who were going to +Bethlem to adore the newly born Saviour; and that King Perimal, +at her entreaty, brought her a picture of the Blessed Virgin, +which was kept in the same tomb. Thus was the <i>invention</i> of +the holy relics of the apostle of India; which gave occasion to +the Portuguese to build the city of St Thomas, in the port of +Palicat, seven leagues from the ruins of the ancient Christian +city of Meliapour.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 171: Coulam is on the coast of Travancore; +in which country a remnant of the ancient Indian Christians has +been recently visited by Dr Buchannan, which will fall to be +particularly noticed in a future division of this +collection--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1522, Antonio Miranda de Azevedo was commander of +the fort at Pisang in the island of Sumatra. On the west coast of +that island there are six Moorish kingdoms of which Pedier was +the chief, and to which those of Achem and Daga were subordinate. +But in consequence of war among themselves, Achem gained the +superiority, and the king of Pedier retired to the fort for the +protection of the Portuguese[172]. On coming to the city of +Pedier with a great force, the king of Achem endeavoured to +inveigle the king of that place into his hands, and prevailed on +some of the leading men of the city to write their king that he +might come there in safety as his enemies were expelled, and he +might easily destroy them by the assistance of the Portuguese. He +accordingly went to the city, aided by eighty Portuguese soldiers +and two hundred Moors, which went by sea in small row boats, +while the king himself went along the shore with above a thousand +armed elephants[173]. He was received at Pedier with feigned joy, +but with a determination to make him prisoner, which was only +deferred till the arrival of the Portuguese, that they likewise +might be secured; but being apprized of his danger, the king fled +next day to the mountains with two elephants and a few faithful +followers. The Portuguese thus left on the shore unsupported were +attacked by the enemy with showers of darts and arrows, when +their commander Don Emanuel Enriquez and thirty-five soldiers +were slain, and the rest fled. Don Andres Enriquez, after this +loss, found himself unequal to defend the fort, and sent for +relief to Raphael Perestello who was at <i>Chittigon</i> the +chief port of Bengal. Perestello immediately sent a ship for this +purpose under the command of Dominick Seixas, who landed at +<i>Tenacari</i> to procure provisions; but one <i>Brito</i> who +had succeeded <i>Gago</i> as captain of a band of thirty +Portuguese pirates, ran away with the vessel from that port after +she was laden, and left Seixas with seventeen other Portuguese on +shore, who were reduced to slavery by the Siamese. Such is the +fate of those who trust persons who have violated all human and +divine laws[174]. Don Andreas Enriquez, being reduced to great +extremity, requested the governor-general to send him a +successor, who accordingly sent Lope de Azevedo; but Enriquez +changed his mind, as the situation was very profitable, and +refused to surrender the command, on which Azevedo returned to +India. In the mean time the king of Achem overran the whole +country with fire and sword, and took possession of the city of +Pisang with fifteen thousand men, summoning Enriquez to surrender +the fort. Enriquez having sustained and repelled these assaults, +set sail for India that he might save the great riches he had +acquired, leaving the command to Ayres Coello, who valiantly +undertook the dangerous service.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 172: At first sight this appears to have +been the fort of Pisang, but from the sequel it would rather seem +to have been another fort at or in the neighbourhood of +Pedier.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 173: It is hardly possible that the lord of +a petty state on the coast of Sumatra should have so large a +number of elephants, more perhaps than the Great Mogul in the +height of the sovereignty of Hindustan. Probably Capt. Stevens +may have mistaken the original, and we ought to read "With above +a thousand men and several armed elephants."--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 174: Though obscurely expressed in the +text, these thirty pirates appear to have been employed in the +ship commanded by Seixas; probably pardoned after the punishment +of their former leader Gago.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>While on his voyage to India, Enriquez met two ships commanded +by Sebastian Souza and Martin Correa, bound for the Island of +Banda to load with spices; who learning the dangerous situation +of Pisang, went directly to that place. Ayres Coello had just +sustained a furious assault with some loss; and on seeing this +relief the enemy abated their fury. Eight days afterwards, Andres +was forced back by stress of weather to Pisang. One night, above +8000 of the enemy surrounded the fort, in which there were 350 +Portuguese, some of whom were sick and others disabled by wounds, +but all much spent with continual watching and fatigue. The enemy +advanced in profound silence and applied seven hundred scaling +ladders to the walls, on which they immediately mounted with loud +shouts. The dispute was hotly maintained on both sides for some +time; but some ships being set on fire enabled the Portuguese to +point their cannon with such accuracy, that many of the enemy +were slain, and the rest obliged to desist from the assault. Next +morning above two thousand of the enemy were found slain around +the walls, with two elephants; while on the Portuguese side only +one woman was slain in her chamber by an arrow. The remaining six +thousand of the enemy immediately retired, leaving half their +ladders and large quantities of fireworks. Yet taking into +consideration the difficulty and expence of maintaining this +port, it was resolved to ship off all the men and goods, and to +set it on fire, leaving the large cannons filled with powder, +that they might burst when the fire reached them. Greater part of +the fort was destroyed; but the enemy saved some of the cannon, +which were afterwards employed with considerable effect against +the Portuguese. Some goods were lost in shipping, as the +Portuguese were in a great fright, and embarked up to the neck in +water. By this abandonment of their post, the Portuguese lost +more reputation with the natives of Sumatra than they had gained +by their former valiant defence. They were fully sensible of +this, as they met a powerful reinforcement at sea under Azevedo; +and learnt that the king of Aru was marching by land to their +assistance with 4000 men. The king of Achem followed up his good +fortune, and rendered himself all-powerful in Sumatra, beyond +even his hopes.</p> + +<p>About this time[175] Malacca was much straitened by the king +of Bintang, who sent a powerful armament against it, to oppose +which. George Albuquerque sent a naval force under Don Sancho +Enriquez; but in a violent storm 70 out of 200 Portuguese were +lost. Till now the king of Pahang had sided with the Portuguese; +but seeing the tide of fortune had turned against them, he too +became their enemy. Ignorant of this change, Albuquerque sent +three-ships to his port for provisions, where two of his captains +and thirty men were killed: The third made his escape, but was +slain with all his men at Java. Simon de Abreu and his crew were +slain on another occasion; and two vessels sent to prevent +provisions from getting into Bintang were lost.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 175: De Faria is often defective in dates, +and always confused. The events about this time are only vaguely +stated as having happened during the government of Duarte +Menezes, between the years 1522 and 1524, both inclusive. Among +the confused mass of ill-digested and often indistinctly related +events, many of which possess hardly any interest, we have now +deemed it proper, in the farther prosecution of this History of +the Portuguese transactions in India, to omit many trivial and +uninteresting events, confining our attention to those of some +importance, and which appear worth recording. The Portuguese Asia +of DeFaria minutely relates every consecutive squadron sent to or +from India, and every trifling commercial adventure; the +insertion of which in our collection would be needlessly +tedious.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In 1524, the memorable DON VASCO DE GAMA, now count of +Vidugueyra, went out to India as viceroy with 14 ships and 8000 +soldiers. During the voyage, two caravels were lost with all +their men, and a third was lost but the men saved. Gaspar Mossem, +one of the captains, was basely killed by his crew, merely +because he was not a Portuguese. While at sea near Cambaya in a +dead calm, the sea tossed so violently all of a sudden that all +the people thought they were lost: But the viceroy perceiving it +was caused by an earthquake, called out, "Courage my friends, the +sea trembles for fear of you." One great ship of Mecca, worth +60,000 crowns, was taken, and the fleet arrived at Goa. Having +visited some of the forts, and issued the necessary orders, Gama +sent three gallies from Cochin to Calicut, as the subjects of the +zamorin began to be troublesome. One of these fought for three +hours with fifty large <i>paraos</i> and lost three men; but on +the coming up of the others, the enemy were put to flight. The +new viceroy had intended to execute several important +enterprises; but he soon fell sick, and finding his end fast +approaching, he appointed Lope Vaz de Sampayo to act as his +successor till Don Enrique de Menezes, then at Goa, who was next +in nomination by the king, might arrive. Vasco de Gama died on +Christmas eve 1524, having been only three months viceroy. He was +of middle stature, somewhat gross, and had a ruddy complexion. He +had a natural boldness for any great undertaking, and was well +fitted for every thing entrusted to him, as a sea captain, as +discoverer, and as viceroy; being patient of fatigue, prompt in +the execution of justice, and terrible when angry.</p> + +<p>Immediately after the death of the viceroy, Lope Vaz de +Sampayo dispatched Francisco de Sa to Goa, to carry information +to Don Enrique de Menezes that he had succeeded to the government +of Portuguese India. Leaving De Sa to command in Goa, Menezes +went immediately to Cochin to assume his new situation; having +first sent his nephew George Zelo with a galliot and five armed +paraos against a fleet which infested the coast. Zelo met 38 +vessels laden with spice commanded by <i>Cutiale</i>, four of +which were taken and the rest driven on shore. These four were +brought in barbarous triumph to Goa, having many of the enemies +hung upon the shrouds. The Canarin rowers carried thirty heads, +in token of the victory, and twelve prisoners alive, <i>who were +given up to the boys to be stoned to death</i>. Zelo had similar +success afterwards against a ship and nine paraos. He sailed +after that to Cochin with his uncle, who, being accidentally +joined by George de Menezes, defeated 36 paraos belonging to Diu, +17 of which were taken. When at Cananor be hanged a Moor of +quality, on which many of his relations left the city and took to +robbing on the river. But, with consent of the king of Cananor, +Don Enrique sent Hector de Sylveira against them with two gallies +and a brigantine, who destroyed four <i>towns</i>[176] and took +all their cannon, not without considerable difficulty. About the +same time Christopher de Brito went with fourteen row-boats and +about an hundred men to scour the coast of Canara, where he +destroyed some of the Moors; but those of Dabul sent two galliots +and seven other vessels against him, with above three hundred +men. In the commencement of the engagement Brito was slain; but +his people exerted themselves so valiantly to revenge the death +of their commander, that after four hours hard fighting most of +the Moors were slain, and their commander and all the rest taken. +The Moorish captain died afterwards of his wounds at Goa, being +first converted to the Christian faith.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 176: Perhaps instead of <i>towns</i> we +ought to read <i>tonys</i>, a species of vessel then need by the +inhabitants of the Malabar coast.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The fort at Calicut was at this time much straitened by the +Nayres, yet the small garrison of fifty Portuguese maintained +their post with much honour. Don Enrique, to punish the +hostilities of the Moors of Calicut, fitted out fifty sail of +vessels from Cochin, to which were added other fifty belonging to +the inhabitants of that city, twenty-seven of which belonged to +one individual named Arel de Porca[177]. With these vessels, +carrying 2000 soldiers, the governor arrived at Paniani, one of +the principal towns in the territory of Calicut, which was well +fortified and stored with cannon under the command of a +Portuguese renegado. Besides these fortifications on the land, +the river was defended by a number of armed vessels drawn up in +order of battle. After a severe contest, the fortifications of +Paniani were carried, and the enemy fled into the woods. The town +and all the vessels in the fort were burnt. Next day twelve ships +were burnt in the port of Calicut, and several more in some +creeks near the town. The armament proceeded in the next place to +<i>Coulete</i>, which was fortified in a similar manner to +Paniani, with a prodigious number of artillery, an hundred and +fifty armed ships, and a garrison of 20,000 men. The Portuguese +proceeded to the attack, and after a long and obstinate contest, +drove the enemy from their works with great slaughter, and took +fifty-three vessels, most of which were laden with pepper, with +the loss of fifty-four Portuguese killed and many wounded. The +other vessels belonging to the enemy, being much shattered in the +engagement, were all burnt, and the town was destroyed.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 177: These hundred vessels were probably +<i>paraos</i>, or small native craft, considering that they only +carried 2000 soldiers, only at the rate of 20 for each +vessel--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Shortly after this, the zamorin of Calicut besieged the +Portuguese fort at that place with an army of 12,000 men, and +surrounded it with a broad and deep trench. Don Juan de Lima +commanded in the fort with 300 men, and did every thing in his +power to obstruct the besiegers in the construction of their +lines; but they were at length finished and planted with a vast +number of cannon, some of which were so large as to carry balls +of two spans diameter. On receiving advice of this siege, Don +Enrique sent a reinforcement of 150 men in two caravels commanded +by Christopher Jusarte and Duarte Fonseca. They succeeded in +forcing their way into the fort in spite of a violent opposition +by sea and land. Immediately afterwards, the enemy endeavoured to +take the fort by escalade, but were repulsed with great +slaughter. A farther reinforcement of 500 men from Cochin being +unable to reach Calicut, Don Enrique went there with all the +naval force he could collect, being unwilling that his government +should suffer the disgrace of allowing this fortress to be taken +by the enemy. Having thrown some strong reinforcements into the +fort, Don Enrique landed with the remainder of his troops, after +clearing the shore of the enemy, by means of his guns assisted by +grenadoes and other fireworks. All the intrenchments and redoubts +of the besiegers were successively carried, with prodigious +slaughter of the Moors and Nayres, of whom above 3000 were slain, +besides many others burnt in their wooden forts and bulwarks. In +this engagement Don George de Menezes made great slaughter of the +enemy with a two-handed sword; till losing his right hand, he +took a smaller sword in his left, and continued to fight with +great valour.</p> + +<p>Don Enrique remained master of the field, in which he encamped +for some days: But as the fort was not considered important in +proportion to its expence, it was stripped of every thing of +value with great care and privacy, and mines and trains laid to +blow it up; after which the whole army retired to the ships. On +seeing the fort evacuated, the Moors rushed in to plunder in vast +numbers; but the mines suddenly taking fire, blew up the whole +fabric with a vast explosion, in which great numbers of the enemy +perished miserably.</p> + +<p>In the year 1526, Hector de Sylveira went with a squadron to +the Red Sea, and on his way thither assaulted and took the city +of Dhofur on the coast of Yemen in lat. 17° N. He then +entered the Red Sea, where he reduced the islands of Massua and +Dallac to pay tribute; after, this he went to <i>Arkiko</i> on +the coast of Abyssinia, where he received Don Rodrigo de Lima who +had been on an embassy to the king of Abyssinia, and was there +waiting for a passage along with an ambassador from <i>Prester +John</i> to the king of Portugal.</p> + +<p>In this same year 1526, a small vessel was sent from Ternate +to discover the islands of Celebes, which were said to abound in +gold. The discoverer easily found the islands but no gold. Being +on his return to the Moluccas, he was carried away by a storm to +the eastward till he lost his reckoning, and unexpectedly fell in +with a large and beautiful island, inhabited by a simple race of +men who treated the Portuguese with much civility. They were +strong made and of a comely appearance, with their complexion +inclining to fair, having long lank hair and long beards, and +their clothing was of fine mats. Their food consisted chiefly of +roots, cocoa nuts, and figs. Their language was not understood, +but by signs they gave the Portuguese to understand that there +was gold in the mountains, but of which they made no use. They +had no knowledge of iron or any other metal. Leaving this island, +which they named after the pilot Diego Lopez Sequeira, they +returned to Ternate, after an absence of eight months.</p> + +<p>Don Enrique de Menezes, died at Cananor about the end of +January 1526, in the thirtieth year of his age. He was a man of +large stature, with a pleasing countenance, just in all his +actions, continent, free from covetousness, a true patron of +merit, and of the most unblemished honour. During his government +he refused uniformly to accept any of the numerous presents +offered him by the eastern princes; and conducted himself with +such perfect integrity in every transaction, that at his death +his whole treasure amounted only to thirteen rials and a half; +and he had even expended the whole of his patrimonial estate +during the short continuance of his government of Portuguese +India, chiefly in rewarding the merits of his officers.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, +from</i> 1526 <i>to</i> 1538.</p> + +<p>At his death in January 1526, Don Enrique de Menezes left a +paper sealed up, by which the succession to him in the government +was to be regulated, in case the person nominated for that +purpose by the king should happen to be absent. That paper was +lost, yet it was known that he had named Francisco de Sa, then +commanding in Goa, as his provisional successor. The second royal +nomination was now opened, in which Pedro de Mascarenas was +appointed successor to Don Enrique; but Mascarenas commanded at +Malacca, which was at a great distance, and the season of the +year did not admit of that navigation. On opening the third +patent, Lope Vaz de Sampayo was the person there named, who was +accordingly invested in the government, having, engaged on oath +to resign to Mascarenas on the arrival of that officer from +Malacca.</p> + +<p>At this time George Zelo and Pedro de Faria blockaded the port +of Cananor, in which lay a fleet belonging to the zamorin. +Sampayo immediately sent orders to Antonio de Sylveria and +Christopher de Souza, then at Goa, to join the other two officers +at Cananor to prevent the escape of the enemy, and went in person +with seven ships and a considerable land force to endeavour to +destroy them. <i>Cutiale</i>, the admiral of this fleet belonging +to the zamorin, used every effort to defend himself, both by +disposing his ships in formidable order, and by intrenchments and +batteries on shore, where he had a land force of 10,000 men. +Having made proper dispositions, Sampayo landed with about 1300 +soldiers, leaving orders with Pedro de Faria to set the +<i>paraos</i> belonging to the enemy on fire. The trenches of the +enemy were carried after an obstinate resistance, and with great +slaughter of the Moors, and seventy paraos were destroyed. By +this signal victory, above eighty brass cannon were gained; but +Sampayo spared the town, as it belonged to the king of Narsinga, +with whom the Portuguese were then in peace.</p> + +<p>Having dispatched several officers on command to different +places, Sampayo sailed for Ormuz with five ships and 300 men. In +his way thither he reduced the towns of Kalayat and Muscat, which +had revolted owing to the exactions of Diego de Melo. His only +transaction at Ormuz was to compose some differences that had +arisen between Melo and Reis Xarafo, to receive the tribute due +by the king of Ormuz, and to take along with him the ambassador +whom George de Lima had brought from Abyssinia. From Ormuz, +Sampayo dispatched Hector de Sylveira to cruise off Diu, on +purpose to intercept the ships of the Red Sea that traded with +Cambaya, of which three were taken. Sylveira then went to Diu, +where he remained a long time at the request of Malek Saca, who +made use of him to, secure himself against the tyranny of the +king of Cambaya.</p> + +<p>Reis Soliman, the Turk who killed Mir Husseyn at Juddah, as +formerly related, recovered the favour of Sultan Selim who had +conquered Egypt from the Mamelukes, having acquired the favour of +that prince by delivering up to him the city of Juddah which he +had gained in the service of the Soldan, and by means of a +considerable present: for even princes, though they have no need +of receiving gifts, are apt to be won like other men by their +means; and as Soliman promised to perform wonders in India for +his service, Selim ordered twenty gallies and five galleons which +were then at Suez to be added to the fleet under Reis Soliman. In +the mean time Selim died at Cairo, and was succeeded by his son +Soliman, who sent that large reinforcement, under the command of +Hayraddin, to Reis Soliman, who was then fortifying the island of +Kamaran. Upon some disgust, Hayraddin killed Reis Soliman; and in +his turn was slain by Mustapha the nephew of Soliman. Mustapha, +being afraid of the consequences of this action, sailed from +Kamaran with a small number of vessels, the greater part of the +fleet refusing to join him. He went first to Aden and thence to +Diu, where he put himself under the protection of the king of +Cambaya. An account of these revolutions in the Turkish fleet, +which had given great apprehensions to the Portuguese in India, +was carried to King John by Antonio Tenreyro over land, to the +great admiration of every one; being the first who had performed +that journey, till then thought impossible.</p> + +<p>At this time Mascarenas, who waited in Malacca for the proper +season of sailing to Cochin to assume the government, went +against Bintang with twenty-one ships and 400 Portuguese +soldiers, having likewise 600 Malays commanded by Tuam Mahomet +and Sinai rajah. Although the capital of Bintang was well +fortified and defended by 7000 men, Mascarenas surmounted every +opposition and took the place. Of the enemy 400 were slain and +2000 made prisoners. A vast booty was made on this occasion, +among which were nearly 300 pieces of cannon, and the Portuguese +lost only three men in this glorious exploit. The king of Bitang +died of grief, and Mascarenas restored it to the lawful heir +under vassalage to Portugal, the former king having been an +usurper.</p> + +<p>The island of Sunda is divided on the south from Java by a +very narrow channel. It produces pale gold with abundance of +pepper and provisions. The natives are numerous but unwarlike, +yet are curious in adorning their arms. They worship idols, and +often sell their children to supply their necessities. The women +are beautiful, those of the higher ranks being chaste, contrary +to what is usual in most parts of the world. They have convents, +as in Spain and Portugal, in which they reside while virgins; and +the married women kill themselves on the death of their husbands. +This were a good custom to shew their duty and affection, were it +not contrary to the law of nature, and therefore a barbarous +error. Enrique Leme happening to go there, drawn by the plenty +and goodness of its pepper, he was well received by the king of +<i>Samiam</i>, who offered ground for a fort, and to pay an +yearly tribute of 351 quintals of pepper, to purchase the +friendship and support of the Portuguese against the Moors, by +whom he was much infested. But when Francisco de Sa came to build +the fort, he met with such opposition from the Moors that he was +obliged to return to Malacca.</p> + +<p>In the same year 1526, Martin Iniguez de Carchisano arrived in +the port of Kamafo in Tidore with a Spanish ship, one of six +which had been sent the year before from Spain to those parts +which belonged of right to the Portuguese. Don Garcia Enriquez, +who then commanded at the Moluccas, on learning the arrival of +these Spaniards, and finding that they occasioned the spice to +rise in price, went in person to expel them, but was obliged to +retire with considerable damage from the Spanish cannon; yet the +Spanish ship afterwards sunk. At this time Don George de Menezes, +formerly mentioned as having lost his hand in the glorious action +at Calicut, arrived at the Moluccas, having discovered the island +of Borneo and many other islands by the way. Soon afterwards two +ships were sent to Borneo with presents for the king, among which +was a piece of tapestry adorned with figures of men. On seeing +these, the ignorant barbarian cried out <i>that they were +enchanted men, who would kill him in the night</i>; and no +persuasions could convince him of his error, nor would he receive +the presents or permit the Portuguese to remain in his port.</p> + +<p>In the year 1527, it being understood at Cochin that Pedro de +Mascarenas was on his way from Malacca to assume the government, +Lope Vaz de Sampayo who acted <i>ad interim</i>, held a council +of the principal officers, at which it was resolved not to admit +Mascarenas to that high office. After this determination, Sampayo +sailed for Goa, leaving Alphonso Mexia to command at Cochin, with +orders to execute the resolutions of the council. On landing +unarmed at Cochin, Mascarenas was opposed and wounded by Mexia; +and proceeding afterwards to Goa, be was made prisoner and put in +irons by order of Sampayo. These violent proceedings had nearly +occasioned a civil war among the Portuguese in India; but at +length, in the end of December 1527, Sampayo was confirmed in the +government, and Mascarenas went home to Portugal, where he was +appointed to the command of Azamor in Africa.</p> + +<p>In the year 1528, Don Joan Deza was sent to cruise on the +coast of Calicut, where in several rencounters he took fifty +vessels laden with various commodities. He burnt the town of +Mangalore; and falling in with the fleet of Calicut, consisting +of seventy paraos well manned and armed under the command of the +<i>Chinese</i> admiral Cutiale, Deza took most of them killing +1500 Moors, and taking nearly as many prisoners, among whom was +Cutiale.</p> + +<p>Antonio Miranda de Azevedo was sent in the end of January 1528 +to the Red Sea, with twenty ships and above 1000 soldiers, to +endeavour to burn the Turkish gallies in the port of Kamaran +which had formerly belonged to Reis Soliman. After taking some +prizes by the way, be met with Enrique de Macedo in the mouth of +the Red Sea, who had engaged a large Turkish galleon. The Turks +had boarded him, and threw a burning dart which stuck in his +main-sail and began to set it on fire; but in consequence of a +strong gust of wind shaking the sail, the dart fell back into the +Turkish vessel, where it set fire to the powder and the ship and +all her crew were blown up. Several other valuable ships +belonging to the Moors were taken, but the main object of this +expedition completely failed, as the wind did not allow the fleet +to get up the Red Sea to Kamaran.</p> + +<p>In consequence of the civil discord among the Portuguese, the +Moors had been enabled to annoy their trade in different parts: +And as Lope Vaz understood that a successor to the government was +on his way from Portugal, he prepared to be revenged on the +Moors, wishing to deliver up the government in prosperity, by +clearing the sea from pirates. With this view he fitted out +eighteen ships at Cochin, with which he encountered 130 armed +paraos at Cananor; and as the wind did not allow his large ships +to get into action, he went against that numerous fleet with only +thirteen paraos. Even with this disproportionate force he did +considerable damage to the Malabar fleet. On seeing two paraos +coming from Cananor to the aid of Sampayo, and that the large +Portuguese ships were enabled to make sail by means of a breeze +springing up, the Malabars fled as fast as possible. In the +pursuit eighteen of them were sunk and twenty-two taken, in which +were fifty pieces of cannon. Eight hundred of the enemy were +slain, and many made prisoners. Those that fled, and others who +joined them, fell afterwards into a snare near Cochin.</p> + +<p>With the same fleet, Sampayo went immediately in search of +<i>Arel</i>, lord of <i>Porca</i>. In this expedition, Simon de +Melo burnt twenty-six ships belonging to the enemy, and set the +town of <i>Chatua</i> on fire. Afterwards with a thousand men he +assaulted Porca; and though Arel was not there at the time, the +inhabitants made a brave but unavailing defence, as the place was +taken, plundered, and destroyed. At this place the wife of Arel +was taken, with a great spoil in gold, silver, jewels, silks, and +other valuables, and thirteen considerable vessels. On his return +to Cochin, as his successor was not yet arrived, Sampayo went +back to Cananor, whence he dispatched his nephew Simon de Melo +against <i>Marabia</i> and Mount <i>Dely</i>, both of which +places were taken, plundered, and, destroyed, with many piratical +paraos. About this time, the king of Cambaya fitted out a fleet +of eighty barks, under the command of a valiant Moor named +<i>Alexiath</i>, who did much injury to the subjects of +Nizam-al-mulk, and to the Portuguese trade at Chaul, in +consequence of which aid was demanded from Sampayo by both. +Sampayo accordingly set sail with forty vessels of different +kinds, in which were 1000 Portuguese soldiers, besides a +considerable force of armed natives. In this expedition Hector de +Sylveira commanded the small vessels that rowed[178], while +Sampayo took charge of the sailing vessels. On arriving at Chaul, +Sampayo sent eighty Portuguese to the assistance of +Nizam-al-Mulk, under the command of Juan de Avelar, and then +sailed for Diu, as he understood the eighty barks of Cambaya were +gone thither. Off Bombay that fleet belonging to Cambaya of which +he was in search was descried, on which part of the ships were +detached to secure the entrance of the river Bandora, to prevent +the enemy from escaping, while Sylveira with his brigantines or +row-boats bore down upon Alexiath. After a furious cannonade, the +Portuguese gallantly boarded the enemy, and Alexiath fled with +seven only of his barks, all the rest being taken. Of the 73 +vessels captured on this occasion, 33 were found serviceable and +were retained, all the rest being set on fire. In this glorious +exploit, a vast number of prisoners, much artillery, and +abundance of ammunition were taken, and the Portuguese did not +lose one man.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 178: Such is the expression in the +translation of the Portuguese Asia by Stevens. They were probably +Malabar vessels, which in the early writers are named paraos, +tonys, and caturs, and might perhaps be called +row-boats.--E]</blockquote> + +<p>Juan de Avelar, who had been detached with eighty Portuguese +to the assistance of Nizam-al-Mulk against the king of Cambaya, +acquired great honour in that service by his gallantry. Assisted +by 1000 of the native subjects of Nizam-al-Mulk, he scaled a fort +belonging to the king of Cambaya, till then thought impregnable, +being the first who entered; and having slain all the defendants, +he delivered it up to the Nizam.</p> + +<p>It was now about the beginning of the year 1529. Lope Vaz de +Sampayo was much elated by the last-mentioned success against the +fleet of Cambaya, and believed that in the present state of +dismay Diu would surrender on the first summons: He was therefore +eager to have gone against that place, but as all his captains +except Sylveira were of a contrary opinion, he was obliged to lay +aside that intention and to return to Goa, leaving the valiant +Hector with twenty-two row-boats to cruise against the pirates in +the north. In the south, or on the Malabar coast, Antonio de +Miranda was employed in similar service, where, he destroyed +twelve paraos. Being joined by six brigantines and a galley, with +100 chosen men, commanded by Christopher de Melo, the united +squadron took a very large ship laden with pepper in the river +<i>Chale</i>, though defended by numerous artillery and 800 men. +Near <i>Monte-Hermosa</i>, they defeated 50 sail of vessels +belonging to Calicut, taking three paraos with a considerable +number of cannon and many men. Hector de Sylveira, who had been +left on the coast of Cambaya, did much damage to the enemy. Going +up the river <i>Nagotana</i> of <i>Bazain</i>, he landed and +burnt six towns belonging to the king of Cambaya. The commander +of <i>Nagotana</i> took the field against him with five hundred +horse and a large force of infantry, endeavouring to intercept +Sylveira on his way to reimbark. An engagement took place, in +which the enemy were repulsed with some loss, and Sylveira was +enabled to embark. Going afterwards to <i>Bazain</i>, on a river, +of the same name, he found that place well fortified and defended +by a considerable number of cannon. He entered the river however +during the night, and next morning stormed the fortifications of +Bazain, killing many of the defendents. After this success, he +was unexpectedly attacked by Alexiath at the head of 3500 men; +but he bravely repelled and defeated that vastly superior force +with great slaughter, after which he plundered and burnt the city +of Bazuin. Terrified by these exploits, the lord of the great +city of Tana, not far distant, submitted to become tributary to +Portugal, and Sylveira retired to Chaul.</p> + +<p>While these things were doing on the coast of Hindostan, Simon +de Sousa Galvam, on his way to the Moluccas in a galley with +seventy men was driven by a storm to take shelter, in the port of +Acheen. Several vessels flocked immediately about him, on +pretence of giving assistance, but the natives were no sooner on +board than they fell upon the seventy Portuguese, with all kinds +of weapons. Recovering from their first surprise, the Portuguese +bravely drove the enemy from their ship, although not more than +twenty were left that could stand to their arms. The king of +Acheen gave orders to his admiral to attack the Portuguese galley +next morning; when, after a desperate resistance, most of the +Portuguese were slain and Galvam among them; only those being +spared who were so severely wounded as to be unable to resist. +Don George de Menezes, who commanded at the Moluccas, sent a +party to Tidore against the Spaniards; but on the rout of that +party, Menezes collected a considerable allied force, consisting +of the people of Ternate, the <i>Sangages</i>, and the subjects +of Cachil Daroez king of <i>Bacham</i>. With these and a small +number of Portuguese, Menezes landed in Tidore, where he defeated +the Spaniards and troops of Tidore, obliging the former to retire +into their fort after losing six men, two of whom were slain and +four taken. Menezes then assaulted and took the city of Tidore, +which he plundered and burnt; after which he invested the Spanish +fort, and summoned Ferdinando de la Torre the Spanish commander +to surrender. Being unable to resist, the Spanish captain agreed +to evacuate Tidore, retiring to the city of Comafo, and engaging +to commit no hostilities upon the Portuguese or their allies, and +not to trade to any of the islands producing cloves. After this +the king of Tidore was made tributary to the Portuguese, and +Menezes returned victorious to Ternate.</p> + +<p>During his absence, <i>Bohaat</i> king of Tidore had died, not +without suspicion of having been poisoned by <i>Cachil +Daroez</i>, and was succeeded by his brother <i>Cachil +Daialo</i>. The new king being suspicious of <i>Cachil +Vaiaco</i>, fled to the fort; but afraid that Menezes might give +him up to his enemy, threw himself from a window. All Ternate now +mutinied against Menezes; and as he imagined that <i>Cachil +Vaideca</i>, a noble of Tidore, had caused the death of a Chinese +sow belonging to him, he imprisoned that nobleman, after which he +set him free, having first anointed his face with bacon, which +among that people is reckoned a most heinous affront. Not +contented with this violence, he sent to rob the houses of the +<i>Moors</i> of their provisions, and became suddenly most +outrageous and tyrannical. The <i>Moors</i> stood upon their +defence, and treated some of the Portuguese as they now deserved. +Menezes seized the chief magistrate of the town of <i>Tabona</i> +and two other persons of note. These two he set at liberty after +cutting off their hands; but he let loose two fierce dogs against +the magistrate, which tore him in pieces. Becoming odious to all +by these cruelties, <i>Cachil Daroez</i> stirred up the natives +to expel the Portuguese; but being made prisoner, Menezes caused +him to be beheaded. Terrified by this tyranny, the inhabitants of +Ternate fled to other places, the city becoming entirely +deserted. Don George de Menezes was afterwards sent a prisoner to +India for these enormities, whence he was sent to Portugal, where +he was condemned to banishment. Any reward was too small for his +former services, and this punishment was too slight for his +present offences.</p> + +<p>Nuno de Cuna, appointed governor-general of India, arrived in +May 1529 at Ormuz. Setting out too late from Lisbon in the year +before with eleven ships, he had a tedious voyage. One of his +ships was lost near Cape Verd, when 150 men perished. After +passing the line, the fleet was dispersed in a violent storm. +Nuno put in at the port of St Jago in Madagascar, where he found +a naked Portuguese soldier, who had belonged to one of two ships +commanded by Lacerda and Abreu, which were cast away in 1527 at +this place. The people fortified themselves there, in hopes that +some ships passing that way might take them up. After waiting a +year, one ship passed but could not come to their assistance; and +being no longer able to subsist at that place, they marched up +the country in two bodies to seek their fortunes, leaving this +man behind sick. In consequence of intelligence of these events +sent home to Portugal by Nuno, Duarte and Diego de Fonseca were +sent out in search of these men. Duarte perished in Madagascar; +and Diego found only four Portuguese and one Frenchman, who had +belonged to three French ships that were cast away on that +island. These men said that many of their companions were still +alive in the interior, but they could not be got at. From these +it was thought had sprung a people that wore found in Madagascar +about eighty years afterwards. This people alleged that a +Portuguese captain, having suffered shipwreck on the coast, had +conquered a district of the island over which he became +sovereign; and all his men taking wives from among the natives, +had left numerous issue, who had erred much in matters of faith. +<i>Great indeed must have been their errors, to have been +discovered by the atheistical Hollanders!</i> Doubtless these +people did not descend from that shipwreck only, but might have +sprung likewise from the first discoverers, <i>who were never +heard of</i>, and among others from three ships that sailed from +Cochin in 1530 along with Francisco de Albuquerque.</p> + +<p>While Nuno was at Madagascar, his own ship perished in a +storm. The men were saved in the other two ships, but much goods +and arms were lost. Sailing thence to Zanzibar, he landed 200 of +his men who were sick, under the care of Alexius de Sousa +Chichorro, with orders to go to Melinda when the people were +recovered. Being unable to continue his voyage to India, on +account of the trade wind being adverse, he determined upon +taking revenge upon the king of Mombaza, who infested those of +Melinda and Zanzibar from hatred to the Portuguese. If +successful, he proposed to have raised <i>Munho Mahomet</i> to +the throne, who was son to him who had received De Gama on his +first voyage with so much kindness. Mahomet however objected to +this honour, saying, "That he was not deserving of the crown, +being born of a Kafr slave: But if Nuno wished to reward the +friendship of his father, he might confer the crown on his +brother <i>Cide Bubac</i>, a younger son of his father by a +legitimate wife, and who was therefore of the royal blood of the +kings of Quiloa." Nuno set off on this expedition with 800 men, +accompanied by Mahomet and Bubac, each of whom had sixty +followers. On the way he was joined by the sheikh of +<i>Otonda</i>, a neighbouring town, who offered to accompany him +with a well appointed vessel. This prince had silver chains on +his legs, which he wore as a memorial of having been wrongfully +imprisoned by the king of Mombaza, and had sworn never to take +them off till revenged, having been so used merely because he had +shewn friendship to the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>Having been apprized of the intended attack, the king of +Mombaza had provided for his defence, by planting cannons on a +fort or bulwark at the mouth of the river, and brought 600 expert +archers into the city. Though opposed by a heavy cannonade from +the bulwark, Nuno forced his way up the river and anchored in the +evening close to the city, whence the archers shot continual +flights of arrows into the ships, and were answered by the +Portuguese cannon. Next morning early the troops were landed +under Pedro Vaz, brother to Nuno, who carried all before him, and +planted the Portuguese colours, after killing many of the Moors +and driving the rest from the city, without losing a single +Portuguese soldier. To secure and repeople the city, Nuno sent +for a nephew of the king of Melinda, who came with 500 men, many +of whom were of some rank; and these were followed by the prince +of Montangue with 200 more. Many likewise of the former +inhabitants came in and submitted, so that the island began to +reassume an appearance of prosperity. The expelled king, sensible +of the desperate situation of affairs, sent one of his principal +men to propose an accommodation, offering to pay a ransom to +preserve his city from destruction, and to become tributary. An +agreement was accordingly entered into to this effect, and the +king began to make the stipulated payments; but finding sickness +to prevail among the Portuguese of whom two hundred soon died, +and many more were incapacitated from service, he began to fall +off from the completion of the agreement, and as the prince of +Melinda durst not undertake to defend the place without a +considerable force of Portuguese, Nuno destroyed the city by fire +and returned to Melinda, carrying with him those he had formerly +left sick at Zanzibar. Leaving Melinda, he left 80 of his men +there sick, to be carried to India on their recovery by Tristan +Homem: who afterwards defended Melinda with these men against the +king of Mombaza, who endeavoured to revenge himself there for the +injury he had sustained from the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>It has been formerly mentioned that Nuno de Cuna arrived at +Ormuz in May 1529, into which he made a formal and pompous entry, +to the great admiration of the natives. He immediately issued a +proclamation at that place and its dependencies, "That all who +had cause of complaint against the Portuguese should appear +before him for redress." Many complainers accordingly came +forwards, and the offenders were obliged to make restitution, to +the great astonishment and satisfaction of the Moors, who had not +been accustomed to see justice executed on their behalf. He found +that <i>Reis Xarafo</i>; great <i>guazil</i>[179] or rather arch +tyrant over the king and people of Ormuz, though restored to that +situation by Sampayo, was by no means clear of the great crimes +he had been formerly accused of, particularly of rapine and +murder. On a representation of this to the king of Portugal, +Manuel de Macedo had orders to bring him prisoner to Lisbon, and +accordingly had him arrested by the assistance of Nuno, who +waited upon the king of Ormuz to justify this procedure. The king +readily acquiesced, and presented the governor with a rich +present of jewels and cloth of gold, together with a fine horse +richly caparisoned in the Persian manner. As the reigning king +was implicated in the murder of his predecessor Mahomet, Nuno +imposed upon him a fine of 40,000 Xerephines, in addition to the +tribute of 60,000 which he had to pay yearly; that crime being +used as a pretence to overburthen him with a tribute equal to a +third part of the yearly revenue of Ormuz[180]. Xarafo, or +Ashraf, was sent to Portugal with examinations respecting the +crimes laid to his charge; but he carried such riches along with +him, that he was not only able to purchase a remission of +punishment, but was actually reinstated in his former employment. +While Nuno still remained at Ormuz, Tavarez de Sousa came there, +who had been with forty men to assist the king of <i>Basrah</i> +against the lord of <i>Gizaira</i>[181]; having been the first +Portuguese who went up the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Basrah or +Bazora, in about the lat. of 30° N. is about 30 leagues from +the mouth of the great river Euphrates, and received its name in +commemoration of the more ancient city of Basrah, eight leagues +higher up, the ruins of which are said by eye-witnesses to be +twice as extensive as the city of Grand Cairo. The island of +Gizaira, or Jazirat, is formed by the two rivers Tigris and +Euphrates, being about 40 leagues in circumference, and is said +to contain 40,000 archers. The river Tigris rises among the +<i>Curds</i> in the greater Armenia, and the springs of the +Euphrates are in Turkomania. The king of Basrah received Sousa +with much state, and appeared greatly satisfied at his +assistance. Sousa accompanied him on his expedition against the +lord of Jazirat, the infantry of Basrah amounting to 5000 men, +600 of whom carried firelocks, were conveyed up the river in 200 +<i>dalacs</i> or large boats, accompanied by seven vessels full +of Turks with a considerable number of cannon. The king went +along with his infantry by water, while his nephew marched by +land at the head of 3000 horse. The king established his camp on +the right or Arabian side of the river, opposite to the +encampment of the lord of Jazirat, who was, posted on the island +with 12,000 men. By order of the king of Basrah, Sousa wrote to +the lord of Jazirat, saying that he was sent by the Portuguese +commander of Ormuz, either to make peace between the contending +parties on reasonable terms, or in case of refusal to take part +with the king of Basrah. The king of Jazirat made answer, that as +this was the first request of the captain of Ormuz, and as Sousa +was the first Portuguese who had come into these parts, he agreed +to comply with the terms demanded, which were merely the +restoration of certain forts belonging to the king of Basrah +which he had taken possession of. Persons were accordingly +appointed on both sides to treat for an accommodation, which was +satisfactorily concluded. But the king of Basrah now refused to +perform what he had promised to Sousa for his aid; which was to +deliver up the seven Turkish vessels, and not to admit any more +of that nation into his dominions, because enemies of the +Portuguese. Enraged at this breach of compact Sousa after +embarking with his men, took one of the large barks belonging to +Basrah, after which he landed with thirty-six of his men and +burnt a town of 300 houses on the Arabian side of the river, and +a smaller one on the Persian side.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 179: In Astley, I. 80, this person is named +Reis or <i>Raez Ashraf, Wazir</i> or Visier of Ormuz. The strange +title in the text, <i>great guazil</i>, is probably a translation +of <i>Alguazil mayor</i>, giving a Portuguese or rather a Spanish +denomination to an Arab officer.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 180: On a former occasion, the Xerephine +was stated as equal in value to 3s. 9d. Hence the total revenue +of Ormuz was only about L.83,750 yearly: The tribute to Portugal +L.11,250; and the fine L.7500. It is true that the value of money +was then much greater than now, and these sums for comparison +with our present money of account may perhaps be fairly rated at +L.837,500, L.112,500 and L.75,000 respectively, or <i>ten</i> +times their numerical amount in 1529.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 181: Called Jazirat by the Editor of +Astleys Collection.]</blockquote> + +<p>In reward to Sousa for his gallantry, Nuno gave him the +command in the Persian Gulf, and sent him to Bahrayn at the +request of the king of Ormuz, to reduce Reis Barbadim who had +revolted. But as Sousa had not a sufficient force for this +purpose, Simon de Cuna was sent there with eight vessels and 400 +men, besides a native force in the barks of the country. Joining +Sousa, the fort of Bahrayn was battered for three days; but +powder running short, they had to send to Ormuz for a supply, and +in the mean time the Portuguese sickened so fast, owing to the +unhealthiness of the climate that above an hundred of them died, +and even the Persian soldiers belonging to Ormuz, though +accustomed to the climate, were in very little better condition, +insomuch that they had to give up the siege and return to Ormuz, +where Simon de Sousa died.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Nuno de Cuna, leaving Ormuz, arrived at Goa +in the latter end of October 1529, where he found four ships just +arrived from Lisbon after a prosperous voyage with a +reinforcement of 1500 men all in perfect health, not having lost +a man by the way except one captain. Nuno made a solemn entry +into the city, where he found a powerful fleet of 140 vessels, +which had all been provided by the former governor, Lope Vaz de +Sampayo. The most considerable of these were six galleons, eight +royal gallies, six caravels, and fourteen galliots, all well +provided with cannon and military stores; for though Sampayo had +usurped the government, he had conducted it better than many of +those who had received regular appointments. Finding it necessary +to proceed to Cochin, to dispatch the homeward trade, he stopped +at Cananor, where Sampayo then was, who came on board and +resigned the government with the usual solemnities. Sampayo was +inclined to have landed again at Cananor, but Nuno ordered him to +go along with him to Cochin, and published a proclamation that +all who had been wronged by Sampayo might repair to the new +governor, who would do them justice. Sampayo complained of this +as a libel against him, as those who had complaints to make +needed not to be invited by sound of trumpet. On arriving at +Cochin, Nuno ordered Sampayo to be imprisoned and an inventory to +be taken of all his effects, all of which were directed to be +deposited in safe custody and sent to Lisbon, to be there +delivered as the king might direct. On being taken into custody, +Sampayo desired the officer to say to Nuno, "I imprisoned others, +you imprison me, and there will come one who will imprison you." +To this message Nuno answered, "Doubtless I may be imprisoned; +but the difference between us will be, that Sampayo deserves it, +and I shall not." Neither was Sampayo wrong, as Nuno had +certainly been taken into custody in Portugal on his return if he +had not died by the way. Sampayo was treated with much and +improper severity: the worst ship in the fleet being appointed +for him, with only two servants, and barely as much of his own +wealth as sufficed for the expence of his voyage.</p> + +<p>On his arrival at the Tercera islands an officer was in +waiting to put Sampayo in irons, with which he landed at Lisbon +and was carried to a dungeon in the castle, in which was confined +at the same time Reis Xarafo the visier of Ormuz. After two years +confinement, the chief crime alleged against him being his unjust +proceedings in regard to Pedro de Mascarenas, the duke of +Braganza took pity on the misfortunes of this brave gentleman, +and prevailed on the king to give him a hearing in council. +Accordingly, the king being seated in council surrounded by the +judges, Sampayo was brought before him, having his face covered +by a long and thick white beard, and with such tokens of misery +which he had endured in almost three years imprisonment, counting +from his arrest in India, that even Mascarenas or any other of +his enemies might have thought themselves sufficiently revenged. +Being put to the bar, after receiving the kings permission, he +made a copious and comprehensive speech with an undaunted +countenance, in his justification. After enumerating the services +of his ancestors and immediate progenitors to the crown, he +particularized his own from his early youth to the period of his +imprisonment, and commented upon the injuries which had been +since done to him. He exposed the malice of his accusers, and +justified his own proceedings. By many apt examples of others who +had been guilty even of greater crimes than those of which he was +accused, and who had been pardoned in consideration of their +services, he drew a parallel between himself and these persons, +and concluded by throwing himself entirely on the justice and +mercy of his majesty; from one or other of which he trusted to +receive a discharge, and hoped to have more cause of thankfulness +for the future, than he had of complaint till then of the hard +usage he had been subjected to.</p> + +<p>Having listened to him attentively, the king examined him in +regard to each separate article of his impeachment, forty-three +in all, to every one of which he gave apt answers. The principal +article alleged against him related to Pedro Mascarenas, all the +others being such as would never have been thought of except to +fill up the measure of accusation. Being carried back to the +castle, he sent in his defence in writing, as is usual in such +cases. In the end, he was sentenced to forfeit all his allowances +as governor; to pay Mascarenas a compensation of 10,000 ducats; +and to be banished into Africa. He contrived however to get into +Spain, where he disnaturalized himself, as had been done by the +famous Magellan; and wrote a letter from Badajos to the king, in +which he affirmed that his sentence was unjust, and declared his +resolution to try, by changing his country, to better his fortune +and restore his honour. In consequence of this he was restored to +his country.</p> + +<p>We must now return to the affairs of India, where Diego +Sylveira reduced the people of Calicut to such straits that the +zamorin was constrained to sue to Nuno de Cuna for peace. This +was granted on certain terms, part of which the zamorin was +willing to accept, but rejected the rest; on which Sylveira +reduced the city to extreme distress, by intercepting all +provisions. Some relief was received however from Cananor, and +Simon de Sousa being driven in his brigantine on shore, was blown +up while bravely defending himself against the Moors.</p> + +<p>Malek Saca[182] being expelled from Diu, found it expedient +for compassing his ends with the king of Cambaya, to employ +similar artifices with Nuno de Cuna as had been formerly +practised with Hector de Sylveira, by offering to deliver up the +city to him. Accordingly he wrote to Nuno, that although he could +not now deliver up Diu, he would assist him to reduce it; and as +it was convenient that a meeting should take place between the +governor and Malek Saca, Nuno sent him a safe conduct, and ships +to transport him and his retinue, commanded by Gaspar Paez, who +had formerly been known to Malek Saca at Diu. On this occasion +Malek Saca granted every condition required, not meaning to +perform any, and made use of this sham alliance to get himself +restored to the favour of the king of Cambaya, putting off Paez +with various artifices, under pretence that the safe conduct was +not securely expressed, and that there were too few ships. In +revenge of this deceit, Paez was only able to burn nine small +barks belonging to Malek Saca. Being much enraged at the +duplicity of Malek, Nuno began to make preparations for the +reduction of Diu. In the mean time, he visited and conciliated +the rajah of Cochin, who had been much displeased with the +conduct of Lope Vaz Sampayo and Alfonso Mexia. He went next to +Goa, whence he visited the king at <i>Chale</i>, and satisfied +him in all things. About the middle of February 1530 he came to +Cananor, the king of which place he gratified by conforming to +the ceremonials of his court; and being offered a present of +jewels, he accepted them lest he should affront that prince, but +delivered them over to the officers of the revenue, as belonging +to the king of Portugal.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 182: He is stated on a former occasion to +have been the son of Malek Azz.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time a rich merchant of Mangalore did great injury to +the Portuguese, as he favoured the zamorin of Calicut though +living in the dominions of the king of Narsinga who was in +friendship with the Portuguese. Diego de Sylveira was ordered to +punish that man, and went accordingly against him with a force of +450 men and sixteen vessels. He accordingly entered the river of +Mangalore, where he was opposed by a great number of ships +belonging to the Moorish merchant, which were put to flight after +a short contest. Sylveira then landed with 240 men and entered +the town without opposition, after which he took the fort whence +the merchant endeavoured to escape, but was slain by a +musquet-ball. A vast booty fell into the hands of the Portuguese, +but Sylveira ordered it all to be burnt, lest he might endanger +his ships by overloading them. As winter was coming on Sylveira +dismissed half of his fleet, yet afterwards had occasion for them +all, as he soon after encountered <i>Pati Marcar</i>, a commander +belonging to Calicut, who was going to Mangalore with sixty +paraos. The weather prevented him from fighting at that time; but +Sylveira waited the return of the Calicut fleet, to which he gave +battle off Mount Dely, and sank six paraos, after which he +returned to Cochin. In the same year 1530, Antonio de Sylveira +commanded on the coast of Cambaya with fifty-one sail of vessels, +three of which were gallies and two galliots, in which were 900 +Portuguese soldiers. With this force he went up the river Taptee +where he burnt Surat and Reyner, the chiefest towns in that part +of India. Surat on one side of the river contained 10,000 +families, mostly Banians[183] and handicrafts of no courage; +while Reyner on the other side of the river had six thousand +houses inhabited by a warlike race, and was well fortified. On +sounding, the river was found too shallow for the larger vessels, +which were left off the bar under the command of Francisco de +Vasconcelles; while with the smaller, Sylveira went up the river +about four miles to Surat. He there found 300 horse and nearly +10,000 foot drawn up to oppose his landing, all well armed with +bows and firelocks; but after one discharge this vast multitude +fled in dismay without waiting an attack. The city of Surat was +then entered without farther resistance, and being plundered of +every thing worth carrying off was set on fire with some ships +that were in its arsenal. The city of Reyner stood a little +higher up on the other side, and was inhabited by the <i>Nayteas +Moors</i>, a race of more courage and policy than the Banians; +yet they fled almost at the first fire, leaving all their +property to the Portuguese, who had all been enriched if they had +been able to carry away the whole plunder. Having removed all +that their ships could carry, the town was set on fire, together +with twenty ships and many small vessels. In both actions Emanuel +de Sousa was conspicuously valiant, being the first to land with +much danger, especially in the latter, where he was opposed by a +numerous artillery. On returning to the mouth of the river, +Sylveira found, that Vasconcelles had taken six vessels bound +with provisions for Diu. After this, Antonio de Sylveira +destroyed the towns of Daman and Agazem on the coast, at the +latter of which places 300 vessels belonging to the enemy were +burnt.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 183: Called Bancanes in the text of De +Faria; perhaps an error of the press for Banianes or +Banzanes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 21st of January 1530, Hector de Sylveira sailed from +Goa for the Red Sea with ten ships and 600 men. Spreading his +fleet across the mouth of that sea, that no enemy might escape, +several rich ships were captured. Appearing afterwards before +<i>Aden</i>, Hector induced the sheikh of that place to submit to +the crown of Portugal, and to an yearly tribute of 12,000 +Xerephines. The sheikh of <i>Zael</i>, who had only a short time +before accompanied <i>Mustapha</i>, a Turkish captain, with +20,000 men to make war upon Aden, submitted to similar terms.</p> + +<p>Having completed his preparations for the expedition against +Diu, Nuno de Cuna sailed early in the year 1531 with a great +fleet and army for that place. In a general review at the Island +of Bombay, the fleet consisted of above 400 sail of all kinds of +vessels, many of which were large, more indifferent, and most of +them small; some being only <i>sutlers</i>, fitted out by the +natives for private gain. On board this fleet were 3600 soldiers +and 1450 seamen all Portuguese, besides above 2000 Canara and +Malabar soldiers, 8000 slaves, and about 5000 native seamen. +Landing at Daman, a fort belonging to the king of Cairibaya, +which was immediately evacuated by the Moors, advice was brought +that the Arabs, Turks, and others, to the number of 2000 men, had +fortified themselves in the Island of <i>Beth,</i> seven leagues +from Diu. This place was so strong by art and nature, environed +with rocks and fortifications, that Nuno gave no credit to the +accounts respecting it till convinced by inspection. Coming +before Beth on the 7th of February, he summoned the garrison to +surrender; but many of them shaved their heads, as devoting +themselves to death or victory, which they call making themselves +<i>amoucos[184].</i> The commandant of the barbarians gave a +brutal example of determined and savage resolution, by throwing +his wife, son, and goods into a fire made on purpose, in which +they were all consumed; that if the Portuguese succeeded in the +enterprise, they might only gain a heap of ashes. His example was +followed by others. Being resolved to carry this place, Nuno made +dispositions for an assault, dividing his force into six bodies, +which were ordered to attack in six different places at the same +time. After a desperate conflict the place was taken, in which +1800 of the enemy were slain, and sixty cannons taken.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 184: Corruptly called by the British in +India running a muck.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Departing from Beth, Nuno appeared with his powerful armament +before Diu. This city is built upon rocks, and is entirely +encompassed by rocks and water. The entrance into the river or +haven was shut up by massy chains suspended upon vessels, behind +which eighty vessels were drawn up full of archers and +musqueteers to defend the passage. The garrison consisted of +10,000 men, with a prodigious number of cannon. On the 16th of +February, the signal was given for the attack, but after fighting +the whole day without gaining any advantage, and having suffered +some loss, it was determined in a council of war to desist from +the enterprise as. impracticable. It was agreed by all, that if +so much time had not been fruitlessly employed in the capture of +Beth, Diu must have fallen; as it had been reinforced only three, +days before the arrival of the Portuguese by a Turk named +Mustapha, who was the principal cause of its brave and effectual +resistance. Nuno returned with the principal part of his fleet +and army to Goa, where he arrived on the 15th of March, leaving +Antonio de Saldanna with 60 vessels in the Bay of Cambaya to +annoy the enemy.</p> + +<p>After the departure of the Portuguese fleet, Mustapha +presented himself before <i>Badur</i> king of Cambaya, who +received him honourably, giving him the command of <i>Baroach</i> +in the Bay of Cambaya, with the title of Rumi-khan. He was called +Kami, as having been born in Greece; as the Moors of India, being +ignorant of the divisions of the European provinces, call the +whole of Thrace, Greece, Sclavonia, and the adjacent countries by +the general name of <i>Rum,</i> and the inhabitants <i>Rumi</i> +though that term ought only to be applied to Thrace, the modern +<i>Romania.</i> The <i>Turks</i> and <i>Rumes</i> are different +nations; the former being originally from Turkistan, and the +natives of Greece and Thrace consider themselves as of more +honourable descent than the Turks[185]. The tide of <i>Khan</i> +now bestowed on Mustapha is a dignity among the Tartars +equivalent to that of <i>Duke</i> in Europe, and is bestowed in +the east on persons of distinguished merit.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 185: On a former occasion, the name of Kami +has been mentioned as universally given in India to the Turks as +coming in place of the Romans. DeFaria therefore was mistaken in +deriving it from the province of Romania or +Thrace.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Antonio de Saldanna, who was left in command of the sea of +Cambaya, with 60 vessels and 1500 men, took and burnt the town of +<i>Madrefavat,</i>[186] five leagues from Diu towards Beth. He +then went against Gogo, twenty-four leagues farther, formerly a +strong and populous place of great trade. There were fifteen of +the largest paraos belonging to Calicut at that time in the port +laden with spice, which took shelter in a creek, and were +followed by Saldanna with 800 men in the smaller vessels. Finding +it necessary to land, he was opposed by 300 horse and 800 foot +that came to defend the Makbars; but after a sharp encounter, in +which 200 of the enemy were slain, they were constrained to +abandon the vessels, which were all burnt; after which Saldanna +destroyed the town of Gogo and eight ships that were in the port +He afterwards destroyed the towns of Belsa, Tarapor, Mail, Kelme, +and Agasim, and lastly Surat, which was beginning to revive from +its former destruction. Having thus ravaged the coast of Cambaya, +he returned to Goa. About this time a brother of the king of +Cambaya, who was rightful heir to that crown, came into the hands +of Nuno; who expected through his means to obtain what had been +so long desired, the possession of Diu, and the command of the +trade of Cambaya.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 185: On a former occasion, the name of Kami +has been mentioned as universally given in India to the Turks as +coming in place of the Romans. DeFaria therefore was mistaken in +deriving it from the province of Romania or +Thrace.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 186: Perhaps that now called +Jaffrabad.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About this time the Portuguese cruisers had taken twenty-seven +ships belonging to the zamorin, all richly laden. Being perplexed +by the great losses he was continually sustaining through the +Portuguese superiority at sea, the sovereign of Calicut made +overtures towards an accommodation; and in a treaty of peace gave +permission to the governor-general to build a fort in the island +of <i>Chale</i>, in a river that falls into the sea about three +leagues from Calicut, which is navigable by boats all the way to +the foot of the <i>Gaut</i> mountains. <i>Urinama</i>, a heathen, +was at this time rajah of <i>Chale</i>, and both he and the +neighbouring rajah of Tanore, who were subjects to the zamorin, +were anxious to throw off their subjection to that prince, and to +enter into alliance with the Portuguese, in hopes of becoming +rich by participating in their trade. Immediately upon procuring +the consent of the zamorin to construct the fort, Nuno set out +from Goa with 150 sail of vessels, in which were 3000 Portuguese +troops and 1000 native <i>Lascarines</i>. So much diligence was +used in carrying on the work, even the gentlemen participating in +the labour, that in twenty-six days it was in a defensible +situation, being surrounded by a rampart nine feet thick and of +sufficient height, strengthened by towers and bastions or +bulwarks at proper places. Within the fort a church was built, +together with a house for the commander, barracks for the +soldiers, and store-houses for trade. Diego de Pereira, who had +negotiated the treaty with the zamorin, was left in command of +this new fortress, with a garrison of 250 men; and Manuel de +Sousa had orders to secure its safety by sea, with a squadron of +twenty-two vessels. The zamorin soon repented of having allowed +this fort to be built in his dominions, and used ineffectual +endeavours to induce the rajah of Chale, Caramanlii, and Tanore +to break with the Portuguese, even going to war against them, but +to no purpose.</p> + +<p>About the end of February 1532, Emanuel de Vasconcelles was +sent to the Red Sea with two galliots and several brigantines to +cruise against the Turks. Off Xael he captured several Turkish +vessels, among which, was a large ship, named <i>Cufturca,</i> +which was sent to Muscat. The king of Xael, fearful of danger, +made his peace with Vasconcelles. Soon afterwards Antonio de +Saldanna arrived with ten ships to take the command in the Red +Sea, who was dissatisfied with the terms entered into with the +sheikh of Xael, on which that prince sent all the valuables +belonging to the town, together with the women and children into +the interior, that he might provide for defence; but being +obliged to quit the Red Sea on account of the weather, Saldanna +sailed first to Muscat and thence to Diu, where he took several +vessels belonging to the enemy, among which was one in which he +got above 60,000 Venetian chequins. About the same time Diego de +Sylveira plundered and burnt Puttun, a city twelve leagues from +Diu, and destroyed four ships that were in the harbour. He acted +in a similar manner at Pate and Mangalore and other places, and +returned to Goa with above 4000 slaves and an infinite booty.</p> + +<p>All this encouraged Nuno de Cuna to continue hostilities +against Diu and the king of Cambaya, in hopes of constraining him +to allow of the construction of a fort in that city. <i>Malek +Tocam</i>[187], lord of Diu, was then fortifying the city of +Basseen, and as that place might prove injurious to the designs +of Nuno against Cambaya, he determined to destroy it. For this +purpose he fitted out a fleet of 150 vessels, in which he +embarked with 3000 Portuguese soldiers and 200 native Canarins. +Tocam on hearing of this expedition, left a garrison of 12,000 +men in Basseen and retired to Diu. Despising the danger of +attacking such superior numbers, Nuno landed his troops and took +Basseen by assault, in which action 600 of the enemy were slain, +and only eight or nine on the side of the Portuguese. Having +ravaged the surrounding country and razed the fortifications of +Basseen, Emanuel de Albuquerque was sent with twelve vessels and +300 men to destroy the fort of Daman, which he was unable to +accomplish. He burnt however all the towns upon the coast from +<i>Basseen</i> to <i>Tarapor</i>, and reduced <i>Tanua</i>, +<i>Bandora</i>, <i>Maii</i>, and <i>Bombay</i> to become +tributary. About this time orders were sent from Portugal that +all the commanders of forts in India should make oath of +obedience to the governor-general, whence it appears that till +then they were in a great measure independent.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 187: The lord of Diu only a little before +was named Malek <i>Saca</i>; but De Faria gives no intimation of +any revolution, except by change of name. Yet from the sequel it +is evident this person was the son of Malek +Azz.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About this time Malek Tocam, lord of Diu, desired Nuno to send +a proper person to him with whom he might treat of an important +affair, he being at that time apprehensive that the king of +Cambaya meant to deprive him of his government. Vasco de Cuna was +accordingly sent on this embassy, with instructions to procure +the surrender of Diu, but was unsuccessful. At the same time +Tristan de Ga pressed the king of Cambaya to allow of building a +fort at Diu, and Badur expressed a desire of conferring with the +governor-general on the subject, though his real design was to +kill him rather than grant permission to build a fort. Nuno went +accordingly to Diu with a fleet of 100 sail and 2000 Portuguese +troops; but the king who was then at Diu delayed the interview on +various pretences, and desired Nuno to send some of his principal +captains to wait upon him. They went accordingly richly dressed +and were splendidly received. While in discourse with the king, +Emanuel de Macedo took the liberty, yet in a respectful manner, +to say "That he wondered much his majesty should deprive Malek +Tocam of the government of the city, who had not only served him +faithfully, but was the son of one who had performed many signal +services and had long enjoyed his favour, and that he should +bestow the command on <i>Mustapha Rumi Khan</i>, whose principal +merit was disloyalty to the <i>Grand Turk</i>, his natural +prince." He added, that if Mustapha denied this, he challenged +him to combat, either hand to hand, or in any other manner he +might think fit. <i>Rumi Khan</i> was present, but made no +answer, till the king looking angrily at him, he said his silence +proceeded from contempt. Macedo repeated the challenge, and the +Turk, no longer able to shun it with a good grace, agreed to +fight him at sea. But this challenge took no effect, as the +parties could not agree upon the terms of combat. Being unable to +come to any agreement with the king of Cambaya, Nuno de Cuna +entered into a league with <i>Humayun</i>[188] padishah, or +emperor of the Moguls, and returned to Goa, dispatching several +of his captains with squadrons to different places.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 188: In De Faria called <i>Omaum +Patxath</i>, king of the Moguls.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time, <i>Cunale Marcar</i>, a bold pirate, scoured the +seas about Calicut with eight vessels well equipped and full of +men. One night off Cape Comorin he surprised a Portuguese +brigantine at anchor, in which were twenty-one Portuguese, all so +fast asleep that they were bound before they waked. He caused +their heads to be bruised to pieces, to punish them for daring to +sleep while he was at sea, <i>a merry cruelty</i>. From thence +<i>Cunale</i> went to Negapatnam on the coast of Coromandel, +where there were forty Portuguese, who defended themselves to no +purpose, as the degar or governor of that place agreed with +Cunale to rob them. Khojah Marcar, though a relation of Cunale, +used his endeavours to deliver the Portuguese from this danger, +by instilling mutual jealousy into the Degar and Cunale, who +however took some Portuguese vessels then in the river at +Negapatnam, and shot eight of their men. Antonio de Silva was +sent against him from Cochin with 200 musqueteers in fifteen +small vessels, on which Cunale took refuge in a bay on the coast +called <i>Canamnera</i>, where he fortified himself. But Antonio +forced him to make his escape in the habit of a beggar to +Calicut, leaving his vessels and cannon, with which Antonio +returned to Cochin.</p> + +<p>In 1534 Martin Alfonso de Sousa, Portuguese admiral in India, +took the fort of Daman; and Badur king of Cambaya, fearing still +greater losses, and finding his trade completely interrupted, +made peace with Nuno, on the following conditions. The fort of +Basseen with all its dependencies was ceded to the crown of +Portugal: All ships bound from the kingdom of Cambaya for the Red +Sea, were to come in the first place to Basseen, and to touch +there on their return, paying certain duties to the crown of +Portugal: No ships belonging to Cambaya were to trade to any +other parts without licence from the Portuguese government: No +ships of war were to be built in any of the ports belonging to +Cambaya: The king of Cambaya was on no account to give any +assistance to the <i>Rumes</i> or Turks. There were other +articles in favour of the king of Cambaya, to render the +harshness of these more palatable; and even these were afterwards +moderated when he gave permission for building a fort at Diu.</p> + +<p>The kingdom of Guzerat, commonly called Cambaya from the name +of its metropolis, extends from Cape <i>Jaquet</i> or +<i>Jigat</i> in the west, to the river <i>Nagotana</i> near +<i>Chaul</i>, within which limits there is a large and deep bay +or gulf having the same name with the capital, in which bay the +sea ebbs and flows with wonderful rapidity, insomuch that any +ship that is caught in this tremendous <i>bore</i> certainly +perishes. To avoid this danger, there is always a man stationed +on an eminence, who gives notice with a horn when he sees the +approach of this torrent. The distance between Cape <i>Jigat</i> +and the river of Nagotana is above 200 leagues. On the west +Guzerat borders on the <i>Resbuti</i> or <i>Rajputs</i>, a people +dwelling in a mountainous country.[189] On the north it joins +with the kingdom of <i>Chitor</i>[190]: On the east with that of +<i>Pale</i>.[191] The coast is covered by numerous towns and +cities. It is watered by two famous rivers, the <i>Taptii</i> and +<i>Tapei</i>[192] by many creeks that form several islands. +Guzerat is all plain, so that they generally travel in waggons, +as in Flanders, but lighter made, which are easily drawn by oxen, +smaller than those of Spain. The country breeds cattle in great +abundance, and plenty of provisions of all sorts. The natives are +of four different kinds. The first called <i>Baneanes +Baganzariis</i>, feed after our manner: The second called simply +<i>Baneanes</i>[193], who eat of nothing that hath life. Their +priests are called <i>Vertias</i>, who are clothed in white, and +never change their apparel till it falls in pieces. These live +altogether on charity; and, like the children of Israel in the +desert, they never keep any thing for the next day. They place +their greatest hope of salvation in abstaining from killing any +creature whatever, and even use no light at night, lest any moth +should fly into the flame; and always carry a broom to sweep the +ground they tread on, that they may not trample any worm or +insect to death. The third race consists of the <i>Resbuti</i> or +<i>Rajputs</i>, who are good soldiers, and to whom formerly the +kingdom belonged. These people acknowledge <i>one God in three +persons, and worship the blessed Virgin</i>, a doctrine which +they have preserved ever since the time of the apostles[194]. The +fourth and last class of inhabitants are the Mahometans called +<i>Lauteas</i>, consisting both of strangers who have conquered +the country, and natives who have embraced that religion. The +inhabitants of Guzerat are very ingenious mechanics in works of +silk, gold, ivory, mother-of-pearl, tortoise-shell, crystal, +ebony, and other articles. They follow the rules of Pythagoras, +killing no creature; but rather buy all, though even venomous, +from those who take them, on purpose to set them free. They have +even a set of men whose only employment is to go about the towns +and fields looking out for sick beasts, which are tended with +great care in hospitals built on purpose. Yet in spite of all +this charity to the brute creation, they are devoid of human +kindness, and will not reach out their hand to help a fellow +creature in the utmost need.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 189: These mountains are in the middle of +Guzerat, which they pervade in a range of considerable length +from N.E. to S.W.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 190: More properly <i>Agimere</i>, in which +is the town or city of <i>Cheitore</i>, whence the name in the +text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 191: Malwa, one of the kingdoms or +<i>Soubahs</i> of Hindostan is to the east of Guzerat. The +meaning of the name in the text is not obvious.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 192: The Taptee is evidently one of these, +but it is hard to say what river is meant by the other. Next to +the Taptee on the north, the great river Nerbuddah flows into the +Gulf of Cambay, dividing the two great Subahs of Malwa and +Candeish. The Mahie divides Guzerat from Malwa; and the Mehindry +and Puddar pervade Guzerat; which is bounded on the west by the +Cagger, dividing it from the great sandy desert of <i>Sinde</i> +or Jesselmere, and from Cutch.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 193: <i>Banians</i>: It would much exceed +the bounds of a note to enter upon any explanation here of the +Hindoo casts, which will be fully illustrated in the sequel of +this work.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 194: It is most wonderful, that in the +grossest, most ridiculous, and most obscene of all idolatrous +polytheism, the Portuguese should have fancied any resemblance to +the pure religion of Christ! even under its idolatrous debasement +of image worship, and the invocation of legions of saints. The +monstrous superstitions of the bramins will be discussed in a +future division of this work.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year of God 1292, or according to the Mahometan account +the 700, a pagan king named <i>Galacarna</i> ruled in peace in +Guzerat; but involved the country in war to deprive his brother +of the kingdom of <i>hampanel</i> or <i>Champaneer</i> which had +been left him by their father. Galacarna employed two generals in +this war, one of whom named <i>Madana</i> had to wife one of the +most beautiful women of the country, of the race of +<i>Padaminii</i>, who, besides their beauty, are said to have so +sweet a scent from their skin that they are esteemed beyond all +other women. It is said there are scarcely any of these women in +Guzerat, but many in Orissa. There is no mischief without a woman +even with an ill savour, how much more then for one of a good +scent! King Galacarna fell in love with the wife of Madana, and +used every means to gain her but to no purpose. But she being +chaste, which was doubtless the sweet smell, gave notice to her +husband and brother of the dishonourable conduct of the king; on +which they called in <i>Shah Nasr Oddin</i> king of Delhi, who +invaded the kingdom of Guzerat and slew Galacarna in battle; +after which he left his general Habed Shah to reduce the kingdom +to subjection, having in the first place rewarded the two +brothers for their services, and made the kings of <i>Mandou</i> +and <i>Cheitore</i> tributary[195]. Shah Nasr Oddin was soon +afterwards killed by his nephew, and the kingdom of Delhi was so +much weakened by civil war, that Habed-shah revolted and set +himself up as king of Guzerat.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 195: Probably Malwa and Agimere are here +meant.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In 1330, <i>Hamet</i> a Mahometan Tartar, who resided in the +city of Cambay, by the assistance of a number of Arabs, Persians, +and <i>Rumes</i> or Turks, usurped a great part of Guzerat, then +possessed by <i>Deosing-rao</i>. Ali Khan succeeded Hamet, and +left forty sons, three of whom became kings. The eldest +<i>Peru-shah</i> succeeded in the kingdom of Guzerat. The second +<i>Azeide-khan</i> got the kingdom of <i>Mandou</i> or Malwa by +his wife; and the third named Ali-khan acquired the kingdom of +<i>Agimere</i> in the same manner. Peru-shah followed the example +of his father and grandfather in securing his kingdom against +foreign enemies, and built the city of Diu in memory of a victory +over a <i>Chinese</i> fleet. Sultan Mahomet his son succeeded, +and reigned at the time when Vasco de Gama discovered India. He +left the kingdom to his son <i>Modafer</i>, as most worthy; but +in consequence of a civil war, Modafer was slain, and his +youngest brother <i>Mahomet Khan</i> was raised to the throne. An +elder brother <i>Latisa Khan</i> aspired to the kingdom, but +without success; and after a succession of civil wars it fell to +<i>Badur</i>, or <i>Behauder Khan</i>, who was king of Guzerat at +this period. The former king <i>Modafer</i> divided the +possessions belonging to Malek Azz who was lord of Diu among his +three sons, which destination gave great displeasure to his own +sons who coveted these territories. But <i>Badur</i> was chiefly +dissatisfied, and even poisoned his father <i>Modafer Khan</i>. +After this parricide, he fled to the king of Chitore, where he +killed a person even in the presence of the king at an +entertainment, and fled to Delhi. He there professed himself a +<i>Calendar</i> or religious person, to shun the punishment due +to his crimes. These Calendars go about loaded with iron chains +and live abstemiously; yet with all their outward shew of +religious austerity, they practice all manner of lewdness and +wickedness in secret. They enter into no town, but blow a horn on +the out-skirts, that people may bring them alms. Sometimes they +go about in bands of two thousand or more, laying the country +under contributions.</p> + +<p>After remaining some time among the Calendars, Badur got +notice of the distractions prevailing in Guzerat, and went there +with his chains in search of the crown, and acquired the favour +of the people so strongly by his pretended religious austerity, +that he was proclaimed king. To secure his ill-gotten power, he +caused Madrem-al-Mulk to be flayed alive for having raised his +youngest brother Latisa Khan to the throne, and put to death all +his brothers. Being desirous to take off <i>Malek Saca</i> lord +of Diu, Saca fled, and was succeeded by his brother <i>Malek +Tocam</i>. In the year 1527, one Stephen Diaz Brigas, a +Portuguese who had fled his country for some crime, came to India +as captain of a French ship with forty Frenchmen, and putting +into Diu was there made prisoner with all his men, who were +cruelly put to death by order of Badur.</p> + +<p>While at Champaneer in 1527, ambassadors came from +<i>Baber</i>, padishah or emperor of Delhi, demanding homage and +tribute for Guzerat, as part of his dominions. At first Badur was +disposed to have slain these unwelcome messengers; but he +dismissed them, saying that he would carry the answer in person. +He accordingly drew together an army of 100,000 men and 400 +elephants, with a great train of artillery. But he was prevented +from carrying his designs into execution, in consequence of a +great town called <i>Doitabad</i> being taken by Nizam-al-Mulk; +and though he recovered it, he met with great loss of men, +chiefly by the weather, it being winter, some of his men being +slain by a shower of stones as large as oranges[196]. Certain men +came to Badur, from the kingdom of the <i>Colii</i>[197], who +demanded tribute; but he flayed them alive. In 1529, Badur +marched with 70,000 horse and 200,000 foot into the dominions of +Nizam-al-Mulk, where he did much damage. In the same year Baber +padishah of the Moguls of Delhi, marched with an army for the +reduction of Guzerat; but met with so much loss in a battle with +the king of <i>Cheitore</i> in Agimere that he was forced to +retire to Delhi.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 196: The story in the text is difficultly +intelligible. I am apt to believe that the great army belonged to +Baber, the Great Mogul, designed for the reduction of Guzerat, +but turned aside for the recovery of <i>Dowlatabad</i> in the +Deccan, and that the shower of stones of the text is to be +understood of hail.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 197: Who these were does not +appear.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Badur invaded the kingdom of <i>Mandou</i>[198], and killed +the king by treachery. He then imprisoned all the kings sons, and +distributed the wives and daughters of the deceased king among +his officers. <i>Salahedin</i>, one of the principal officers of +that kingdom fled to <i>Raosinga</i>, a place almost impregnable +by nature and art, but was inveigled into the power of Badur and +forced to turn Mahometan. Badur then besieged the mountain fort +of Raosinga, and commanded the women belonging to Salahedin to +come out; but they sent word that they would not do so unless +along with Salahedin, who was accordingly sent into the fort for +that purpose. His women, about 500 in number, exclaimed against +his becoming a Mahometan, saying they would rather be all burnt +alive than delivered to the enemy. Whereupon Salahedin, with 120 +men who guarded his <i>zenana</i>, slew them all upon a pile of +wood, where they were burnt with all his riches. After this Badur +went against Chitore with an army of 100,000 horse, an +innumerable infantry, and 600 cannon, and besieged Chitore for +two months, at the end of which it surrendered. By this conquest +Badur was in possession of three considerable kingdoms.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 198: Probably Malwa.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this time Tristan de Ga, as formerly mentioned, was at the +court of Badur on an embassy from Nuno de Cuna to treat of peace, +but which negociation was delayed by sundry accidents, and in +particular by the death of the Great Mogul, of whom Badur was in +great fear. Through covetousness Badur discontinued the pay of +many of those leaders who had served him with great fidelity in +his late conquests, on which account 4000 men of note deserted +from him to the Mogul. One of his officers named Mujate Khan +endeavoured to convince him of the dangerous effects this conduct +might have upon his affairs; in reward for which Badur sent him +on some frivolous pretence to Diu, and at the same time sent +secret orders to Melek Tocam to put him to death; but Tocam +disdained to execute the tyrannical order, and advised the +faithful Mujate Khan to save himself by flight. Instead of +following this advice, Mujate returned to Badur and prostrated +himself at his feet, delivering up his scymeter with these words, +"If I have deserved death from you, I here present you the +traitor and the instrument of his punishment. Kill me, therefore, +that I may have the honour of dying by your hand: Yet the +faithful services of my grandfather, father, and self, have +merited a better reward." Badur, struck with his fidelity and +attachment, received him again to favour; but turned his rage +against Melek Tocam for revealing the secret orders with which he +had been entrusted, and sent Mustapha Rume Khan to Diu to put him +to death. Malek Tocam got notice of this at a country house in +which he occasionally resided, whence he fled from Rume Khan. +After this Badur came to Diu which he reduced, having arrived +there at the same time with Nuno de Cuna, when the interview +between the governor and him was proposed; but which Badur only +intended as a feint to ward off the danger which he apprehended +from the padishah of the Moguls; meaning, if he could patch up an +agreement with that sovereign, to break with the Portuguese. But +the Mogul recalled his ambassadors and commenced war upon Bader, +of which hereafter.</p> + +<p>Those whom we name Moguls call themselves <i>Zagetai</i>, in +the same manner as the Spaniards call themselves Goths. Zagetai +is the name of the province which they inhabited in Great Tartary +near Turkestan, and the nobles do not permit themselves to be +called Moguls. According to the Persians, the Moguls are +descended of Magog the grandson of Noah, from whom they received +the worship of the <i>one</i> only God. Wandering through many +provinces, this nation established themselves in <i>Mogalia</i> +or <i>Mongolia</i>, otherwise <i>Mogostan</i>, called +Paropamissus by Ptolemy. At this time they extend farther, and +border upon the kingdom of <i>Horacam</i> or <i>Chorassan</i>, +called <i>Aria</i>, or <i>Here</i> by that ancient geographer. +From the extreme north, the Moguls extend to the river +<i>Geum</i> or <i>Jihon</i>, which runs through <i>Bohara</i> or +<i>Bucharia</i>, the ancient <i>Bactria</i>, so named from its +capital, the celebrated seat of learning from the time of +<i>Zoroaster</i>, and where <i>Avicenna</i> acquired the +knowledge which made him so famous. <i>Bucharia</i>, or +<i>Bactria</i> borders upon <i>Quiximir</i> or <i>Cashmire</i> +and Mount <i>Caucasus</i>, which divides India from the provinces +of Tartary in the north. This kingdom of the Moguls now reaches +to the mountainous regions of <i>Parveti</i> and <i>Bagous</i> +which they call <i>Angou</i> [199]. As in this dominion there ace +great mountains, so there are likewise very large and fruitful +plains, watered by five rivers which compose the Indus. These are +the <i>Bet, Satinague, Chanao, Rave</i>, and <i>Rea</i>[200]. The +cities of this country are numerous and, the men courageous.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 199: De Faria becomes here unintelligible, +unless he here means the range of mountains which bound +Hindostan, particularly on the north-west, including Cashmir and +Cabul; which seems probable as immediately followed in the text +by the <i>Punjab</i>, or country on the <i>five rivers</i> +composing the Indus.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 200: These rivers are so strangely +perverted in their orthography as hardly to be recognisable, and +some of them not at all. The true <i>Punjab</i> or five rivers is +entirely on the east of the Indus, Sinde or Nilab. Its five +rivers are the Behut or Hydaspes, Chunab or Acesinas, Rauvee or +Hydraotes, Setlege or Hesudrus, and a tributary stream of the +last named the Hyphasis by the ancients. These two last are the +Beyah and Setlege of the moderns. The Kameh and Comul run into +the Indus to the west of the Punjab--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Moguls are of the Mahometan religion, using the Turkish +and Persian languages. They are of fair complexions, and well +made, but have, small eyes like the Tartars and Chinese. Their +nobility wear rich and gay clothes, fashioned like those of the +Persians, and have long beards. Their military dress is very +costly, their arms being splendidly gilt and highly polished, and +they are singularly expert in the use of the bow. In battle they +are brave and well disciplined and use artillery. Their padishah +is treated with wonderful majesty, seldom making his appearance +in public, and has a guard of 2000 horse, which is changed +quarterly. Both Moguls and Patans endeavoured to conquer India; +but by treachery and the event of war, the Patans and the kingdom +of Delhi were reduced by the Moguls at the time when Baber, the +great-grandson of the great Tamerlane was their padishah.</p> + +<p>At the period to which we have now proceeded in our history of +the Portuguese in India, <i>Omaum</i> or <i>Humayun</i>, the son +of Baber, was padishah of the Moguls, and declared war against +Badur king of Guzerat; who immediately sent an army of 20,000 +horse and a vast multitude of foot to ravage the frontiers of the +enemy. Ingratitude never escapes unpunished, as was exemplified +on this occasion. <i>Crementii</i> queen of <i>Chitore</i>, who +had formerly saved the life of Badur, and who in return had +deprived her of the kingdom of Chitore, was required by him to +send her son with all the men he could raise to assist him in the +war against Humayun. The queen required he would restore her +other son, whom he kept as an hostage, that she might not be +deprived of both, and in the mean time raised all the forces she +was able. Not aware of her intentions, Badur sent her son to +Chitore, on which she immediately put herself under the +protection of Humayun. Badur immediately drew together an army of +100,000 horse, 415,000 foot, 1000 cannon, 600 armed elephants, +and 6000 carriages, with which he besieged Chitore, and battered +its walls with great fury. While engaged in this siege, he +received information that the army he had sent to ravage the +country of the Moguls had been defeated with the loss of 20,000 +men. He at length got possession of Chitore by policy more than +force, after losing 15,000 men during the siege; but the queen +made her escape with all her family and wealth. He repaired the +fortifications of Chitore, in which he left <i>Minao Husseyn</i> +with a garrison of 12,000 men. He then marched to meet the army +of the Moguls, which was advancing through <i>Mandou</i> or +<i>Malwa</i> in order to relieve Chitore. On learning that +Chitore had fallen, and that Badur was intrenched with his army +at Dozor, Humayun marched to that place and took up a position +with so much judgment that the army of Badur was reduced to +extremity for provisions. Being unable to extricate his army from +this state of difficulty, Badur fled with all speed to +<i>Mandou</i>, or <i>Mundu</i> near the Nerbuddah on the southern +frontier of Malwa, accompanied by Mustapha Rumi Khan and a few +Portuguese. His prodigious army was utterly destroyed or +dispersed, and his camp plundered by the Moguls; he even escaping +with difficulty from the pursuit of 10,000 Mogul horse.</p> + +<p>Badur fortified himself in <i>Mundu</i>, giving the command of +his remaining force to Rumi Khan, who soon deserted to Humayun. +The family and wealth of Rumi Khan were at this time in the +fortress of <i>Champaneer</i>, and both Badur and Rumi Khan +strove which of them should first be able to secure that place, +in which Badur had deposited one of his three tres, which only in +copper money was worth 30 millions[201], besides pearls, precious +stones, and other valuables. Badur got possession of Champaneer, +whence he immediately sent all the treasure, and the family of +Rumi Khan, under a strong escort to Diu; while he wasted the +country and destroyed all the artillery, that it might not fall +into the hands of Humayun, and even did the same at +<i>Cambaya</i> his own capital. Seeing his women and riches in +the hands of Badur, Rumi Khan obtained five hundred horse from +his new master, with which he pursued Badur so expeditiously that +he entered one of the gates of <i>Cambaya</i> as Badur was going +out at the other. Finding himself so closely pursued, Badur left +the women and riches by the way, in hopes of stopping the +pursuit, which had the desired effect, as Rumi Khan immediately +returned with them to Champaneer, and Badur got safe to Diu, +leaving his entire kingdom to Humayun.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 201: No intimation is given by De Faria of +the denomination of money here alluded to.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In this state of adversity, Badur at length consented to the +erection of a fort at Diu by the Portuguese. He had formerly +given up Basseen to them, to secure their friendship during his +contest with Humayun, and was now in hopes by their assistance to +recover his dominions. Still however his pride prompted him to +temporize, and he sent an ambassador to request assistance from +the Turks to recover his territories. Hearing that Humayun had +taken Champaneer he gave himself up to despair and resolved upon +going to Mecca, to wait the answer of the grand Turk; but his +mother and friends dissuaded him, advising him to allow the +Portuguese to erect the fort at Diu, as by their aid his affairs +might be restored. He immediately sent notice to that effect to +Martin Alfonso de Sousa, then at Chaul, who communicated the +event to Nuno de Cuna, and went immediately to Diu at the request +of Badur, arriving on the 21st of September 1536. A league +offensive and defensive was immediately entered into between +Badur and the Portuguese, in which the former treaty was +confirmed, except that the emporium of trade was to be +transferred from Basseen to Diu: The fort was to be built where +and in what manner should be judged best by the governor-general; +and in the mean time a bulwark or castle upon the sea, commanding +the entrance of the port was to be delivered up. There were many +other articles, and among these that the Portuguese were not to +meddle with the kings revenues at Diu and other places. The +governor general on receiving notice of this treaty, came +immediately to Diu, where he was honourably received by +Badur.</p> + +<p>A Jew and an Armenian were immediately sent off to carry +intelligence of this event to Portugal [202]. At this time there +was a person named Diego Botello residing at Diu who was in +disgrace with the king of Portugal, on account of it being +reported that he intended to go over to the French in hopes of +high promotion, as he was very conversant in the affairs of +India. Knowing how earnestly King <i>Joam</i> had desired the +establishment of a fort at Diu, he resolved upon endeavouring to +be the first messenger of this news. For this purpose, having +procured a copy of the treaty and a draught of the intended fort, +he embarked in a small vessel, only sixteen feet and a half long, +nine feet broad, and four feet and a half deep, manned by his own +slaves, with three Portuguese and two others, giving out that he +was going to Cambaya. But when out at sea, he informed his +companions that he meant in this frail bark to traverse the +prodigious extent of ocean between India and Portugal, and +prevailed upon those along with him to concur in his design. +Being reduced to unspeakable miseries, the slaves, who were the +only mariners on board, entered into a conspiracy to kill him, +and even killed one of his servants, but were all slain. Being +now without seaman or pilot, he held on his course and arrived at +Lisbon to the astonishment of every one. Botello was restored to +the royal favour for this wonderful action, but received no other +reward, and the bark was immediately destroyed, that it might not +be known so small a vessel was capable of performing so great a +voyage.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 202: Though not so expressed in the text, +these messengers were probably sent over land.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Nuno de Cuna lost no time in erecting the fort at Diu, the +command of which was given to Emanuel de Sousa with 900 +Portuguese troops, the ramparts being furnished with sixty pieces +of great cannon. Badur soon found the benefit of his alliance +with the Portuguese, as Nizam-al-Mulk at the instigation of Nuno +made peace with and aided him against Humayun; and a Portuguese +force under Vasco Perez recovered for him a considerable place +towards the Indus named <i>Varivene</i>[203]. Garcia de Sa and +Antonio Galvam defended Basseen against the Moguls, who were +constrained to retreat from that place; and Mirza Mahmoud, nephew +to Badur, recovered many places on the frontiers from the Moguls. +Being thus prosperous, solely by the assistance of the +Portuguese, 500 of whom served in his army under the command of +Martin Alfonso de Sousa, Badur repented of having allowed them to +build a fort at Diu, and even began to build a wall or +fortification between the fort and the city, under pretence of +separating the Portuguese from the natives, to prevent +differences by too free communication. But after several strong +remonstrances this was desisted from.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 203: Perhaps Warwama on the Gulf of +Cutch.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1537, Badur became still more intent upon removing +the Portuguese from Diu, for which purpose he again sent to +procure assistance from the Turks, and in the mean time used his +utmost endeavours to take the fort and to destroy Nuno de Cuna, +whom he invited to Diu with that view. Though apprized of the +treacherous designs of Badur, De Cuna omitted to avail himself of +an opportunity of securing him while on a visit on board his +ship, deferring it to a future opportunity in a proposed +conference in the fort. While Badur was going on shore in his +<i>katur</i> or barge, Emanuel de Sousa the commandant of the +fort of Diu followed him in a barge and went on board the royal +katur to give the invitation from the governor-general. At this +time another Portuguese barge coming up hastily, Badur became +suspicious of some evil intention, and ordered his officers to +kill De Sousa. One Diega de Mosquita who had aided Badur in the +late war and had acquired a perfect knowledge of the language, +understood what was said by Badur, whom he immediately attacked +and wounded, but De Sousa was slain by his attendants. Upon this +a bloody affray took place between the Portuguese and the +attendants on Badur, in which seven of the latter were slain. +Several other boats belonging to both parties came up, and Badur +attempted to escape in his barge to the city, but was stopped by +a cannon-shot which killed three of his rowers; on which he +endeavoured to escape by swimming, but being in danger of +drowning he called out, discovering who he was. Tristan de Payva +reached out an oar for him to take hold of, that he might get on +board the boat; but a soldier struck him on the face with a +halberd, and then others, till he was slain. His body sunk, and +neither it nor the body of De Sousa could afterwards be found for +interment.</p> + +<p>Most of the citizens of Diu were witness to this scene from +the walls, and when the intelligence of the kings death reached +the city, the inhabitants began to abandon it in such haste and +confusion that many were trampled to death in the throng, being +afraid that the Portuguese would plunder them. The +governor-general soon restored confidence by a public +proclamation, and the inhabitants returned quietly to their +houses. He even entered the town unarmed, to reassure the +inhabitants and to restrain the avarice of his people, so that no +disorder was committed. De Sousa being slain, as before +mentioned, De Cuna gave the command of the fortress of Diu to his +brother-in-law Antonio de Sylveira Menezes, and his gallant +conduct afterwards shewed that he was worthy of the station. The +queen-mother had retired to <i>Navanaguer</i>[204], and Nuno sent +a message of condolence for the death of her son, endeavouring to +demonstrate that it had been occasioned by his own fault; but she +refused to receive or listen to the message. The treasure found +in the palace of Diu in gold and silver was of small value, not +exceeding 200,000 <i>pardaos</i>[205], but the quantity of +ammunition was exceedingly great. The number of brass cannon was +prodigious, those of iron not being deemed worthy of account. +Among the brass ordnance were three <i>basilisks</i> of +prodigious size, one of which was sent by De Cuna as a curiosity +to Lisbon, which was placed in the castle of St Julian at the +mouth of the Tagus, where it is known by the name of the <i>Gun +of Diu</i>. Among the papers belonging to Badur and his treasurer +<i>Abd' el Cader</i> letters were found from <i>Saf</i> Khan, +communicating the progress he had made in his negociations for +bringing the Turks upon the Portuguese, and copies of others from +the sheikhs of <i>Aden</i> and <i>Xael</i> to the same purpose. +Having collected these and other testimonies of the treachery of +the late king, Nuno caused <i>Khojah Zofar</i>, a man of great +reputation among the citizens both Mahometans and Gentiles, to +convene a meeting of the principal people, merchants, and +<i>cazis</i>, or teachers of the Mahometan law, to whom these +letters and testimonials were produced, in justification of the +conduct of the Portuguese, and in proof of the treacherous +intentions of the late king. All the Moors and Pagans +acknowledged themselves satisfied by these documents, and +accordingly gave certificates to that effect in the Arabic and +Persian languages, which were signed by Khojah Zofar and all the +leading people among the Mahometans and Hindoos, which were +communicated to the kings of the Deccan, Narsinga, and Ormuz, and +to all the sheikhs along the coast of Arabia as far as Aden.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 204: Probably Noanagur on the east side of +the Gulf of Cutch.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 205: At 3s. 9d. each, worth L. 37,500 +sterling.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>For the greater security and satisfaction of the people, Nuno +gave orders that the Mahometans should enjoy the free exercise of +their religion, and that the laws and regulations established by +Badur for the government of the city and its dependencies should +continue to be executed, even continuing all the salaries and +pensions granted by the late king. Among these was a Moor of +Bengal who, by <i>authentic</i> information was 320 years +old[206]. This man had two sons, one ninety and the other only +twelve years of age. He appeared to be only about sixty, and it +was said that his beard and teeth had fallen and been renewed +four or five times. He was rather under the middle size, and +neither fat nor lean. He pretended that before he was an hundred +years old, while herding cattle on the banks of a river, there +appeared a man to him clothed in a gray habit and girt with a +cord, having wounds on his hands and feet, who requested to be +carried by him across the river on his shoulders; which having +done, this person said that as a reward for his charity, he +should retain all his faculties till he saw him again. Going +accordingly into one of the Portuguese churches in India, this +old man exclaimed on seeing the image of St Francis, This is he +whom I carried across the river so many years ago.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 206: Perhaps an error of the press for +120.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Mir Mahomet Zaman, a descendant of the ancient kings of +Guzerat, on learning the death of Badur, went to condole with the +queen-mother at <i>Novanaguer</i>; but she, fearing he came to +rob her, refused to see him and even endeavoured to remove to +another place. Offended at her suspicions, Mahomet Zaman lay in +wait for her with 2000 horse, and robbed her of all her riches, +amounting to above two millions of gold. He then raised above +5000 horse, with which he seized Novanaguer, and had himself +proclaimed king of Guzerat. He then sent a messenger to Nuno de +Cuna, giving an account of the posture of his affairs and of his +title to the crown, desiring his assistance, in requital for +which he offered to cede to the Portuguese all the coast from +Mangalore to Beth[207], including the towns of Daman and Basseen +with the royal country house of Novanaguer, and other advantages. +Nuno accepted these offers, caused him to be proclaimed king in +the mosque of Diu, and urged him to raise forces and disperse the +other pretenders. Fearing that this advice was only given to +deceive, Zaman procrastinated and took no effectual steps to +secure the crown to which he aspired, of which misconduct he soon +experienced the evil consequences; as the principal people of +Guzerat set Mahomet Khan, a nephew of the deceased Badur on the +Musnud, and made preparations to subdue Zaman. As Nuno was under +the necessity of leaving Diu early in 1538 to attend to the other +affairs of his extensive government, the Guzerat nobles in the +interest of Mahomet raised sixty thousand men, with which they +marched against Zaman; and having corrupted most of his officers, +he was obliged to flee to Delhi, where he was honourably received +by the padishah of the Moguls, from whom he received the kingdom +of Bengal. The successful party in Guzerat called Antonio de +Sylveira who commanded in Diu to account for the death of Badur, +and being satisfied on that head proposed a treaty of peace; but +as they peremptorily refused to accede to the condition conceded +by Zaman, the negociations were broken off.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 207: This account if the matter is +inexplicable. Mangalore is on the coast of Malabar far to the +south of Guzerat, Beth is not to be found in any map of India in +these parts, and Novanaguer or Noanagur is at the other extremity +of Guzerat on the Gulf of Cutch.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The most inveterate enemies of the Portuguese in India were +the Moors upon the coast between Chaul and Cape Comorin, a space +of about 200 leagues, who had flocked thither in great numbers +allured by the vast and profitable trade in that part of India. +About this time there lived in Cochin a rich and powerful Moor +named Pate Marcar, who being irritated against the Portuguese for +taking some of his vessels went to reside in Calicut to have an +opportunity of being revenged upon them by the assistance of the +zamorin, who furnished him with above 50 ships, 2000 men, and 400 +pieces of cannon. With these he went to the assistance of Madune +Pandar who had revolted against his brother the king of Ceylon +who was the ally of the Portuguese. At Coulam Marcar attacked a +large Portuguese ship which was loading pepper, but was beat off +after killing the captain. In another port farther south he took +a ship belonging to the Portuguese and killed all her crew. +Beyond Cape Comorin he destroyed a town inhabited by native +Christians. On hearing of these depredations, Martin Alfonso went +in 19 row-boats from Cochin in pursuit of Marcar, whom he found +in a creek where he offered him battle; but as Marcar declined +this, and Alfonso did not think his force sufficient to attack +him in that situation, he returned to Cochin for a reinforcement. +Setting out again with 28 row-boats and 400 men, Alfonso found +Marcar careening his vessels at a port or creek beyond Cape +Comorin named <i>Beadala</i>, where he gave the Moors a total +defeat though they had gathered a force of 7000 men to resist +him. Alfonso took 23 barks, 400 cannon, 1500 firelocks, and many +prisoners, and set free a considerable number of Portuguese +slaves, having lost 30 men in the action, chiefly through the +mistake of a signal. After this great victory, Alfonso went over +to Columbo in Ceylon, the king of which place was besieged by his +rebellious brother Madune Pandar, who at first believed the +Portuguese fleet to be that of Marcar coming to his assistance; +but hearing of the destruction of his ally, he raised the siege +and made peace.</p> + +<p>It is proper that we should give some account of the rich and +fertile kingdom of Bengal on the bay of that name, which receives +the waters of the famous river Ganges by two principal mouths and +many subordinate creeks. This river has its source in the +mountains of Great Tartary, whence it runs southwards near 600 +leagues, dividing India into two parts <i>infra et extra +Gangem</i>, or on this side and the other side of the Ganges. On +the great eastern mouth of the Ganges stands the city of +<i>Chatigam</i> or <i>Chittagong</i>, and on the western mouth +the city of <i>Satigam</i>[208]. On the east of the Ganges, which +runs through the middle of Bengal, <i>Caor, Camatii, Sirote, +Codovascam, Cou,</i> and <i>Tipora</i> were subject to that +kingdom, but the two last uniting together had thrown off the +yoke. On the west of the river, the country of <i>Cospetir</i>, +whose plain is overflowed annually by the Ganges as the land of +Egypt by the Nile, had been conquered by the Patans. According to +the Pagans, God hath granted to the kingdom of Bengal an infinite +multitude of infantry, to Orixa abundance of elephants, to +Bisnagar a people well skilled in using the sword and buckler, to +Delhi a prodigious number of towns, and to <i>Cou</i> innumerable +horses. The kingdom of Bengal, reaching between the latitudes of +22° and 26° 30' N. is well watered and exceedingly +fertile, producing abundance of fruit, with sugar and long +pepper, great quantities of cotton, which the inhabitants +manufacture with much skill, and has great abundance of cattle +and poultry. The natives are heathens of a pusillanimous +character, yet false and treacherous; for it ally the case that +cowardice and treachery go together.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 208: It is impossible even to guess what +place is meant in the text by Satigam, unless it may have some +reference to the river Sagar.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The king is universal heir to all his subjects. The capital +city, named <i>Gowro</i>, on the banks of the Ganges, is three +leagues in length. It contains 1,200,000 families, and is well +fortified. The streets are long, wide, and straight, with rows of +trees to shelter the people from the sun, and are sometimes so +thronged with passengers that many are trodden to death.</p> + +<p>About fifty years before the discovery of India by the +Portuguese, an Arabian merchant who dwelt in Gowro became very +rich and powerful, and having defeated the king of Orixa in a +great battle grew so much in favour with the king of Bengal that +he was made captain of his guards. But, ungrateful to his +benefactor, he killed the king and usurped the kingdom, leaving +it as an inheritance to the Moors who have since possessed this +rich and fertile kingdom. The succession to this kingdom proceeds +upon no rule of hereditary descent; but is often acquired by +slaves who kill their masters, and whosoever acquires the +government, were it only for three days, is looked upon as +established by Providence and Divine right. Hence during a period +of forty years this kingdom had been ruled by 13 successive +princes. At the time when Martin Alfonso Melo de Jusarte was +prisoner in Bengal, Mahomet Shah was king and held his court in +Gowro with such state that there were 10,000 women in his Zenana, +yet was he in continual apprehension of being deposed. Martin and +the other Portuguese prisoners did signal service to Mahomet in +his wars with the Patans; and Martin and his followers obtained +their liberty through the means of one <i>Khojah Sabadim</i>, a +rich Moor, who engaged to procure liberty for the Portuguese to +build a fort at Chittagong, if Nuno de Cuna would carry him to +Ormuz. Nano being eager to acquire an establishment in Bengal, +granted all that was asked, and sent Martin Alfonso with 200 men +in five vessels to Bengal, and to secure the friendship of the +king sent him a magnificent present. Thirteen men who carried the +present to Gowro, and thirty others who accompanied Martin +Alfonso to an entertainment at Chittagong were made prisoners. On +learning this event, Nuno sent Antonio de Silva with 350 men in +nine vessels, to treat for the liberation of Martin Alfonso and +prisoners, by the assistance of Khojah Sabadim, to whose +suggestions the former unfortunate expedition was owing; and to +secure the fidelity of Sabadim, a ship belonging to him with a +rich cargo was detained in pledge. From Chittagong, Silva sent a +messenger to Gowro with a letter and a present; but as the answer +was long in coming, Silva judged that the king had detained his +messenger along with the rest, on which he rashly destroyed +Chittagong and some other places; for which proceeding the king +confined the prisoners more rigidly than before. But his +necessities obliged him soon after to change his severity into +kindness.</p> + +<p><i>Xerchan</i>, or <i>Shir Khan</i>, a general of note among +the Moguls, being in disgrace with the padisbah or Great Mogul, +fled from Delhi to Bengal accompanied by his brother Hedele Khan, +and both of them rose to eminent rank in the service of Mahomet. +Being now at the head of a large army, Shir Khan resolved to +avenge upon Mahomet the murder of the former infant king of +Bengal; for which purpose he revolted with his army to Humayun +the Mogul padishah, and turned his arms against Mahomet. In his +distress, Mahomet consulted with Martin Alfonso how best to +oppose the arms of Shir Khan. By his advice, some vessels +commanded by Portuguese were stationed in the Ganges at a pass +near the fort of <i>Gori</i> where the Ganges enters Bengal. +These effectually barred the passage of Shir Khan in that +direction; but having discovered another ford, he advanced to +Gowro, which he invested with 40,000 horse, 200,000 foot, and +1500 elephants. Shir Khan likewise brought a fleet of 300 boats +down the river, to a place where Mahomet had 800 boats to oppose +the enemy. At this place Duarte de Brito did signal service in +the sight of King Mahomet, and among other things, accompanied by +eight other Portuguese, he took an elephant that was swimming +across the river. The city of Gowro being reduced to distress by +the besiegers, Mahomet bought a peace, and Shir Khan drew off +with his army. Being now as he thought in safety, Mahomet allowed +Martin Alfonso to depart with the other Portuguese, only +retaining five as hostages for the assistance he had been +promised by Nuno.</p> + +<p>Shir Khan returned soon afterwards to Gowro, which he took by +assault, obliging the king, who was wounded in the assault, to +abandon the city. Mahomet died of his wounds on his way to ask +assistance from Humayun. Shir Khan drew off from Gowro, where he +acquired treasure to the amount of 60 millions in gold. Humayun +brought the dead body of King Mahomet to Gowro, where he +appointed his own brother-in-law Mir Mahomet Zaman to the vacant +kingdom, who had been lately driven from Guzerat. But on the +return of Humayun towards Delhi, Shir Khan returned to Gowro and +drove out Mahomet Zaman. Humayun then marched against Shir Khan +with 100,000 horse and 150,000 foot, with above 200,000 +followers. The two armies met on the banks of the Ganges near the +city of Kanoje when Shir Khan gained so complete a victory that +Humayun made his escape with only 25 attendants, and never stopt +till he arrived at Lahore. Shir Khan treated the women belonging +to Humaynn with great respect, and restored them to the padishah. +Finding himself too weak for the conquest of Bengal, Humayun +determined upon endeavouring to reduce Guzerat; but abandoned in +his distress by his own Omrahs, he went into Persia, where the +Sophi supplied him with an army of 12,000 horse, to which he was +enabled to add 10,000 volunteers. With these allies, added to the +troops that continued to adhere to him, he invested Candahar, +where his brother Astarii Mirza had proclaimed himself king of +Mogostan. The city was taken and given up to the Persians. In the +mean time Shir Khan made himself formidable in Bengal, having an +army of 400,000 horse. He took the city of Calijor belonging to +the Rajputs, meaning to plunder a vast treasure contained in the +temple at that place; but pointing a cannon to kill an elephant +belonging to the temple, the piece burst and killed himself.</p> + +<p>The present formerly mentioned, which was sent by the king of +Guzerat to the Grand Turk to obtain his assistance, was delivered +at Constantinople, where at the same time arrived news of the +kings death. But the great value of the present demonstrated the +vast riches of India, and made the Turkish emperor desirous of +acquiring a footing in that country, whence he thought the +Portuguese might be easily expelled, and their possessions +reduced under his dominion. In this enterprise he was greatly +encouraged by a Portuguese renegado at Constantinople, who +asserted that the Turkish power might easily supplant that of the +Portuguese in India. For this purpose, the Turkish emperor +ordered a fleet to be fitted out at Suez, the command of which +was given to the eunuch Solyman Pacha, governor of Cairo. Solyman +was a Greek janizary born in the Morea, of an ugly countenance, +short of stature, and had so large a belly that he was more like +a beast than a man, not being able to rise up without the aid of +four men. At this time he was eighty years of age, and he +obtained this command more by dint of his wealth than merit, as +he offered to be at the entire charge of the expedition. To +enable him to perform this, he put many rich men to death and +seized their wealth. Among others he strangled Mir Daud, king or +<i>bey</i> of the Thebaid, and seized his treasure. It might be +said therefore that this fleet was equipped rather by the dead +than the living. It consisted of 70 sail, most of them being +large gallies, well stored with cannon, ammunition, and +provisions; on board of which he embarked 7000 soldiers, part +Turkish janizaries and part Mamelukes; besides a great number of +choice sailors and galley-slaves, many of the latter being taken +from the Venetian gallies then at Alexandria, which were seized +in consequence of a war breaking out between the Turks and the +republic of Venice.</p> + +<p>Solyman, who was both a tyrant and a coward, set out from Suez +on the 22d of June 1538, ordering four hundred of the soldiers to +assist at the oars, and as they resisted this order as contrary +to their privileges, he put two hundred of them to death. At +Jiddah he endeavoured to take the sheikh, but knowing his +tyrannical character, he escaped into the interior. At +<i>Zabid</i>, after receiving a rich present, he put the sheikh +to death. He did the same thing at Aden; and arrived at Diu about +the beginning of September 1538, losing six of his vessels by the +way.</p> + +<p>When Badar king of Guzerat was killed, one <i>Khojah Zofar</i> +swam on shore and was well received by the Portuguese, being the +only one of the kings retinue who was saved on that occasion. For +some time he seemed grateful for his safety; but at length fled +without any apparent reason to the new king of Guzerat, to whom +he offered his services, and even endeavoured to prevail upon him +to expel the Portuguese from his dominions, asserting that this +might be easily done with the assistance of the Turks. By his +instigation, the king of Guzerat raised an army at Champaneer of +5000 horse and 10,000 foot, to which Khojah Zofar added 3000 +horse and 4000 foot in his own pay. Getting notice of these +preparations, Antonio de Sylveira who commanded in Diu, used +every precaution to provide against a long and dangerous siege. +Khojah Zofar began the war by attacking the town of the +<i>Rumes</i>[209] near Diu. Francisco Pacheco defended himself +bravely in a redoubt at the place, with only fourteen Portuguese, +till relieved by Sylveira, and Zofar was forced to draw off his +troops, being himself wounded. Immediately afterwards Ali Khan, +general of the Guzerat army, joined Zofar with all the army, and +Sylveira thought proper to evacuate all the posts beyond Diu, +that he might be able to maintain the city and fort; but some +vessels and guns were lost in the execution of these orders. In +consequence of these losses, and because there were many +concealed enemies in the city who only waited an opportunity of +doing all the evil in their power to the Portuguese, Sylveira +deemed it expedient to evacuate the city, giving his sole +attention to the defence of the fort. Ali Khan and Zofar +immediately took possession of the city, and began to fire upon +the fort with their cannon. Lope de Sousa, who guarded the wood +and water belonging to the garrison, had several rencounters, in +which he slew many of the enemy without any loss on his side, +except being himself severely wounded.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 209: This must have been some town or +village inhabited by Turks.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Hearing that the Turkish fleet was approaching, Sylveira sent +immediate notice of it to Nuno de Cuna, who prepared with great +diligence to go in person to relieve Diu. Michael Vaz was sent to +sea by Sylveira to look out for the enemy, and falling in with +their fleet came so near on purpose to examine their force that +several of their shot reached his vessel. He got off however, and +carried the news to the governor of Goa. The Turkish fleet came +at length to anchor in the port of Diu, where it was formidable +not only to the small Portuguese garrison in the fort, but to the +Moors even who had long expected their arrival. Next day Solyman +landed 600 well armed janizaries, who immediately entered the +city and behaved with much insolence. Drawing near the fort, they +killed six Portuguese; but 300 musqueteers attacked them from the +fort and drove them away with the loss of fifty men. In +consequence of a storm, Solyman was obliged to remove his fleet +to <i>Madrefavat</i>, as a safer harbour, where he remained +twenty days, during which time Sylveira was diligently occupied +in strengthening the fortifications of the castle, planting his +artillery on the ramparts, and assigning every one his proper +post for the ensuing siege. At the same time, the Turks assisted +by Zofar commenced operations against the fort, by constructing +batteries, and endeavouring to ruin the defences of a bulwark at +the entrance of the harbour, which they battered with their +cannon. With this view likewise, they built a wooden castle on a +large bark, which, they filled with combustibles, meaning to send +it against the bulwark to set it on fire. But Francisco de +Gouvea, who commanded the small naval force then at Diu, went +against this floating castle under night, and contrived to +destroy it by fire. At this time likewise some relief was sent to +the fort by Nuno de Cuna, and the garrison was much elated by the +assurance of his intention of coming speedily in person to raise +the siege.</p> + +<p>Returning from Madrefavat, Solyman commenced a heavy fire from +his ships against the sea bulwark in which Francisco de Gouvea +commanded, but was so well answered both from that work and the +tower of St Thomas, that one of his gallies was sunk and most of +her men drowned. The greatest harm suffered at this time by the +Portuguese was from the bursting of some of their own cannon, by +which several men were killed. Two brothers only were slain by +the fire of the Turks. Zofar now so furiously battered the +bulwark in which Pacheco commanded, that it became altogether +indefensible, on which seven hundred janizaries assaulted it and +set up their colours on its ruined walls; but the Portuguese +rallied and dislodged them, killing an hundred and fifty of the +enemy. The assault of this bulwark was continued a whole day, and +at night the enemy were forced to retreat with much loss. Next +day Pacheco deeming it impossible to resist, surrendered upon +promise of life and liberty to himself and his men. Solyman did +not perform the latter stipulation, but he granted their lives +for the present and clothed them in Turkish habits. By one of +these prisoners, Solyman sent a summons to Sylveira to surrender, +but the proposal was treated with contempt. Solyman now planted +his artillery against the fort, having among other cannon nine +pieces of vast size which carried balls of ninety pounds weight. +His artillery in all exceeded 130 pieces of different sizes, and +his batteries were continually guarded by 2000 Turks. This +formidable train began to play against the castle on the 4th of +October 1538, and continued without cessation for twenty days, +doing great injury to the defences of the fort, which could +hardly do any injury in return to the besiegers, neither could +the garrison repair sufficiently the most dangerous breaches, +though they used every possible exertion for that purpose. On the +sixth day after the commencement of this violent cannonade, +perceiving that the bulwark commanded by Caspar de Sousa was much +damaged, the Turks endeavoured to carry it by assault, but were +repulsed with much slaughter, two only of the defenders being +slain. Every day there were assaults by the besiegers or sallies +by the garrison. In one of these Gonzalo Falcam lost his head; +and Juan de Fonseca being disabled by a severe wound of his right +arm continued to wield his lance with his left as if he had +received no hurt. A youth of only nineteen years old, named Joam +Gallego, pursued a Moor into the sea and slew him, and afterwards +walked back deliberately to the fort through showers of balls and +bullets. Many singular acts of valour were performed during this +memorable siege.</p> + +<p>At length many brave officers and men of the besiegers were +slain, powder began to wax short and provisions shorter. The +relief expected from Non Garcia Noronha, now come out as viceroy +of India, was long in making its appearance. The remaining +garrison was much weakened by a swelling in their gums, +accompanied by their teeth becoming so loose that they were +unable to eat what little food remained in the stores. Yet the +brave garrison continued to fight in defence of their post, as if +even misery and famine were unable to conquer them. Even the +women in the fort exerted themselves like heroines. Donna +Isabella de Vega, the wife of Manuel de Vasconcelles, had been +urged by her husband to go to her father Francisco Ferram at Goa, +lest the fort might be taken and she might fall into the hands of +the Turks; but she refused to leave him. During the distress of +the garrison, as many of the men were obliged to work in +repairing the works, this bold-spirited lady called together all +the women who were in the fort, and exhorted them to undertake +this labour, as by that means all the men would be enabled to +stand to their arms. The women consented to this proposal, and +continued for the remainder of the siege to perform this duty. +She was even outdone by Ann Fernandez, the wife of a physician, +who used to visit the most dangerous posts by night, and even +appeared at the assault to encourage the soldiers. Her son +happening to be slain in one of the attacks, she immediately drew +away his body, and returned to the place of danger, and when the +fight ended she went and buried her son.</p> + +<p>Perceiving that the Turks were undermining the bulwark which +he commanded, Gasper de Sousa made a sally with seventy men to +prevent that work and made a great slaughter of the enemy. When +retreating he missed two of his men and returned to rescue them; +but being surrounded by the enemy they cut the tendons of his +hams, after which he fought upon his knees till he was +overpowered and slain. The mine was countermined; but the +continual labour to which the besieged were subjected became +insupportable, and they were utterly unable to repair the many +breaches in their works. At this conjuncture, four vessels +arrived from the viceroy Don Garcia, and landed only a +reinforcement of twenty men. Solyman was much concerned at this +relief though small, and was astonished the fort should hold out +against so many assaults, more especially as Zofar had assured +him he might carry it in two. At the beginning of the siege the +garrison consisted of six hundred men, many of whom were slain +and several of the cannon belonging to the fort had burst; yet +Solyman began to lose confidence, and looked anxiously to the +sea, fearful of the Portuguese fleet which he had learnt was +coming against him. This induced him to press the siege more +vigorously, especially against the sea bulwark where Antonio de +Sousa commanded, which was furiously attacked by fifty barks, two +of which were sunk by the Portuguese cannon. The Turks made +several attempts to scale this bulwark, in all of which they were +repulsed with great slaughter, yet returned repeatedly to the +charge with similar bad fortune. Sousa sent off his wounded men +from the rampart to have their wounds dressed. Among these was a +person named Fernando Ponteado, who waiting his turn heard the +noise of a fresh assault, and forgetting the dressing ran +immediately to his post where he received a fresh wound. Going +back to get dressed, a third assault recalled him before the +surgeon had time to attend to his wants, and he was a third time +wounded, and at length returned to get all his three wounds +dressed at once.</p> + +<p>By this time, out of the original garrison of 600 men, only +250 remained that were able to stand to their arms. Solyman was +almost in despair of success, yet resolved to make a desperate +effort to carry the place. In hopes of putting Sylveira off his +guard, and to take the place by surprise, he sent twelve of his +gallies to sea, as if he meant to raise the siege; but Sylveira +was not to be lulled into security, and continued to exert the +utmost vigilance to provide against every danger. One night some +noise was heard at the foot of the sea-wall of the castle, where +it appeared that the enemy were applying great numbers of scaling +ladders. Every effort was made to oppose them during the darkness +of the night, and when morning broke, the place was seen beset +all round by at least 14,000 men. The cannon of the fort was +immediately directed against the assailants, and the garrison +mounted the walls in every part, but chiefly near the governors +house where the defences were weakest, but where Sylveira had +placed such people as he could most rely upon. Being repulsed +from thence with great slaughter, the enemy made an attempt on an +adjoining bulwark, where Gouvea commanded, and poured in +prodigious showers of bullets and arrows. Fourteen gallies came +up against this bulwark, which they battered with their cannon; +but Gouvea obliged them to draw off, having sunk two of the +gallies and killed many of their crews. At length 200 Turks +forced their way into the bulwark and planted their colours on +its rampart. Scarcely thirty Portuguese remained to oppose them, +yet they charged the enemy with great fury, who were so thick +that every shot told, and they were driven out with much loss. +Fresh men succeeded and regained the bulwark, on which they +planted four standards. Many Portuguese who were wounded and +burnt by the fireworks of the enemy ran and dipped themselves in +jars of salt water, where seeking ease they perished in dreadful +torment.</p> + +<p>Sylveira went continually from place to place, encouraging all +to do their duty manfully and supplying reinforcements where most +needed. The enemy had much the better in the second assault on +the bulwark commanded by Gouvea, on which several gentlemen +rushed upon them. At this time, one Joam Rodrigues, a strongman +of great bravery, ran forward with a barrel of powder on his +shoulder, calling out to clear the way, as he carried his own +death and that of many. He threw the barrel among the enemy, +which exploded and blew up above an hundred of them, yet +Rodriques came off unhurt, and performed other memorable deeds, +so that he merited the highest honours and rewards of those that +were gained in this siege. By other fireworks the four ensigns +who set up the colours were burnt to death, and two others who +went to succeed them were slain. Being again driven from the +bulwark, the enemy made a third assault: But their commander +being slain, who was son-in-law to Khojah Zofar, his men were +dismayed and took to flight. These reiterated assaults lasted +four hours, during which a small number of exhausted Portuguese +had to withstand vast numbers of fresh enemies. At length, having +500 men slain and 1000 wounded, the enemy retired; while on the +side of the Portuguese fourteen were killed, and 200 were +disabled from wounds. Only forty remained who were able to wield +their arms, insomuch that no hope remained of being able to +withstand a fresh attack. The walls were shattered and ruined in +every part: No powder remained: In fact nothing remained but the +invincible courage of Sylveira, who still encouraged the remnant +of his brave garrison to persist in their defence. Not knowing +the desperate state to which the fort was reduced, and dismayed +by the bad success of all his efforts, Solyman raised the siege +and set sail with all his fleet on the 5th of November.</p> + +<p>When Sylveira saw the Turkish fleet weigh anchor and depart he +thought it was merely a feint preparatory for another assault, +for which reason he posted the forty men who still remained of +his garrison, determined to resist to the last man. He even made +some of the wounded men be brought to the walls, on purpose to +make a shew of a greater number than he really had. Many even who +were so badly wounded as to be unable to rise, made themselves be +carried in their beds to the walls, saying that it was best to +die in an honourable place. Several even of the women armed +themselves and appeared on the walls. The whole night was spent +in anxiously waiting for the enemy; but the morning gave comfort +to the afflicted garrison, as Solyman was seen in full sail, and +had no thoughts of returning. Fear did much on this occasion, yet +Zofar did more towards inducing Solyman to go away. Zofar was +weary of the insupportable pride of the Turks, and had even +received orders from the king of Guzerat, in case it appeared +that the Turks meant to keep the city and fort of Diu, rather to +endeavour that it might remain in the hands of the Portuguese. +Zofar accordingly framed a letter which fell into the hands of +Solyman, saying that the viceroy of India would be at Diu next +day with a vast fleet; on reading which letter Solyman thought +proper to hasten his departure. On the same night, Zofar set fire +to the town of Diu and marched away. Thus ended the first siege +of Diu, which added new lustre to the Portuguese fame, all due to +the invincible courage of the renowned Antonio de Sylveira, and +those valiant gentlemen who fought under his command, whose fame +will last from generation to generation.</p> + +<p>Solyman, on his voyage back to Suez, touched at several ports +in Arabia, where he took such Portuguese as happened to be there, +to the number of 140, whose heads he cut off, salting their ears +and noses to send to the Grand Turk as memorials of his services +against the Christians. Among these was Francisco Pacheco, who +had not the courage to die in his bulwark, and had surrendered +with some men at Diu, as formerly related. On his return to +Turkey, Solyman was not well received, and was reduced to the +necessity of killing himself, a fit end for such a tyrant.</p> + +<p>This famous siege was far advanced when Don Garcia de Noronha +arrived as viceroy in India, to whom Nuno de Cuna immediately +resigned the government. His arrival with a great reinforcement +might well have enabled him immediately to relieve the deplorable +situation of Diu, yet on the contrary contributed to augment its +danger. For, if he had not come, Nuna had certainly relieved Diu +much sooner and prevented so many miseries, and the death of so +many brave men, as he had prepared a fleet of eighty sail, and +was ready to have gone to Diu when Don Garcia arrived. Still +fresh advices were brought of the extremity to which the besieged +were reduced, yet still Don Garcia wasted time in considering of +proper means for their relief, without putting any into +execution, and refusing to take the advice of De Cuna for his +proceedings. By these means the siege was raised before he could +determine on the mode of relief, for which purpose he had +gathered 160 sail of vessels of all sorts and sizes. Don Garcia +did not want courage, of which he had given sufficient +demonstrations while under Alfonso de Albuquerque: But he chose +rather to commit an error through his own obstinacy, than rightly +to follow the advice of Nuno de Cuna. It soon appeared indeed, +that he was not at all disposed to take any advice from De Cuna, +whom he treated so disrespectfully at Goa, that he forced him to +retire to Cochin to arrange his affairs previous to his return to +Portugal. When at Cochin, he even refused him a convenient ship +which he had chosen for his accommodation; although he had +authority from the king to continue to act as governor while he +remained in India, and liberty to choose any vessel he thought +proper, but Don Garcia forced him to hire a merchant vessel for +himself and family. If the viceroy treated De Cuna ill in India, +no less evil designs were entertained against him in Portugal; +and doubtless the knowledge Don Garcia had of the evil intentions +of the ministers of state, was the cause of the hard usage he +gave him in India. Nuno de Cuna fell sick and died on the voyage. +He protested at his death that he had nothing belonging to the +king except five gold medals found among the treasure of the late +king Badur, which he had selected for their beauty and meant to +have presented to the king in person. Being asked by a chaplain +what he would have done with his body after his death; he said, +that since it had pleased God he was to die at sea, he desired +that the sea might be his grave. Nuno de Cuna, who was an +excellent governor of India, died at fifty-two years of age. He +was of large stature and well proportioned, but wanted an eye. +Though of stately manners, he was extremely courteous, not +subject to passion, easily reconciled, a strict observer of +justice, loved to do good to all around him, free from +covetousness, prudent in council, and affable in discourse. He +governed for ten years, all but two months, and died in the +beginning of the year 1539.</p> + +<p>Don Garcia de Noronha assumed the government of India as +viceroy in November 1538, having arrived from Lisbon with 3000 +soldiers, many of whom were men of note. Although this great +armament had been principally intended for opposing the Turks who +besieged the castle of Diu, yet the viceroy permitted them to +continue their operations before that place, and merely sent +hopes of relief to the oppressed garrison. At length however he +sent a second reinforcement under Antonio de Menezes in 24 small +vessels. Though this armament came late, yet Menezes contended in +some measure with the great Sylveira for the honour of having +occasioned the retreat of the Turks, as he valued himself much in +having witnessed their flight. The viceroy had indeed made ready +to sail for Diu with a fleet of 160 sail of vessels of different +kinds, having 5000 soldiers and 1000 pieces of cannon, when +advice came that the Turks had abandoned the siege. On this +intelligence he dismissed all the trading ships from his fleet, +still retaining 90 sail, with which he set out for Diu, but +proceeded so slowly as if some evil omen had threatened his ruin +at that place, since he not only avoided it while environed with +danger, but seemed afraid to visit it in peace. Hearing that it +was still infested by Lur-Khan and Khojah Zofar, he sent Martin +Alfonso de Melo against them with his galley, together with the +vessels that had been there before under Antonio de Menezes. Melo +was too weak to be able to do any thing against the enemy, and +had to seek protection under the guns of the fort.</p> + +<p>At length the viceroy sailed for Diu on the first of January +1539; but the fleet was dispersed by a storm to different ports, +two gallies and some other vessels being lost. He arrived however +at Diu with 50 sail; and having given all due praise to Antonio +de Sylveira for his valiant defence, he repaired the fort and +confided it to the charge of Diego Lopez de Sousa, who had been +nominated to the command by the king. A treaty of peace was set +on foot with the king of Guzerat, which was concluded, but very +little to the advantage of the Portuguese, which was attributed +by common fame to the covetousness of the viceroy.</p> + +<p>During this year 1539, the viceroy sent Ferdinand de Morales +with a great galleon laden on the kings account to trade at Pegu. +Morales was induced by the king of Pegu to assist him against the +king of Birmah, who had invaded the kingdom of Pegu with so +prodigious a power that the two armies amounted to <i>two +millions of men</i> and 10,000 elephants. Morales went in a +galliot having the command of the Pegu fleet, and made great +havock among the ships of the enemy. The king of Birmah came on +by land like a torrent, carrying every thing before him, and his +fleet was so numerous that it covered the whole river, though as +large as the Ganges. Morales met this vast fleet with that which +he commanded, at the point of <i>Ginamarreca</i>; where, though +infinitely inferior, he fought a desperate and bloody battle. But +overpowered by the multitude of the Birmans, the Peguers deserted +Morales, who was left alone in his galliot amid a throng of +enemies, against whom he performed wonders and long maintained +the battle, doing astonishing execution; but at last oppressed by +irresistible multitudes, he and all his followers were slain: Yet +the memory of his heroism was long preserved among these +people.</p> + +<p>The cause of this war and of the revolt of the king of Birmah, +who was tributary to Pegu, was as follows. Above 30,000 Birmans +laboured in the works of the king of Pegu, as that was one +condition of their vassalage. The king of Pegu used often to +visit these labourers attended only by his women, who were +curious to see the foreigners and the great works that were +carrying on. The Birmans seized an opportunity on one of these +visits to murder the king, after which they plundered the women +of every thing they had of value, and fled to their own country. +As many of the subjects of <i>Dacha Rupi</i>, who succeeded to, +the kingdom of Pegu, rebelled against him, <i>Para Mandara</i> +king of the Birmans seized this favourable opportunity to recover +his independence and to enlarge the bounds of his dominions. He +accordingly reduced with astonishing rapidity the kingdoms of the +<i>Lanjaoes, Laos, Jangomas</i>, and others, who like his own +dominions were tributary to Pegu. By these means he possessed +himself of the whole ancient kingdom of <i>Ava</i>, which extends +to the length of two months of ordinary travelling, and contains +62 cities. To the north-east of this, at the distance of a months +journey is <i>the kingdom of the Turks</i>, containing as many +cities, which the king of Pegu had conquered from the king of +<i>Cathay</i>. The kingdom of <i>Bimir</i> is west from Ava, and +is of similar extent, having 27 populous cities. North of this is +<i>Lanjam</i>, of equal size, with 38 cities and abounding in +gold and silver. On the east is the kingdom of <i>Mamfrom</i>, +equally large, but having only 8 cities. East again from this is +<i>Cochin-China</i>; on the south is <i>Siam</i>, which was +afterwards conquered by the king of Birmah; and east of Siam is +the great kingdom of <i>Cambodia</i>. All the inhabitants of +these kingdoms are Pagans, and the most superstitious of all the +east: Yet they believe in one only God, but in time of need have +recourse to many idols, some of which are dedicated to the most +secret acts and necessities of nature, even in the very form in +which they are acted. They hold the immortality of the soul; are +zealous in giving alms, and hold their priests in great +veneration. These are very numerous, and live according to rules +like those of the Catholics in monasteries, subsisting from day +to day upon what is given them, without laying any thing up for +the next. These priests and monks eat neither flesh nor fish, as +they kill no creature whatever. They observe <i>Lent</i> and +<i>Easter</i> after the manner of the Christians; whence some +have inferred that they are some remnant of the disciples of St. +Thomas, though mixed with many errors. They wear yellow cassocks +and cloaks, with hats of oiled paper. The whole natives of these +countries are white, and their women very beautiful; but their +bodies are all over wrought with blue figures down to the knees +made with hot irons. In their manners they are very uncivilized +and even brutal.</p> + +<h2><a name="chapter3-2" id="chapter3-2">CHAPTER II.</a></h2> + +<p><b>PARTICULAR RELATION OF THE EXPEDITION OF SOLYMAN PACHA FROM +SUEZ TO INDIA AGAINST THE PORTUGUESE AT DIU, WRITTEN BY A +VENETIAN OFFICER WHO WAS PRESSED INTO THE TURKISH SERVICE ON THAT +OCCASION [210].</b></p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>Following the PORTUGUESE ASIA of <i>Manuel de Faria y +Sousa</i>, we have given an account of the Portuguese +transactions in India in the preceding chapter, from the year +1505 to 1539. We might have extended this article to a much +greater length from the same source, as De Faria continues this +history to the year 1640; but his work after the year 1539 is +generally filled with an infinite multiplicity of uninteresting +events, petty wars, arrivals and dispatch of trading ships, and +such minute matters, unconnected and tending to no useful +information. We now take up an original document of much +interest, and most directly connected with the object of our +collection, as an actual journal of a voyage. In a separate +future division of our arrangement, we propose to give an +abridged extract from De Faria of every thing his work contains +worthy of notice, as tending to discovery, but leaving out all +uninteresting details.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 210: Astleys Collection of Voyages and +Travels, I. 88.]</blockquote> + +<p>There are two published copies of the voyage which constitutes +the essence of our present chapter. The earliest of these was +published by <i>Aldus</i> at Venice in 1540, along with other +tracts of a similar nature, under the name of <i>A Voyage from +Alexandria to India</i>[211]. The other was given by +<i>Ramusio</i> in the first Volume of his Collection, under the +title of <i>A Voyage written by a Venetian officer</i>[212] of +the <i>Gallies, who was carried prisoner from Alexandria to Diu +in India, &c</i>. These copies differ in several respects +besides the title. That by Ramusio is altered in several places +both in the substance and diction, which in many parts of that +edited by Aldus is obscure. Yet that edition is of use to correct +some errors of the press in Ramusio. Our translation is from the +text of Aldus, but we have marked the variations in that of +Ramusio, and have likewise divided the journal into sections, as +done by Ramusio.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 211: The title of the book published by +Aldus in which this voyage is contained is Viaggi alla Tana, +Persia, India, &c.--Astley, I. 88. a.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 212: The word designating the rank of this +officer in Ramusio is <i>Comito</i>, signifying Boatswain, or the +officer who superintended the galley-slaves.--Ast. I. 88. +b.]</blockquote> + +<p>Though not made by the Portuguese, this voyage certainly +claims to be inserted in this place, as having a near connection +with their affairs; besides which, it serves to complete the +information contained in the article next succeeding; as the +present voyage was made along the eastern side of the Red Sea, +while the other was along its western side: So that the two +together give a tolerable account of the whole of that sea; and +they are in fact the more valuable, as being the only minute +journals or relations extant of voyages performed along the whole +length of the Arabian Gulf; except that by Mr Daniel in 1700, +which is very superficial. Yet geographers, with the exception of +M. de Lisle, and one or two since, seem to have made no use of +these helps. It is however very surprising that neither of these +two journals take the smallest notice of that great bay or arm at +the head of the Red Sea, anciently called the <i>Elanitic</i>, a +little to the east of <i>Tor</i> or <i>Al Tur</i>, which passing +by the foot of Mount Sinai, penetrates a great way into Arabia. +This has been described by the Arabian geographers, and confirmed +by two eminent travellers of our own country, Dr Shaw and Dr +Pococke, both of whom have delineated it in their maps[213].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 213: The topography of the Red Sea has been +much improved by Bruce, in his Travels in Abyssinia, and since +him by Lord Valentia in his Travels in India.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"The present voyage shews the way of sailing in these eastern +seas by the Turks, with whom we may join the Arabs and Indians; +and it mentions several particulars respecting the siege of Diu, +and particularly respecting the conduct of the Pacha, which could +not be so well known to the Portuguese; serving to rectify some +things and elucidate others. It must be observed that the +soundings or depths of water, though expressed in fathoms, which +are reckoned at <i>six</i> feet in the British marine service, +are here to be understood as paces of <i>five</i> feet each. The +<i>time</i> is expressed according to the Italian mode of +reckoning; which begins the day at sunset, and counts the hours +successively round from <i>one</i> to <i>twenty-four</i>; instead +of dividing the entire day into twice twelve hours, as is +customary with the English and other European +nations."[214]--<i>Astl</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 214: The Editor of Astleys Collection does +not seem aware that in the British marine, the day begins at +noon, instead of the civil day which begins at +midnight.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION I.</p> + +<p><i>The Venetian Merchants and Mariners at Alexandria are +pressed into the Turkish service, and sent to Suez. Description +of that place. Two thousand men desert from the Gallies. Tor. +Island of Soridan. Port of Kor</i>.</p> + +<p>This voyage was performed by compulsion, having been forced to +accompany the eunuch Solyman Pacha, who was sent by Solyman Shah +emperor of the Turks on an expedition against the Portuguese in +India. At the time when the war broke out in 1537, between the +republic of Venice and the Turks, a fleet of trading gallies +happened to be at Alexandria in Egypt, commanded by Antonio +Barbarigo, and remained there without opportunity of trading or +taking in goods till the 7th of September; on that day Almaro +Barbaro the Venetian consul, the captain Antonio Barbarigo, and +all the merchants and seamen, with every thing belonging to them, +were seized and lodged in the <i>tower of Lances</i>. After this, +all of them that belonged to the sea, and the author of this +voyage among the rest, were taken from the tower and sent by +fifty at a time to Cairo; whence Solyman Pacha, having selected +the gunners, rowers, carpenters, caulkers, and officers, sent +them by companies to Suez to assist in fitting out the fleet in +that port against his own arrival.</p> + +<p>Suez stands in a desert place, where grows no herb of any +kind. At this place the ships are built which are designed for +India. All the timber of which they are built, with the iron +work, and every kind of tackle, are brought from Satalia and +Constantinople to Alexandria; whence they are carried on the Nile +in jerbs or barks to Cairo, and thence on the backs of camels to +Suez, where Pharaoh was drowned. On the road from Cairo to Suez, +which is eighty miles, there is not a single habitation, and no +water or any thing whatever for eating is to be found, so that +the caravans before setting out must supply themselves with water +from the Nile. In former times, Suez was a great city well +supplied with cisterns for holding water, and had a <i>Kalij</i> +or canal cut all the way from the Nile, by which these cisterns +were annually filled at the overflow of the river, which served +them with water all the rest of the year. Being afterwards +destroyed by the Mahometans, the canal was filled up, and all the +water that is drank at Suez is brought upon camels from certain +ponds or wells six miles distant; which water, though very +brackish, they are obliged to drink; every fifty men being +allowed as much water as a camel can carry. All the timber, iron, +rigging, ammunition, and provisions for the fleet were brought +from Cairo. Suez stands on a bay of the Red Sea, and has a small +fort with mud walls, thirty paces square, which is guarded by +twenty Turks. The fleet destined for India consisted of +seventy-six sail; of which six were <i>Maons</i>, seventeen +gallies, twenty-seven <i>foists</i>, two galleons, four ships, +and the rest small craft.</p> + +<p>On the 9th of March 1538, about 2000 men landed from the +gallies with their arms and marched off for the mountains, +meaning to desert; but when about six miles from the shore they +were met by a Sanjiak, accompanied by 27 horse[215], designed for +the garrison of Suez. The deserters were immediately surrounded +by the horse, who killed about 200 of them, and all the rest were +stripped and carried on board the gallies, where they were +chained to the oars. On the 15th of June Solyman Pacha arrived at +Suez, where he pitched his tents and rested eight days. In the +mean time the fleet was got in readiness, and the soldiers +received their pay, being five gold ducats to each and ten +<i>maydins</i>, or 215 maydins in all. Part of the men belonging +to the large Venetian galley, in which the author of this journal +served, were distributed on board the fleet; seventy in one half +galley, seventy in another, and eighteen in the galley of the +<i>Kiahya</i>, who likewise had along with him the Venetian +consul. The rest of these men were distributed in two galleons +which carried the powder, saltpetre, brimstone, ball, meal, +biscuit, and other necessaries for the fleet. The Pacha likewise +sent his treasure on board the gallies, which was contained in +forty-two chests, covered with ox hides and oil-cloth. On the +20th, he issued orders for every one to embark in two days. On +the 22d the Pacha embarked, and dropt down four miles below Suez +to the point of Pharaoh, where he anchored in four fathoms water +on a good bottom. This place is seven miles from the pits of +Moses. Seven men died here.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 215: This is surely some mistake, it being +next to impossible that so few men should surround and overpower +so great a number of armed soldiers.--Astl. I. 89. +d.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 27th of June the whole fleet left Suez with the wind at +N.W. and before night cast anchor at a place called +<i>Korondol</i>, 60 miles from Suez; at which place Moses divided +the sea by stretching out his rod, and Pharaoh was drowned with +all his host. At this place, which may be considered the +commencement of the Red Sea, we had 12 fathoms water, and lay at +anchor all night. Leaving Korondol on the 28th, we sailed 33 +leagues to the S.E. and cast anchor two hours before night at a +place called <i>Tor</i>, where there are many Fransciscan friars +who supplied the fleet with water. This place is a days journey +and a half from Mount <i>Sinai</i>, where is the church and +monastery of St Catharine, in which the body of that saint is +reposited. We remained five days at Tor, in five fathoms water. +We departed from Tor on the 3d of July, and came behind a dry +sand bank about a mile from the shore and 40 miles from Tor, +where we cast anchor in 12 fathoms water at a place named +<i>Kharas</i>, where we remained two days to inspect the two +ships which carried the stores. Leaving Kharas on the 5th, we +came to an island named <i>Soridan</i> 40 miles from the coast, +the whole days course from sunrise to sunset being 100 miles. +Continuing our voyage all night to the S.E. we found ourselves at +sunrise of the 6th to windward of a mountain on the right hand +shore, named <i>Marzoan</i>, 100 miles beyond Soridan. Proceeding +forward on the 6th, and still sailing S.E. we advanced 100 miles +by sunrise, and saw land on the right towards <i>Kabisa</i>[216]. +We sailed 90 miles on the 7th S.E. by E. Proceeding on the 8th at +the rate of 8 miles an hour, we sailed 100 miles by sunrise; and +in the night, the wind being south-westerly, we advanced 20 miles +to the S.E. On the 9th the winds were variable and rather calm. +To the S.E. we found a shoal under water 50 miles from land. Our +course during the day was only 10 miles to the N.W. and in the +ensuing night 20 miles S. by W. On the 10th we sailed 70 miles +S.E. and came to a port named <i>Kor</i> in eight fathoms water, +in a very desert country.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 216: In Ramusio this is called the land of +the <i>Abissini</i>. So that instead of Kabisa or Kabisia, we +should read in the text Habash or Habashia, commonly called +Abassia, Abissina, or Abyssinia.--Astl. I. 90. a.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION II.</p> + +<p><i>Arrival at Jiddah, the Port of Mecca. The islands of Alfas, +Kamaran, and Tuiche. The Straits of Bab-al-Mandub.</i></p> + +<p>Leaving Kor on the 11th of July, we sailed along shore till +noon 30 miles, when we came to a city named <i>Zidem</i>[217], +which is the emporium or landing place of all the spices from +Calicut and other parts of India. This place is a stage and a +half from Mecca; and though there are several shoals both above +and under water, the port is good, and the town has abundance of +provisions: but no water is to be met with, except from a few +cisterns which are filled with rain water. This place abounds in +merchandize, and the country round produces dates, ginger of +Mecca[218], and other sorts. In a mosque on the outside of the +town is a tomb, which according to the Mahometans is the +burial-place of Eve. The inhabitants go almost naked, and are +meagre and swarthy. The sea produces abundance of fish. The +natives tie three or four pieces of timber together about six +feet long, on one of which slight rafts a man rows himself with a +board, and ventures out to sea eight or nine miles to fish in all +weathers. At this place the fleet remained four days and took in +a supply of water.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 217: Otherwise Jiddah or Joddah, the port +of Mecca. In his map of Egypt, Nubia, and Abyssinia, De L'Isle +makes Zidem, which he also names <i>Gidde</i>, doubtless a +corruption of Jiddah, a distinct place a little to the south from +Jiddah. This must be a mistake; as Jiddah has for many ages been +the port of Mecca, as Zidem is said to be in the text. This is +farther confirmed by the mention of <i>Eves tomb</i> in the text, +which Pitts saw at Jiddah. Thevenot says her tomb is at +<i>Gidde</i>, which De L'Isle supposed to have been a different +place from Gidda, Joddah, or Jiddah, whence arose his +mistake.--Astl. I.90. b.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 218: Perhaps we ought to read <i>Balsam</i> +of Mecca.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At our departure on the 15th of July, five small vessels were +missing by chance, which we learnt from a man who had escaped +from a foist. This day we sailed 80 miles S.W. by S. The 16th our +course was S.E. with very little wind, making only 30 miles till +night; and before sunrise 50 miles farther. The 17th we sailed +S.E. till night 100 miles; and from thence till sunrise 16 miles, +S.E. by S. On the 18th we steered S.E. 140[219] miles during the +day, which was dusky; and in the night 50 miles S.E. by E. The +19th sailing E. by S. with a brisk wind till nine in the morning, +we came among certain islands called <i>Atfas</i>, almost +entirely desert, and only inhabited by people who come from other +islands to fish and seek for pearls, which they get by diving to +the bottom of the sea in four fathom water. They drink rain +water, which is preserved in cisterns and ponds. We remained here +all night, having ran 100 miles. On the 20th we came to an island +20 miles from the land named <i>Khamaran</i>, where we got +provisions and good water. In this island there was a ruinous +castle, altogether unoccupied, and about fifty houses built of +boughs of trees, besides a few other huts scattered over the +island. The inhabitants were barefooted and quite naked, of a +small size, and having no head-dresses but their hair, and merely +conceal their parts of shame by means of a clout. They are all +mariners, having a few barks and small craft, the planks of which +are sewed together by rope, and are entirely destitute of iron +work, with sails curiously made of mats, constructed of the barks +of the palm or date tree, and folding together like a fan. The +cordage and cables are made of the same materials. They trade to +the main land in these barks, and bring from thence abundance of +dates, jujebs, and a sort of white buck-wheat. They make a good +quantity of <i>Mecca ginger</i>, and procure plenty of +frankinsence from Bista[220]. They reduce their buck-wheat to +meal on a piece of marble, about the size of the stone on which +colours are ground by painters, on which another stone about half +an ell long and like a rolling pin or roller is made to work so +as to bruise the corn. Immediately after this it is made into a +paste and baked into thin cakes. This is their bread, which must +be made fresh every day, otherwise it becomes so dry and hard +that there is no eating it. Both fish and flesh are to be had +here in sufficient abundance. From the islands of <i>Akhefas</i> +or <i>Atfas</i> to this island of <i>Khamaran</i> the distance is +40 miles.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 219: In Ramusio only 40 miles.--Astl. I. +90. d.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 220: This is called the land of the +Abissins in the edition of Ramusio.--Astl. I. 91. +a.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Pacha landed at this place, making all the gallies turn +into the harbour along with him; and sent from thence two foists +with messengers, one to the king or sheikh of <i>Zibit</i> or +<i>Zabid</i>, and the other to the sheikh of Aden, ordering them +to provide water and provisions for the fleet, to enable him to +proceed in his expedition to India against the Portuguese. The +messenger to Zabid was likewise ordered to tell the sheikh of +that place, which is a days journey inland, that he must come to +the shore, bringing with him the tribute due to the grand +signior, and to pay his obeisance to the Pacha. The fleet +remained ten days at the island of Khamaran, where it was +furnished with water. Leaving Khamaran on the 30th of July with a +scanty wind, we sailed S. by E. 50 miles, and came at one in the +morning to the island of <i>Tuiccé</i>. Here the foist +sent to the sheikh of Zabid brought a present to the Pacha, +consisting of swords in the shape of scymeters made at +<i>Zimina</i>, the handles and scabbards being of silver; also +some poinards of similar workmanship, the handles of which were +adorned with turquois stones, rubies, and pearls. But the sheikh +sent word that he would pay the tribute when the Pacha returned +from conquering the Portuguese, acknowledging at the same time +that he was the slave of the sultan. This day we advanced fifty +miles, and fifty more during the night, our course being S. by E. +On the 1st of August, we proceeded ten miles with the wind at +S.W. to a shoal named <i>Alontrakin</i>[221], near the mouth of +the straits, having <i>Kabisia</i> or <i>Habash</i> on the right +hand. Here we had two fathoms water, and staid one night.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 221: In Ramusio this shoal is called Babel, +being the two first words or syllables of Bab-el-Mandub, +corruptly called <i>Babel Mandel</i>. Bab-el-Mandub signifies +<i>the gate of weeping</i>, being the name of the entry to the +Red Sea of Arabian Gulf; so called because reckoned exceedingly +dangerous by the ancient Arabs, insomuch that they used to put on +mourning for their relations who passed them, as persons given +over for lost.--Ast. I. 91. d.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION III.</p> + +<p><i>Arrival at Aden, where the Sheikh and four others are +hanged. Sequel of the Voyage to Diu</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 2d of August, leaving the shoal of Alontrakin, we +sailed 10 miles E. by S. and got through the straits; whence +proceeding till sunrise next morning we went 80 miles farther. On +the 3d sailing 80 miles E. by N. we arrived at the city of +<i>Adem</i> or Aden. This city is strongly fortified, standing +close to the sea, and surrounded by lofty mountains, on the top +of which are several little forts or castles. It is encompassed +also on every side with <i>ravelins</i>[222], except an opening +of 300 paces wide leading from the shore to the country; and has +strong gates and towers and well-built walls. Besides all these, +there is a fort built on a shoal before the city, having a tower +on one side to defend the port, which is to the south, and has +two fathoms water. To the north there is a large port with good +anchorage, being safe in all winds. Though there is plenty of +good water here, the soil is dry and produces nothing. The water +is all from rain, and is preserved in cisterns and pits 100 +fathoms deep; and is so hot when first drawn up that it cannot be +used till it stands to cool. This city is provided with +provisions, wood, and every other necessary from other places, +and has abundance of Jews[223].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 222: Perhaps redoubts or detached towers +are here meant; or the word here translated ravelins may signify +shoals, reefs, or sand-banks, encompassing the +harbour.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 223: This circumstance is not in the least +improbable; yet it is possible that the author of this journal +may have mistaken <i>Banians</i> for Jews, as we know that all +the trade in the ports of Arabia and the Red Sea is now conducted +by Banian factors--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Immediately on the arrival of the fleet, the Pacha was waited +upon by four principal persons of the city, who brought +refreshments. He received them courteously, and talked with them +a while in private; after which he gave each of them two vests of +figured velvet, and sent them back with letters of safe conduct +for the sheikh, signifying that he might come freely on board and +fear nothing. The sheikh sent back word that he would not come in +person, but would readily supply whatever was wanted. On the 5th +of August, the Pacha ordered the janizaries to land with their +arms, and all the gallies to man and arm their boats. He then +sent his Kiahya to summon the sheikh to come before him, and do +homage to the sultan. The sheikh answered, "I swear by your head +that I am the humble slave of the sultan;" and came immediately +to the gallies attended by many of his principal officers. The +Kiahya presented him with a handkerchief round his neck to the +Pacha, who embraced and entertained him with much courtesy. After +a long conference, the Pacha caused two vests of figured velvet +to be brought, which he put with his own hands on the sheikh, and +made all the lords of his retinue be clothed in a similar manner. +They conferred together afterwards for a long time, and the +sheikh was dismissed with leave to return to the city. What +happened afterwards it is not proper for me to relate[224]; +suffice it to say, that Solyman suddenly gave orders to a sanjack +with 500 janizaries to take possession of the city, the +inhabitants of which, like those of <i>Kharabaia</i>[225], are +swarthy, lean, and of small stature. Aden is a place of +considerable trade, particularly with India, at which there +arrive every year three or four ships laden with various kind of +spices, which are afterwards sent to Cairo. In these parts grow +<i>ginger of Mecca</i>, but no other sort.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 224: In the edition of Ramusio, the author +is made to relate the story openly, in the following manner: +"That same instant after dismissing the sheikh, the Pacha, caused +him to be hanged by the neck at the yard-arm, together with four +of his principal officers or favourites."--Ast. I. 92. +a.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 225: By Ramusio this word is given +<i>Arabia</i>.--Ast. I. 92. b.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 8th of August, the fleet removed to the north port of +Aden, where it remained eleven days, taking in a supply of water. +On the 19th we departed, being 74 sail in all, reckoning gallies, +foists, ships, and lesser vessels; the Pacha leaving three foists +behind to guard the port. This day our course was 40 miles E. by +N. On the 20th we went 50 miles east with a fair wind at west; +and during the night we went other 20 miles E. by N. The 21st we +ran 30 miles, east in a calm, and by sunrise 30 more. The 22d it +was quite calm till noon, when a gentle breeze arose which +carried us 20 miles east before night, and 50 more during the +night in the same direction. During the 23d, we steered 60 miles +E. by N. and 40 miles in the night N.E. The 24th 40 miles N.E. +and other 40 miles in the night in the same direction. The 25th +90 miles N.E. by E. and 100 miles in the night the same course. +The 26th 90 miles N.E. and 80 in the night. The 27th 90 miles, +and in the night 100, both N.E. The 28th 90 miles during the day, +and 90 more during the night, still N.E. The 29th still keeping +the same course, 90 miles in the day, and 90 more at night. On +the 30th, we sailed 86 miles E. by N. during the day, and 90 +miles N.E. by E. during the night. Still holding N.E. by E. on +the 31st we sailed 70 miles by day and 80 by night. Proceeding in +the same course on the 1st September we went 70 miles in the day +and 50 in the night. Holding on the same course on the 2d we ran +30 miles; by noon we were in 35 fathoms water, and at night in 20 +fathoms, being within 100 miles of Diu, but 400 miles from the +nearest land on the north. While between 100 and 150 miles from +the land, we saw several snakes in the sea, the water often +having a green colour, which are sure signs of approaching the +land on this coast.</p> + +<p>On the 3d the fleet proceeded with calm weather along the +shore, and at nine in the morning the Pacha was informed by a +boat from the land that there were 600 Portuguese in the castle +of Diu, and six armed gallies in the port. The Pacha made the +bearers of this intelligence a present of six <i>kaftans</i> or +vests, and dismissed them. A Jew was afterwards taken on shore by +some of the Turkish sailors, and confirmed this account. This day +our course along shore was 30 miles, and we made 30 more during +the night. On the 4th of September at sunrise, we proceeded 30 +miles, and cast anchor within three miles of Diu. Before +anchoring, a Portuguese foist was seen coming out of the harbour, +which was chased by a half galley all day, but made her escape in +the night.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV.</p> + +<p><i>The Castle of Diu is besieged by the Moors. The Turks +plunder the City, and the Indian Generals withdraw in resentment. +The Pacha lands. A man 300 years old. Women burn themselves. The +Fleet removes</i>.</p> + +<p>The same day on which we anchored near Diu, one Khojah Zaffer +came on board in a galley. This man was a native of Otranto in +Italy, but had turned Turk and was captain of a galley in the +former fleet sent to India by the sultan. When that fleet was +defeated and destroyed, Zaffer entered into the service of the +king of Diu or Kambachia, who gave him lands and made him chief +governor of his kingdom. Zaffer had also insinuated himself into +the confidence of the Portuguese; but when he learnt that the +Turkish fleet was coming, he and the vizier or viceroy of the +kingdom came with 8000 Indians, took the city of Diu from the +Portuguese, and besieged them in the castle which was now closely +begirt by their troops, not a day passing without a skirmish. +Zaffer was accompanied on this visit to the Pacha by the prime +vizier of Cambaya, and both were received with much honour. They +informed the Pacha that there were 500 soldiers and 300 others in +the castle, which they had besieged for 26 days, and had no doubt +of being able to reduce it with their Indian troops, if the Pacha +would furnish them with artillery and ammunition. The Pacha +presented each of them with two vests; but while they remained on +board, the Turkish troops landed with their arms and plundered +the city of Diu, doing infinite injury to the Indian inhabitants, +and not even sparing the palace of the viceroy, whence they took +three fine horses, together with, some treasure and furniture, +carrying away every thing they could lay hands upon. They +likewise advanced towards the castle, and skirmished with the +Portuguese garrison. When the viceroy returned and was made +acquainted with the outrages committed by the Turks, he gave +immediate orders to his officers to have every thing in +readiness, and retired from Diu with 6000 men, going immediately +to the king who was about two days journey up the country. That +same night a foist came from the city to our fleet with a supply +of fresh bread, nuts, flesh, boiled rice, and other things, sent +in the name of the king of Cambaya, all of which were taken into +the Pachas galley. On the 5th of September, the Pacha sent the +Moorish captain and his Kiahya to join these on shore; and all +the gallies sent their boats filled with janizaries to assist the +native troops who were encamped round the castle, these being now +reduced to not more than 2000 men, as all the rest had departed +along with the viceroy and Khojah Zaffer. On the 7th, the fleet +removed to a very good port, thirty miles from Diu, called +<i>Muda Burack</i>[226], where we got abundance of water.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 226: This place is afterwards called +Mudafar-aba, and perhaps ought to be written Madaffer-abad.--Ast. +I. 93. e.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 8th the Pacha went on shore at Diu, where the besiegers +had began to batter the castle, having placed some cannons for +that purpose on four <i>maons</i>. He sent also three pieces of +artillery on shore, which were planted on[227] a tower standing +by the water side about a cannon-shot from the great fortress, +being the place where the Indian officers used to receive the +customs. It had thick walls and was defended by four brass guns +and a hundred men, but had no ditch. On the 9th, a ship and +galley which were laden with biscuit, powder, and other stores +for the siege, struck on a sand bank while entering the harbour. +The goods and the galley were saved, but the ship was totally +lost.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 227: Perhaps we ought here to read +<i>against</i> the tower by the water side.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>A half galley belonging to our fleet arrived at Diu on the +19th in bad condition. She had fallen behind the fleet, and had +been driven to a port belonging to a people of the Pagans called +<i>Samori</i>[228], where she sent a boat on shore with some +janizaries, who were all cut to pieces. After which the natives +in our barge and some of their own barks, attacked the galley and +slew other sixty men of her crew, so that she had much ado to +escape. The Pacha sent for the pilot of this galley, and caused +him to be hanged for his bad management.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 228: Probably meaning the dominions of the +zamorin of Calicut--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 25th an Indian who had turned Christian and belonged to +the garrison in the castle, was made prisoner in a sally, and +being brought before the Pacha, but refusing to answer any +questions, was condemned to be cut in two. On the same day an old +man presented himself before the Pacha, who said that he was +upwards of 300 years old, which was confirmed by the people of +the country, who asserted that there were several very old men in +that neighbourhood. The natives of this country are very lean and +live sparingly. They eat no beef, but use their oxen for riding +upon. Their oxen are small and handsome, very tractable, and have +an easy pace. Instead of a bridle, they use a cord passed through +a hole in the nostrils of the ox. Their horns are long and +straight, and they are used as beasts of burden, like mules in +Italy. These animals are held in much veneration, especially the +cows, and they even make great rejoicings on the birth of a calf, +on which account these people are reckoned idolaters. When any of +the men of this country happens to die, the widow makes a great +feast for the relations; after which they go in procession with +music and dancing to a place where a great fire is prepared, into +which the corpse is thrown, carrying along with them many large +pots full of scalding hot grease. The widow then dances round the +fire, singing the praises of her husband, after which she +distributes her entire dress and ornaments among her relations, +till she has nothing left but a small apron. Immediately after +this, having thrown a pot of the scalding grease into the fire, +she leaps into the midst of the flames, and the assistants throw +in all the other pots of grease to increase the flames, so that +she is dead in an instant. All women who would be esteemed +virtuous observe this custom, and such as do not are accounted +wicked, nor will any one marry them. The country of Guzerat is +rich and fertile, producing excellent ginger of all sorts, and +cocoa nuts. Of these last the natives make oil, vinegar, flour, +cordage, and mats. The cocoa-nut tree resembles the date palm in +every thing except the fruit and leaves, those of the palm being +broader.</p> + +<p>On the 28th the fleet removed from the port of +<i>Mudaferaba</i>, which has from 2 to 4 fathoms water; and +having sailed six hours on the 29th, cast anchor about 15 miles +from Diu. Having remained at anchor all night, the fleet made +sail on the 30th with a north wind from shore, and came behind +the castle of Diu, where all the gallies discharged their +artillery in succession, after which they cast anchor about three +miles from the castle.</p> + +<p>SECTION V.</p> + +<p><i>A Bulwark Surrenders to the Turks, who make Galley-slaves +of the Portuguese Garrison; with several other incidents of the +siege.</i></p> + +<p>On the 1st of October, a messenger came from the lesser castle +offering to capitulate, being no longer able to hold out. The +Turks had planted three pieces of cannon against that fort which +carried balls of iron of 150 pounds weight, and pierced the tower +through and through, so that the stones flew about and had slain +twenty men out of an hundred in the garrison. Yet these men had +slain many of the Turks with their musquets and four pieces of +cannon, the fire having continued incessantly for eighteen or +twenty days. On delivering his message, the person sent from the +fort received a rich vest, and had a safe conduct written in the +most ample form for himself and all the garrison. When the +messenger returned to the tower, he persuaded the captain and two +other persons to wait upon the Pacha, who gave the captain a vest +and confirmed the safe conduct, only under the express condition +that they should not go into the castle. The captain, whose name +was <i>Juan Francisco Paduano</i>[229], returning to the tower +which was called <i>Gogole</i>, brought off his men to the number +of eighty, all of whom the Pacha ordered to be disarmed and +confined in a house under a strong guard.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 229: It ought to be +<i>Pacheco</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 3d of October, the Pacha ordered the four <i>slave</i> +gunners of the large gallies on shore, and gave them in charge to +batter the principal castle. He likewise ordered all the +Portuguese who had surrendered to be distributed among the +gallies and chained to the oar, captain and all. The same day, +three Portuguese gallies entered the harbour of Diu without +opposition, for the Pacha did not send a single vessel to hinder +them. The 8th a ship arrived with provisions and was wrecked in +the road. On board were fifteen men belonging to the large +gallies, together with the admiral, and sixty sailors with many +galley-slaves. The 13th, the fleet removed from the west to the +east side of Diu, where they anchored two miles from the castle; +but during this change of position, the cannon of the fortress +sunk one galley and broke the main-yard of another. On the 15th, +the Pacha removed from the <i>maon</i> where he resided hitherto +into his half galley, but ordered a <i>white</i> sail to be taken +from another galley, his own being distinguished by colours. The +reason of this was that he expected the Portuguese fleet, and did +not wish they should know what ship he was in. Being also afraid +of the shot he caused a great ring of cables and such things to +be formed on the poop, sufficient to repel cannon-shot, for he +was fearful and cowardly. He likewise ordered all the Christians +to be put in irons. On the 17th, being the eve of St Luke, he +caused the head of one of the people belonging to the Venetian +gallies to be cut off, merely for saying, <i>the signory of +Venice is not dead</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 22d the Pacha gave out in orders to the gunners on +shore, about 400 in number, some of whom were slain daily, that +whoever shot down the great standard of the castle should have a +reward of 1000 maydins and receive his freedom. This was chiefly +occasioned by a desire of revenge, as his own standard had been +given to the Portuguese by a <i>Sanjak</i>. Upon this, one of +these Christian gunners at the third shot broke down the +standard, which stood on the top of a great tower, on which the +Turks made great rejoicings and published the news with much +exultation throughout the fleet. The gunner was rewarded with a +silken vest.</p> + +<p>The artillery belonging to the Turks was planted against the +castle all in one line, but in six separate batteries. In the +first was an iron <i>culverine</i> carrying a ball of 150 pounds, +and a <i>paderero</i> of 200 pounds. At a small distance was an +iron <i>passe-volant</i> of 16 pounds, which discharged cartridge +shot. In another place was a <i>paderero</i> of 300 pounds, and a +<i>culverine</i> of 150; and in this second post was a +<i>passe-volant</i> like the former, both belonging to the great +gallies. In another place was an iron <i>saker</i> of 12 pounds, +a small <i>cannon</i> of 16 pounds, a <i>falcon</i> of 6 pounds, +and a mortar throwing a ball of 400 pounds. In another post was a +culverine of 100 pounds. By this prodigious train of artillery, +the Turks had battered down one tower, so that they could easily +mount the breach, the tower not being very high, and the ditch +not having been dug to a sufficient depth: But as fast as the +Turks ruined the defences of this tower, the besieged repaired +the breach as well as they could with earth and rubbish. It must +also be observed that this fortress had no flanks; and being +built upon a rock, they had made no <i>casemates</i>, only +erecting embrasures on the top of the wall, which were all ruined +and shaken. The main safety of the besieged consisted in their +bravery. Every day fifteen or twenty of them used to sally forth +like so many furious lions, killing all they met, which struck +such terror into the Turkish soldiers that they fled in confusion +as soon as they saw the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>On the 25th of October, the Turks caused a great number of +cotton sacks to be got ready, covered with skins and bound with +ropes, all of which were thrown into the ditch, which they +completely filled, reaching as high as the wall. This being +noticed by the besieged early in the morning, before the Turks +put themselves in order for the assault, sixty of the Portuguese +made a sally from the castle, forty of whom fought the enemy with +great gallantry, while the other twenty remained in the ditch, +each of whom carried a small leather bag full of powder and a +lighted match. These men cut open the cotton bales, into each of +which they put a handful of powder, which they fired, so that in +a short time several of the bags were set on fire; and the whole +continued burning for two days. Those who sallied out upon the +enemy maintained the fight for more than three hours, during +which time they killed 190 Turks and wounded as many more, losing +only two of their own number.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI.</p> + +<p><i>Farther particulars of the siege, to the retreat of the +Turks, and the commencement of their Voyage back to Suez.</i></p> + +<p>On the 27th of October five Portuguese <i>foists</i> arrived +at Diu, which took a Turkish vessel of the same kind, and landed +succours for the besieged, but were unable to get into the +harbour, as some of the cannon formerly mentioned commanded its +entrance, by ranging past the end of the castle. The 29th the +Pacha ordered out forty boats filled with Turks, having some +small cannon in each, in order to assault a small fort or bulwark +on the water side in the harbour at some distance from the +castle, the whole defences of which had been mined by the Turkish +artillery, and in which there were only five or six men, who were +relieved daily from the castle by water, the distance being less +than a falcon shot. On the approach of the Turkish boats, the men +in this small fort or bulwark lay down that they might not be +seen. On coming to the place, the Turks ran the bows of their +boats on shore, where every thing lay in ruins to the very edge +of the water, and instantly leapt on shore. The small but gallant +party of defenders immediately met them with two +<i>fire-horns</i>, and the cannon from the castle played against +the assailants so furiously, that the Turks soon fled. Several of +their boats were sunk, many of the men were drowned, and the +garrison of the castle took a considerable number of prisoners, +coming out in one of their barks and killing or taking them while +in confusion on the water. All those who were taken were hanged +next day on the battlements of the castle.</p> + +<p>The whole Turkish forces were drawn out in order of battle on +the 30th, and advanced to that side of the castle next the +harbour to make a general assault, for which purpose they carried +a great number of scaling-ladders. Another party of the Turks +mounted the breach on the land side of the castle, which they +could do at pleasure as the place was entirely opened by the fire +of the batteries. But after remaining there three hours without +sufficient courage to enter the place, the besieged leapt upon +the breach and pushed the Turks into the ditch, killing four +hundred of them. On the 31st the <i>Moorish</i> captain[230] went +with eleven gallies to attack the little castle, but was forced +to desist by the cannon from the great castle, which sunk some of +his vessels.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 230: This person has been several times +mentioned under this title, as a principal officer under Solyman +Pacha, but we have no indications by which to conjecture who he +was.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 2d of November, the <i>Sanjak</i> with the janizaries +and all the rest of the Turks embarked, leaving all their +artillery behind, which they had not time to carry off. This was +occasioned by receiving news that the Portuguese fleet was +advancing in order of battle. The 5th, twenty sail of Portuguese +vessels appeared in sight, and came to anchor twenty miles +distance from the Turkish fleet. In the morning only three of +these ships were seen at a distance, at which time the Turks put +off from the land: But at sunrise many ships were seen, which +shot off a great number of guns, though nothing could be +perceived but the flash of the powder. Upon this the Pacha gave +orders for each of his gallies to fire three guns; after which, +the trumpets were sounded, all the ships hoisting their foresails +and plying their oars. This was done at one o'clock at night, and +at four the whole fleet departed with hardly any wind, and by +day-break had run 30 miles, shaping their course S.S.W.</p> + +<p>The 7th, we sailed forty miles in the same direction, the +weather being still calm. The 8th, we proceeded 30 miles W. +during the day, and 20 in the night. The 9th, we went 20 miles W. +and this day the Christians had their irons taken off. The 10th, +we made no way, the weather being a dead calm. The 11th, the wind +blew from the W.S.W. We stood to N.W. advancing 30 miles in the +day and night. The 12th, the wind being N.W. by N. we entered the +gulf of Ormuz[231] and then sailed W.S.W. advancing all that day +and night only 30 miles. The 13th, we proceeded W. 70 miles by +day and 90 during the night. The 14th, 100 miles during the day +and as much in the night. The 15th, 80 by day and 80 by night. +The 16th, 80 by day and 70 in the night. The 17th, 90 in the day +and 80 in the night. The 18th, 100 in the day and 70 in the +night. The 19th, 70 by day and 80 by night; all this time the +course being due west. The 20th, we sailed W. by S. 90 miles, and +saw land to windward, and proceeded 100 miles in the night. The +21st, we sailed W. by S. 80 miles by day and 50 in the night. The +22d, continuing the same course, we went only 10 miles during the +day, and 20 in the night. The 23d it fell a calm, and we +proceeded along the coast of Arabia, 30 miles in the day and 20 +in the night. On the 24th, the calm continued and we had adverse +currents, yet proceeded along the coast of Arabia 30 miles, and +came to the islands of <i>Curia Muria</i>[232], which are very +desert and thinly inhabited. We staid here one day and took in a +supply of water. The fleet departed from these islands on the +26th, sailing along the coast of Arabia towards the Red Sea, 30 +miles in the day and 30 at night.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 231: That part of the gulf may be here +understood which is on the outside of the Straits of Ormuz, or +the bay between Cape Ras-al-gat, or the coast of Muscat, and the +Persian shore: Yet, from the after part of the voyage this could +hardly be the case, and we ought perhaps to read in this part of +the text the <i>Arabian Sea</i>, or that part of the Indian ocean +which stretches across the mouths of the Indus, from the western +coast of Guzerat towards the coast of Arabia.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 232: In the text of the Aldus this place is +called by mistake the town of Khamaran, which is a very different +place within the Red Sea, but in Ramusio it is rightly named +Curia Muria. These islands, are in lat. 17° 30' on the +oceanic coast of Yemen or Yaman, and are likewise named the +islands of Chartan and Martan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION VII.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Voyage back to Suez, from the +Portuguese factory at Aser, to Khamaran and Kubit Sharif</i>.</p> + +<p>At the second hour of the night on the 27th of November, the +fleet cast anchor in six fathoms water off a town on the coast of +Arabia named <i>Aser</i>[233], a barren desert place, where both +men and cattle are forced to live on fish. At this place was +found forty Portuguese with a consul or factor, who resided here +for trade, besides other merchants who come frequently with spice +and other things. But their chief trade was in horses, which are +here excellent; being to be had at about 100 ducats each, and +sell in India for 1000 ducats. As soon as the sheikh of this +place understood that Solyman Pacha was coming there with his +fleet, he caused all the Portuguese at the factory to be seized, +and presented them to the Pacha, who made them all be chained to +the oars. We here found a ship which had staid there by the way, +being unable to proceed to India. We remained here three days, +and the Pacha seized all the biscuit which could be procured for +the use of the fleet. It may be proper to notice, that in every +place at which the fleet touched in this return voyage, the Turks +gave out that they had conquered the whole country of India, and +had cut all the Christians to pieces. The 1st December, the fleet +departed, holding a courses W.S.W. along the coast of Arabia, and +sailing 40 miles cast anchor before night at a place called +<i>Mikaiya</i>, and took in water. The 2d, continuing along the +coast of Arabia, we proceeded W.S.W. 30 miles in the day, and 10 +in the night. The 3d, 40 miles by day and 50 in the night. The +4th, 70 in the day and 30 in the night. The 5th, we went 60 miles +farther, and by nine o'clock in the night cast anchor off the +town of <i>Adem</i> or <i>Aden</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 233: About the distance rather vaguely +indicated in the text, is a place called <i>Dhofar</i> on the +coast of Yemen, and perhaps the text ought to have been +<i>D'Afer</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 6th, the Pacha sent in the morning for a renegado Turk, +formerly a Christian and a person of some note, and without +assigning any cause ordered his head to be cut off. The reason +was they all murmured, and the Pacha feared this man might accuse +him of negligence or cowardice, and was therefore determined to +be beforehand with him. This man had formerly been in the service +of the sheikh of Aden, and was afterwards a captain at Diu, when +the former king Badur was slain by the Portuguese. The widow of +Badur being possessed of a great treasure and desirous of +retiring to Mecca, was persuaded by this man to embark with him +in a galleon, with which he treacherously sailed to Egypt, whence +he carried the treasure to Constantinople and presented it to the +sultan; who, because of his conversance in the affairs of India, +made him commander of a galley, and ordered him to return to +India with the fleet under Solyman Pacha: And as the expedition +succeeded so ill it now cost him his life. Being desirous to +secure Aden, the Pacha caused 100 pieces of cannon of different +sizes to be landed from the fleet, among which were two +<i>passe-volants</i> that had been taken out of the Venetian +gallies at Alexandria. He likewise landed an ample supply of +powder and ball, and left a Sanjak with 500 Turks and five +<i>foists</i>[234]. Thinking himself now out of danger from the +pursuit of the Portuguese fleet, the Pacha removed from the half +galley and returned to the <i>maon</i>. On the 19th, every thing +being arranged at Aden, the fleet took in water, which occupied +them during three days; and on the 23d we sailed from Aden with a +good wind, steering W. by S. and between the evening and morning +proceeded 100 miles. The 24th at the 5th hour of the day, the +fleet entered the straits of the Red Sea, and lay all night at +anchor. On the 25th, being Christmas, we departed three hours +before day, and sailing to the N.W. with a scant wind, we ran 50 +miles and came to a castle called <i>Mokha</i>. The same day, an +old Turk who was governor of the castle came to wait upon +Solyman, who received him with great honour and gave him a +caftan. In return the governor sent every kind of refreshment +that the place could supply to the Pacha; and came a few days +afterwards on board with all his riches, which were very great, +besides many slaves of both sexes.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 234: These <i>fouts</i>, so often mentioned +in this chapter, were probably <i>grabs</i> or <i>jerbs</i>, a +large species of barks employed in their navigations by the Arabs +of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>From Mokha the Pacha sent a messenger to the sheikh or king of +Zabid, who was a Turk named <i>Nokoda Hamet</i>, commanding him +to come immediately to the sea-side and pay his obeisance to the +sultan. The sheikh sent back for answer, that he was ready to pay +the tribute due to the sultan, and would willingly accept a +Sanjak or banner if sent to him; but that he did not know the +Pacha and would not come to the sea-side. The Pacha was much +displeased at this, yet sent his Kiahya and some janizaries to +Zabid, which is three days journey inland, to carry a standard to +the sheikh. In return the sheikh made him a rich present, in +which was a splendid scymeter and dagger, with some beautiful +pearls of six carats forming a string above a foot in length, +besides one fine pearl of eighteen carats: for a great deal of +fine oriental pearls are found in this coast of Arabia. He +likewise gave each of the Turks two rich-vests or caftans, and a +young black slave. The Kiahya made him many compliments, and +entreated him to wait upon the Pacha; but the sheikh would on no +account consent. Finding that he could not prevail upon him, the +Kiahya said, "Since you will not go to the Pacha, he will come to +you:" And so took his leave and returned to Mokha.</p> + +<p>We remained twenty-nine days at Mokha, which we left at +sunrise on the 23d of January 1539 with a brisk gale, and sailed +W. by N. till noon; when the wind altered and we proceeded N.W. +going in all 100 miles that day. The 24th we continued to the +N.W. under easy sail with a fair wind 30 miles during the day; +and by the sixth hour of the night, we cast anchor at the island +of <i>Khamaran</i>, 20 miles farther. The Pacha landed on the +29th, and gave pay to all the janizaries who were willing to +fight, but nothing was given to the slaves and mariners. The 2d +of February, the weather being calm, we left Khamaran by the help +of our oars, and came about six o'clock to a place on the coast +called <i>Kubit Sarif</i>[235], 20 miles from Khamaran.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 235: In the edition of Aldus, this place is +here named <i>Khebiccairf</i>; but afterwards Kubit Sarif as in +the text. In Ramusio it is named <i>Kobbat Sharif</i>, signifying +the noble dome, which is probably the right name.--Astl. I. 98. +a.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION VIII</p> + +<p><i>Transactions of the Pacha at Zabid, and continuation of the +Voyage from Kubit Sarif</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 3d of February, the day after our arrival at Kubit +Sarif, a Turk in the service of the sheikh of Zabid[236] revolted +with fifty horse and came to the Pacha, who received him kindly +and gave him presents. This man encamped with his followers on +the shore, and we noticed that in this country they had their +horses in armour, to defend them against darts and arrows which +are their chief weapons. The Pacha landed on the fourth, ordering +his men to be got ready with provisions and ammunition, in order +to march for Zabid, and directed some light pieces of artillery +to be put on carriages to accompany him. The Pacha set out on his +march on the 19th, three hours before day on horseback, and was +joined on the road by another Turk with fifty horse, who had +deserted from the sheikh. Him the Pacha made free, and continued +his march. He encamped on the 20th on the outside of the city of +Zabid, and sent a message to order the sheikh to wait upon him. +Seeing himself betrayed by many of his own people, and +distrusting the fidelity of the rest, the sheikh came forth with +a cord about his neck, as the slave of the grand signior, and +presented himself before the Pacha, who immediately commanded his +head to be cut off. On this the people of the city, to the number +of three hundred men, fled to the mountains, among whom were +three chiefs with all their riches, which were very considerable, +yet knew not where to go. The Pacha sent to tell those who had +escaped, that they ought to return and join him, promising to +enroll them among his troops and to give them good pay. +Accordingly there came back 200 <i>black Abissins</i>[237], who +had been soldiers in the service of the sheikh. These were +valiant desperate fellows almost naked, who did not value their +lives, and were almost as swift as horses. For arms, some carried +clubs of the cornel tree headed with iron, others had pointed +stakes which they used like darts, others again had short swords, +a span shorter than those used by the Christians, and everyone +had a dagger at his girdle, bent like those used, by the Moors +and Arabs. The Pacha asked every one his name, which he caused to +be written down, and with higher pay than they had received +before. He then dismissed them, with orders to return next +morning without arms to receive their pay, when they were all to +be admitted to kiss his hand, on which occasion they would have +no use for their arms. The Abissins accordingly presented +themselves at the time appointed, and being ordered to lay down +their arms, they went to wait upon the Pacha who was sitting near +his tent on the plain, surrounded by his Turks under arms. They +were no sooner within the circle, than a previously concerted +signal was given, and they were all instantly cut to pieces.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 236: This name is differently written +Zibit, Zebit, and Zebeyd. It is a town of the Tehamah on the +western coast of Arabia, in lat. 15° 2O', about 30 miles from +the Red Sea, inland from the large bay formed by the isle of +Khamaran.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 237: Probably negroes, imported from the +coast of Abyssinia, Massua and Arkike, the gates or entry into +that country being on the opposite coast of the Red +Sea.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After this bloody scene, the Pacha placed a Sanjak with 1000 +soldiers in Zabid to retain it under subjection. The city is well +built, and the country round is pleasant and fertile, abounding +in running water, delightful gardens, and abundance of +productions that are not to be found in any other part of Arabia; +particularly Zibibs like those of Damascus, which have no stones, +and other excellent fruits, such as dates. Flesh, is to be had in +plenty, and corn is not scarce.</p> + +<p>On the 8th of March 1539, the Pacha returned to the coast, +whence he ordered ammunition to be sent to Zabid to secure his +acquisition, and appointed foot <i>foists</i> to remain as a +guard for that part of the coast. The 10th the Pacha ordered the +Portuguese prisoners, to the number of 146 in all, reckoning some +Indian converts, to be brought bound on shore; and having +distributed them among his troops, all their heads were cut off +by his command. The head of the chief[238] was flayed, and the +skin was salted and filled with straw. The noses and ears of all +the rest were cut off, and put into bags, to be sent to the +sultan. On the 13th the Kiahya departed in company with another +galley for <i>Zadem</i>[239], whence he was to go to +Constantinople by way of Mecca, with an account of the expedition +to India, carrying with him the heads, noses, and ears, besides +magnificent presents for the sultan, to make it appear that the +Pacha had performed great exploits and mighty services.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 238: Pacheco most probably, formerly +mentioned, who surrendered in a cowardly manner at +Diu.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 239: Formerly called Zidem, but it ought to +be Jiddah, Joddah, or Juddah, as differently pronounced: Yet +Barthema, Corsali, Barbosa, and other travellers of those times +call it Zidem or Ziden; doubtless by corruption. Thus likewise +<i>Yamboa, Yembo</i>, or <i>Al Yambo</i>, the sea port of +Medinah, is named <i>Elioban</i> by Barbosa, transposing the +letters instead of <i>El Jambo</i>.--Astl. I. 99. +a.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 15th of March we departed from Kubit Sarif, and cast +anchor at sunset at a place called <i>Kor</i>, five miles from +the land and 100 miles from Kubit Sarif. We departed from the +island of Kor on the 16th an hour before day with a fair wind and +pleasant breeze, and sailing along the coast of Arabia came to +anchor at sunset in 8 fathoms water at <i>Zerzer</i>, 70 miles +from Kor, a place subject to Mecca. At this place the three +persons who had fled from Zabid with their riches were brought to +the Pacha, who caused their heads to be cut off, and seized their +treasure, which filled six large sacks, each of which was a +sufficient load for any single man.</p> + +<p>The 17th we sailed along the coast with a pleasant gale, which +became contrary an hour before sunset, when we cast anchor in 8 +fathom-water, at a place called <i>Adiudi</i>, 50 miles from +Zerzer. We departed from thence on the 18th two hours before day, +and coasted along the land till noon, when we anchored in a good +port named <i>Mugora</i>, in 4 fathoms water, 50 miles from +Adiudi, where we got wood and water. An hour before day on the +19th, we departed by means of our oars, the wind being contrary; +but at sunrise the wind became fair, and we sailed 50 miles along +shore to a place called <i>Darboni</i>, where we came to anchor +in 7 fathoms water. Being calm, we coasted along by rowing till +noon, when a breeze sprang up, and then using our sails, we came +to anchor in 10 fathoms water by sunset at a place called +<i>Yasuf</i>, belonging to Mecca. On the 21st we proceeded 60 +miles, and anchored in 40 fathoms, at a place called +<i>Khofadan</i>, in the dominions, of Mecca. The 22d the +navigation being much encumbered with sand banks, so thick +together and intricate that it was hardly possible to sail in the +day, the Pacha ordered six gallies to lead-the way, and we came +to a shelf or shoal called <i>Turakh</i>. The 23d we coasted +along, still among shoals, the channel being so narrow that only +one galley could pass at a time; and cast anchor at a place named +<i>Salta</i> in 4 fathoms, having ran fifty miles. Sailing 30 +miles farther along the coast on the 24th, we anchored at noon in +the port of <i>Mazabraiti</i> in 6 fathoms, near a place called +<i>Ariadan</i> inhabited by peasants who are subject to Mecca. On +the 25th we weighed anchor early, and endeavoured to proceed +along the coast; but the wind getting up at sunrise and proving +contrary, we had to stand out to sea till noon, when we again +made for the land, off which we cast anchor early in the +evening.</p> + +<p>SECTION IX.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Voyage to Suez, along the Arabian Shore +of the Red Sea</i>.</p> + +<p>We remained at anchor during the whole of the 26th and +proceeded two hours before day of the 27th, in very pleasant +weather, and at eight o'clock, having sailed 30 miles, we +anchored in 4 fathoms at a place called <i>Yusuma</i>. The 28th +we coasted along the land till noon with a fair wind, and then +entered among certain banks two miles from the shore, where we +could not let go our anchors for fear of losing them, being off a +place named <i>Mukare</i>, 30 miles from Yusuma. The 29th, still +coasting along, we came among other shoals called <i>Balir</i>, +thirty-five miles farther on. The 30th continuing along shore +till evening, we anchored in 12 fathoms at a place called +<i>Mukhi</i>, having proceeded 35 miles. Departing on the 31st +with a calm two hours before day, the wind springing up at +sunrise, and in the evening we came to <i>Ziden</i> or +<i>Jiddah</i> the sea-port of Mecca. The Pacha landed on the 1st +of April, and pitched his tents on the outside of the town, where +he rested four days. On the 7th he rode away for Mecca, on +pilgrimage, leaving orders for the fleet to proceed to Suez[240]. +On the 8th the fleet was driven two miles out to sea by a +contrary wind, and was obliged to come to anchor among the +shoals. Remaining here till the 11th, we made sail with a fair +wind, and at the <i>twentieth</i> hour came into the port of +<i>Contror Abehin</i>, where one of our gallies was sunk in +attempting to double a point of land. At this place a carpenter +belonging to the Venetian gallies of Alexandria, named Mark, +turned Mahometan and remained behind. Having staid here two days, +we proceeded again with a fair wind along shore, and cast anchor +in 12 fathoms at a place called <i>Amomuskhi</i>, 70 miles +farther. Setting sail on the 15th two hours before day, the +<i>Moorish captains</i> galley got aground on a bank, but was +towed off by the boats belonging to the other ships, without +having received any damage. We then coasted along the land 30 +miles, to a place called <i>Raban</i> or <i>Robon</i>, where we +cast anchor in 13 fathoms. From the 16th to the 20th both +inclusive, we left this place every day, and were always forced +to return by contrary winds. The 21st we departed with an off +shore wind; but at the sixth hour of the day were again driven +towards the coast by a contrary wind, and obliged to put in among +certain banks where we remained all night.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 240: It does not appear that the Pacha ever +rejoined his fleet. It has been already mentioned from De Faria, +that on his return to Turkey he was reduced to the necessity of +killing himself. "Cruel and tyrannical men like him, says De +Faria, should always be their own +executioners."--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 22d we coasted along by favour of a land breeze; but the +wind coming contrary were obliged to anchor at a place called +<i>Farsi</i>, having only advanced 16 miles. The 23d we continued +along the coast till noon, when the wind changed full in our +teeth, and we had to come to anchor at a place named +<i>Sathan</i>, having sailed 25 miles that day. The 24th we +proceeded along the coast till noon, when the wind became again +contrary, and we were driven to the coast, and came to +<i>Lorma</i>, 30 miles beyond Sathan. We rowed along shore +against the wind on the 25th, and came at evening to +<i>Yamboa</i>[241]. This place affords provisions, particularly +fish and dates. Their water is kept in cisterns, and has to be +brought on camels from a place a days journey distant, as there +are no wells or springs. A days journey[242] inland from this +place is a large town named <i>Medinah</i>, or <i>Medinat al +Nubi</i>, where is the sepulchre of Mahomet, though commonly said +to be at Mecca[243]. We remained at Yamboa six days, and set sail +at four o'clock on the 1st of May; but after proceeding only 10 +miles the wind became contrary, and we had to anchor among some +shoals, where we staid two days. During the 3d and 4th, we had to +stand off and on, beating up against a contrary wind; and so +continued for <i>six</i> days, advancing only eight miles in all +that time. The 10th and 11th, the wind being still contrary, we +made only 10 miles, and anchored in a different place. Proceeding +along the coast on the 13th, we came up with a galleon which left +<i>Zabid</i> before the rest of the fleet. The pilots name was +<i>Mikali</i>, and some of those on board belonged to the +Venetian gallies of Alexandria.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 241: Called <i>Jombu</i> in the edition of +Aldus, and <i>Jambut</i> by Rarmusio. This is Yembo, Yambo, or +Yamboa, the Italians using the <i>J</i> instead of the <i>Y</i>. +Yamboa is the port of <i>Medina, Medinah</i>, or <i>Medinat al +Nubi</i>, signifying <i>the city</i>, or the city of the +prophet.--Astl. I. 100. c.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 242: Medina is at least 90 miles inland +from Yamboa, which cannot be less than <i>three</i> ordinary days +journeys.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 243: This error has been long since +corrected, yet many travellers still persist in placing the tomb +of Mahomet at Mecca.--Astl. I. 100. d.--Christian travellers are +debarred from visiting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. At +Mecca the grand object of pilgrimage is the <i>Caaba</i> or holy +house, containing <i>a black stone</i>, the remains of the +ancient Pagan superstition of the Arabians: Perhaps the same with +the <i>Lingam</i> or <i>Priapus</i> of the +Hindoos.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 14th, we sailed 10 miles[244] along the coast, and cast +anchor in 7 fathoms at a place named <i>Sikhabo</i>. The 15th we +sailed 70 miles N.W. and came to anchor in the open sea. The +16th, we sailed along the coast 30 miles, and anchored at a place +named <i>Buducktor</i> or <i>Bubuktor</i>. The 17th sailing 30 +miles along the coast, we anchored in 20 fathoms in the open sea, +near an island called <i>Yenamani</i>. Going 20 miles along shore +on the 18th, we anchored for the night off <i>Khifate</i>. We +proceeded 50 miles along shore on the 19th, and anchored at +<i>Molin</i>. The 20th, we anchored at sea 25 miles farther. +Proceeding 48[245] miles on the 21st along shore, we anchored in +the evening out at sea. The 22d, after sailing 10 miles, we +anchored again at sea. Being in a very bad anchorage, we +proceeded again on the 24th with a tolerably good wind. The half +galley left an anchor and three cables at this last anchorage, +and one galley ran aground but was got off. After advancing only +10 miles, we came to anchor in 8 fathoms with good ground, and +remained two days. Proceeding 85 miles along the coast on the +26th, we came to anchor in a road-stead.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 244: In Ramusio this distance is made 60 +miles.--Astl. I. 100. e.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 245: Only 40 miles, in the copy published +by Ramusio.--Astl. I. 100. f.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION X.</p> + +<p><i>Conclusion of the Voyage to Suez, and return of the +Venetians to Cairo</i>.</p> + +<p>On the 27th of May we proceeded on our voyage, sailing W.N.W. +At noon we were abreast of <i>Tor</i> or <i>Al Tor</i>, and +continued our course for two hours after night-fall, when the +wind came foul, on which we lay too till day-light, when the +<i>Moorish captain</i> set sail again, and the other gallies +weighed anchor and hoisted their foresails. After running 100 +miles we came to shoal water where we cast anchor in 6 fathoms, +and remained five days waiting for a fair wind. Leaving the bank +on the 3d of June, and holding on our course, we cast anchor +sometimes on the western coast[246] and sometimes on the eastern, +having contrary winds, and on the 15th we arrived at +<i>Korondol</i>, where Pharaoh and his host were drowned, and +where are the baths of Moses as they are called. We took in water +at this place, where we staid two days. The 16th, the fleet +sailed from Korondol, and continuing its course for two days +together, we arrival at Suez on the 17th of May 1589, whence we +had set out on the 27th of June in the former year.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 246: In the original called the +<i>Abyssinian</i> coast, but certainly that of +Egypt.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the day of our arrival, we began to draw the barks on +shore. The 2d of June we began to haul up the large galley, and +next the half galley of the Pacha, all the rest being unrigged +and drawn up successively. On this occasion the whole labour +rested on the Christians, who acted as porters and worked all the +tackle for unloading, cleaning and unrigging all the vessels: In +short the entire fatigue lay upon their shoulders. On the 16th, +the <i>Lemin</i>[247] came and paid off all the seamen, +Christians as well as Turks, giving 180 maidans to each. The 19th +of August, the <i>Emin</i>, accompanied by seven boats, went to +Tor to pay off the gallies which remained behind, taking with him +all the best and strongest of the Christian mariners to navigate +these gallies to Suez, as they were in a manner disarmed, many of +their crews having died and others run off. At Tor all were paid +off, and the Christians were distributed among the gallies, which +they brought up to Suez on the 20th of October, and were all +drawn up by the Christians, who worked hard both day and night. +On the 26th, all the gallies being hauled up, the cables, +rigging, tackle, iron work, planks, small cannon, and all the +other stores were carried into the castle of Suez.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 247: In Ramusio the <i>Emin</i>, who is an +officer of the treasury, or the pay-master.--Astley, I. 101. +a.--Probably <i>Al Emin</i>, and originally written in <i>Italian +L'Emin</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Red Sea, from Suez to its mouth extends 1800 miles in +length; the coast running all the way from N.W. to S.E.[248] This +gulf is 200 miles broad, and in some places more. In its whole +length it is full of banks, shoals, and shelves, towards the land +on both sides, so that it cannot be navigated by night, except in +the middle. These obstructions are so intricately disposed that +the channels can only be discovered by the eye, nor can the +proper course be taken except by means of an experienced pilot +standing constantly on the <i>prow</i>, and calling out +<i>starboard</i> or <i>larboard</i>[249] according to +circumstances. Owing to this, the return voyage does not admit of +being described so accurately as the outward bound. There are two +distinct kinds of pilots for this sea; the one being acquainted +with the middle of the gulf, which is the passage outwards; and +the others, called <i>Rubani</i>, are for ships returning from +the ocean, and navigating within the shoals. These are such +excellent swimmers, that in many places where they cannot cast +anchor on account of foul ground, they will swim under water and +fix the gallies within the shoals, and will often even fasten the +prows under water, according to the nature of the place[250].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 248: From Suez to the Straits of +<i>Bab-al-Mandub</i>, the direct distance is about 1590 statute +English miles, or 1200 geographical miles, 60 to the degree. From +the Straits to <i>Cape Guardafu</i> is about 433 English miles +farther, or 375 geographical: Making in all 1825 of the former +and 1575 of the latter. The direction is S.S.E.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 249: In the original Italian, <i>Orza</i> +and <i>Poggia</i>, being the names of the ropes at the yard-arms +which are hauled when these words are pronounced.--Astl. I. 101. +b.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 250: The expression in the text is not very +obvious, but seems to indicate that these <i>Rubani</i> are such +excellent divers as to be able to fasten ropes or hausers to the +rocks below water.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 28th. of November 1539, the Christians belonging to the +Venetian gallies left Suez, and arrived at Cairo on the 1st of +December, where they were lodged in the same house that they had +formerly occupied. Each of them was allowed half a <i>maidan</i> +daily for subsistence, which is equal to about twopence of +Venice. They here suffered great affliction and fatigue, as +whatever laborious work was to be performed was devolved upon +them. Clearing out the water-cisterns, levelling hills, putting +gardens in order, new buildings, and such like, all fell to their +share. On the 25th of March 1540, many of the Christians went +from Cairo with a guard of Turks to a hill or mount two miles +from the Nile, which seemed to have been a burying-place like the +<i>Campo Santo</i>, where every year, on the Friday before our +<i>Lady of August</i>[251], a vast number of people assemble to +see dead bodies rise out of the ground. This resurrection begins +on Thursday evening, and lasts till Saturday at six o'clock, +during which time great numbers rise; but after that no more +appear. When they do rise, some are rolled about with linen +bandages in the manner in which the ancients swathed their dead. +It must not be imagined that these dead bodies move, and still +less that they walk about. But, one instant you may observe and +touch the arm or the leg of one, or some other part, and going +away for a moment, you will find at your return the part you had +formerly seen and touched still more exposed, or farther out of +the ground than at first; and this will happen as often as you +make the experiment. On that day, many tents are pitched about +this mount, and thither many persons repair, sick as well as +healthy; and near this place there is a pond in which the people +bathe on the Friday night, in order to get cured of their +infirmities. <i>For my own part, I did not see these +miracles</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 251: The 15th of August, the Assumption of +the Virgin.--E.]</blockquote> + +<h2><a name="chapter3-3" id="chapter3-3">CHAPTER III.</a></h2> + +<p><b>THE VOYAGE OF DON STEFANO DE GAMA FROM GOA TO SUEZ, IN +1540, WITH THE INTENTION OF BURNING THE TURKISH GALLIES AT THAT +PORT. WRITTEN BY DON JUAN DE CASTRO, THEN A CAPTAIN IN THE FLEET; +AFTERWARDS GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF PORTUGUESE INDIA[252].</b></p> + +<p>INTRODUCTION.</p> + +<p>Don Juan or Joam De Castro, the author of the following +journal, was a Portuguese nobleman born in 1500; being the son of +Don Alvaro de Castro, governor of the Chancery, and Donna Leonora +de Noronha, daughter of Don Joam de Almeyda, Count of Abrantes. +In his youth, Don Juan de Castro served with reputation at +Tangier, and on his return home had a commandery of 500 ducats of +yearly revenue conferred upon him, which was all he was ever +worth, though a man of high birth and rare merit. He afterwards +served under the Emperor Charles V. in his expedition against +Tunis, and refused his share of a pecuniary reward from that +prince to the Portuguese officers on the expedition, saying that +he served the king of Portugal, and accepted rewards only from +his own sovereign. After this he commanded a fleet on the coast +of Barbary, and was sent to join the fleet of Spain for the +relief of Ceuta. On hearing that the Moors were approaching, the +Spaniards wished to draw off, on pretence of consulting upon the +manner of giving battle, but Don Juan refused to quit his post; +and the Moors retired, not knowing that the fleets had separated, +so that he had all the honour of relieving Ceuta.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 252: Astley, I. 107. Purchas, II. +1422.]</blockquote> + +<p>When Don Garcia de Noronha went viceroy to India, Don John was +captain of one of the ships in his fleet; and when about to +embark, the king sent him a commission by which he was appointed +governor of Ormuz, and a gift of 1000 ducats to bear his charges +till he obtained possession. He accepted the latter, because he +was poor; but refused the government, saying that he had not yet +deserved it. After the expedition to Suez[253], contained in the +present chapter, he returned into Portugal, and lived for some +time in retirement in a country house near Cintra, giving himself +up entirely to study. He was recalled from this retreat by the +advice of the infant Don <i>Luys</i>, and sent out +governor-general to India in 1545; where he died with the title +of viceroy in 1548, when 48 years of age. We shall hereafter have +occasion to speak farther of this great man, who made himself +illustrious in the <i>second</i> siege of Diu by the forces of +the king of Guzerat. In his life, written by <i>Jacinto Freire de +Andrada</i>, there is a particular account of this siege, with a +map to illustrate its operations. The author also treats of the +Discoveries, Government, Commerce, and affairs of the Portuguese +in India. This book was translated into English, and published in +folio at London in 1664.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 253: De Faria in his Portuguese Asia, says +that Don Juan went up to Mount Sinai, where his son Don Alvaro +was knighted. But this does not appear in his journal.--Astl. I. +107. a.]</blockquote> + +<p>Such was the illustrious author of the following journal, +which was never published in Portuguese; but having been found, +if we are rightly informed, on board a Portuguese ship taken by +the English, was afterwards translated and published by Purchas. +Purchas tells us that the original was reported to have been +purchased by Sir Walter Raleigh for sixty pounds; that Sir Walter +got it translated, and afterwards, as he thinks, amended the +diction and added many marginal notes. Purchas himself reformed +the style, but with caution as he had not the original to +consult, and abbreviated the whole, in which we hope he used +equal circumspection: For, as it stands in Purchas[254] it still +is most intolerably verbose, and at the same time scarcely +intelligible in many places; owing, we apprehend, to the +translator being not thoroughly acquainted with the meaning of +the original, if not to the fault of the abbreviator. These two +inconveniences we have endeavoured to remedy the best we could, +and though we have not been always able to clear up the sense, we +presume to have succeeded for the most part; and by entirely +changing the language, except where the places were obscure, we +have made the journal more fit for being read, and we hope +without doing it any manner of injury[255].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 254: Pilgrims, Vol. II. p. 1122, under the +title of <i>A Rutter</i>, or Journal, &c. from India to Suez, +dedicated to the Infant Don <i>Luys</i>.--Astl. I. 107. +b.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 255: On the present occasion we have +followed the example of the Editor of Astleys Collection, having +employed the original abbreviated translation by Purchas +modernized in the language and endeavouring to elucidate +obscurities; using as our assistance the version in +Astley.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This expedition was undertaken for two important purposes. +<i>One</i>, to carry succours to the emperor of <i>Habash</i> or +Abyssinia; and the <i>other</i>, to endeavour to destroy the +Turkish ships at Suez. For, soon after the retreat of Solyman +Pacha from Diu, it was rumoured that another fleet of the +<i>Rumes</i> or Turks was on its way to India; but as Don Stefano +de Gama was afterwards informed that the Turks could not set out +during the year 1540, he determined to be before hand with them, +in some measure to be revenged for the late siege of Diu, and to +prevent a second attack by burning the fleet they had prepared +for that purpose. The governors liberality brought more men to +inlist under his banners than he desired, so that he was enabled +to select the best. The fleet consisted of 80 sail of different +sorts and sizes, and carried 2000 soldiers besides mariners and +rowers. On coming into the Red Sea, he found most of the cities +and islands abandoned, the inhabitants having notice of his +coming. At Suakem, the sheikh or king, who had retired a league +up the country, amused De Gama with pretences of peace, that he +might not destroy the town and island. In consequence of this +delay, De Gama was prevented from carrying his design into +execution of destroying the ships at Suez; as it afforded time +for the Turks to receive intelligence of the expedition. This is +the account given by De Faria; but Bermudas gives a different +reason for the want of success in that design, as De Gama could +not get at the ships, which were all drawn up on the land, which +we have already seen to have been the case, in the journal of the +voyage of Solyman Pacha, in the immediately preceding +chapter.</p> + +<p>In revenge for the duplicity and delay of the sheikh of +Suakem, De Gama marched into the interior with 1000 men, +accompanied by his brother Don Christopher, and defeated the +sheikh with great slaughter. He then plundered the city of +Suakem, where many of the private men got booty to the value of +four or five thousand ducats, and then burnt it to the ground. +From thence, he went towards Suez with only sixteen, +<i>Katurs</i> or Malabar barges, and sent back the fleet to +Massua under the command of Lionel de Lima. On this occasion, +there was a great dispute, as every one strove to go on this +expedition; whence the bay got the name of <i>Angra de los +Aggraviadas</i>, or <i>bay of the offended</i>. Many gentlemen +went in the barges as private soldiers or volunteers, willing to +go in any capacity if only they were admitted. The number of men +on this fruitless expedition was 250. They plundered and burnt +<i>Cossier</i> or <i>Al Kossir</i>; whence crossing to <i>Tor</i> +or <i>Al Tur</i>, they took some vessels belonging to the enemy. +At first the Turks opposed their landing; but some of them being +slain, the rest abandoned the city, in which nothing was found of +value. De Gama did not burn this town, in reverence for the +relics of St Catharine and the monastery and religious men there, +which he visited at their request. He was the first European +commander who had taken that city, where he knighted several of +his followers, an honour much prized by those who received it, +and which was envied; afterwards even by the emperor Charles V. +From thence De Gama proceeded to Suez; and after many brave but +fruitless attempts to sound the harbour, De Gama determined to go +himself in open day to view the gallies. He accordingly landed +and saw the enemies but endeavouring to force his way towards +them, the enemies shot poured thick from the town, and 2000 +Turkish horse broke out from an ambush, by which the Portuguese +were reduced to great straits. Though the Portuguese cannon slew +a good many of the enemy, their numbers were so much superior +that the Portuguese were obliged to retreat with some loss, and +much grieved that the object of their expedition was frustrated. +Thus far we have deemed necessary to premise, relative to the +design and success of the expedition, from De Faria and other +authors; because the journal of Don Juan de Castro is almost +entirely confined to observations respecting the places visited +in the voyage, and gives little or no information respecting +these particulars.</p> + +<p>The <i>rutter</i> or journal must be allowed to be very +curious.--The author, like an exact and diligent navigator, has +not only given the course and distance from one place to another, +with the latitudes of the principal ports and head-lands; but has +noticed the minute windings of the coast, and the situations of +islands, with observations on the tides, currents, shoals, +sand-banks, and other particulars respecting the Red Sea. Yet, +far from confining himself to mere nautical remarks, he has given +an account of all the places at which he touched, together with +accounts of the countries and the inhabitants, so far as he was +able to collect from his own observations, or the accounts of +such as he was able to converse with, particularly the natives. +Don John hath gone farther yet, and has even attempted to draw a +parallel between the ancient and modern geography of this sea. If +in all points of this last he may not have succeeded, the great +difficulty of the task, owing to the obscurity of the subject, is +to be considered: most of the ancient places having been +destroyed; the ancient names of others long since out of use and +forgotten; and that very little is known of these coasts by +Europeans, even at this day. For these reasons, as the +conjectures of the author are often erroneous respecting the +ancient geography, and as at best they are very uncertain, we +shall for the most part <i>insert them by way of notes</i>, with +our own remarks respecting them[256]. Whether the +<i>altitudes</i> have been taken by Don Juan with that precision +which geography requires, may also be in some measure questioned; +since we find there was a <i>crack in the instrument +employed</i>, the size of which is not mentioned; neither were +all the observations repeated. Even if they had been, it is well +known that the observations of those times were by no means so +accurate as those made of late years. After all, however, the +observations in this journal appear to have been made with a good +deal of care, and they cannot fail to be of great service to +geography.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 256: In this edition, which has been taken +from that by Purchas, these conjectures of Don Juan de Castro are +restored to the text: but the remarks by the Editor of Astleys +Collection are all retained in notes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>It is alone by the observations contained in this journal that +geographers are able to determine the extent of the Arabian Gulf +or Red Sea from north to south[257], as well as the situation of +its principal ports on the west side. The latitude of the straits +was verified by the observations of Don Juans pilot. But as most +maps and charts give the situation of Suez, at the northern end +of the Red Sea, very different from that marked in this journal, +which is 29° 45' N. it may not be amiss to examine this +point.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 257: The modern knowledge of the Red Sea +has been much augmented by the labours of Bruce, Nieubur, Lord +Valentia, and others, which will be given in a future division of +our work.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>By several very accurate observations made in 1694, M. +Chazelles of the Royal Academy of Paris found the latitude of +Cairo to be 80° 2' 20". The difference of latitude therefore +between Cairo and Suez, will be 17 minutes; which we conceive +cannot be very far from the truth, if not quite exact, since the +map published by Dr Pocock makes the difference about 20 minutes. +It is true that in Sicards map of Egypt, and in a +<i>late</i>[258] French chart of the <i>eastern ocean</i>, Suez +is placed only two or three minutes to the southward of Cairo. +But as these authors had no new observations made at Suez to go +by, and seem to have been unacquainted with those of Don Juan de +Castro, their authority can weigh very little against an express +observation, and against Dr Pococks map, which, among other +helps, was constructed upon one made by the natives. Besides +this, in his later maps <i>De L'isle</i> regulates the situation +of Suez according to the latitude found by Don Juan. Indeed +Sicard places Suez nearly in that parallel, but egregiously +mistakes the latitude of Cairo, so that he seems to have given it +that position more by chance than design.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 258: It is proper to remark here that the +collection of Astley was published in 1745, <i>sixty-seven</i> +years ago.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This may suffice to support the credit of the observations of +latitude as made by Don Juan, till new and better ones can be +made, which we are not to expect in haste, as European ships now +seldom sail any farther into the Red Sea than <i>Mokha</i> or +<i>Zabid</i>, for which reason this journal is the more to be +prized. In other respects it is full of variety; and if some +parts of it be dry and unamusing, these make amends by their +usefulness to geographers and navigators, while other parts are +calculated to instruct and give pleasure on other +accounts.--<i>Astley</i>.</p> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>So far the foregoing introduction is taken from Astleys +collection. In our edition of the Journal of Don Juan de Castro, +we have used the earliest known copy as given by Purchas, Vol. +II. p. 1122-1148, under the title of <i>A Rutter or Journal of +Don John of Castro, of the Voyage which the</i> Portugals <i>made +from</i> India <i>to</i> Zoes, <i>&c. and here abbreviated. +The original of which is reported to have been bought by</i> Sir +Walter Raleigh, <i>at sixtie pounds, and by him caused to be done +into</i> English <i>out of the</i> Portugal.</p> + +<p>Of this Journal Purchas gives the following account in a +marginal note, which is inserted in his own words: "This voyage +being occasioned by sending the Patriarch <i>Bermudez</i> to +<i>Ethiopia</i>, and relating how that state decayed, invaded by +the <i>Moores</i>, and embroiled with civil discontents, +contayning also a more full intelligence of the <i>Red Sea</i>, +than any other <i>Rutter</i> which I have seene, I have here +added; and next to it, <i>Bermudez</i> own report, translated, it +seemeth, by the same hand (not the most refined in his +<i>English</i> phrase, which yet I durst not be too busie with, +wanting the original) and reduced to our method; here and there +amending, the <i>English</i>, which yet in part was done, as I +thinke, and many marginall notes added, by <i>Sir Walter +Raleigh</i> himselfe."--In the present edition, while we have +adhered closely to that of Purchas, with the assistance of that +in Astleys Collection, we have endeavoured, <i>little more +busy</i> than Purchas, to reduce the language to a more +intelligible modern standard; and have divided it into +<i>Sections</i>, in imitation of the editor of Astleys Collection +of Voyages and Travels. On purpose to carry on the series of +events, we have inserted as a necessary introduction, an account +of the Portuguese Transactions in India, from the discontinuance +of the siege of Diu and retreat of Solyman Pacha in November +1538, to the commencement of the expedition of Don Stefano de +Gama to the Red Sea in December 1540, when the journal of Don +Juan de Castro begins; which <i>first section</i> of this chapter +is taken from the Portuguese Asia of De Faria.--E.</p> + +<p>SECTION I.</p> + +<p><i>Portuguese Transactions in India, from the Siege Diu by the +Turks, to the Expedition of Don Stefano de Gama to +Suez</i>[259].</p> + +<p>Soon after the retreat of Solyman Pacha from Diu in November +1538, but in the beginning of the subsequent year 1539, when the +new viceroy Don Garcia de Noronha had returned from his tardy +expedition to relieve Diu, <i>Don Gonzalo Vaz Confino</i>[260] +came with five small vessels from <i>Onore</i>, where he had been +sent by the former governor Nuno de Cuna on the following +occasion. One of the gallies belonging to the fleet of Solyman +Pacha had been forced into the port of Onore[261], and it was +thought the queen of that province, then a widow, had violated +the treaty subsisting between her government and the Portuguese, +by giving protection to that vessel. Gonzalo Vaz called her to +account on this subject, when she declared that the vessel was +there against her will, as she was not in condition to prevent +it, but would be glad that it were taken by the Portuguese. +Gonzalo Vaz accordingly made the attempt, but was repulsed after +a sharp engagement, in which he lost fifteen of his men, and +among these his own son Diego Vaz. Gonzalo suspected the queen of +having secretly assisted the enemy, and refused some refreshments +she had sent for the wounded men, returning a rash and resentful +answer mingled with threats. The queen cleared herself of the +imputation, and again offered a treaty of peace with the +Portuguese, which was concluded, and some Portuguese were left by +Gonzalo at Onore, to observe what conduct was pursued by the +queen for expelling the Turks.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 259: This section is added from the +Portuguese Asia of De Faria, II. s. et seq. to connect the +history of events.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 260: The name of this commander is probably +erroneous in the text, from an error of the press, and ought to +have been <i>Coutinho</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 261: Probably the galley already mentioned +in the Venetian Journal, as having separated from the Turkish +fleet on the voyage to Diu, and for which the pilot was executed +by command of Solyman.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Before leaving Diu, and having repaired the fortifications of +the castle, the command of which was given to Diego Lopez de +Sousa, pursuant to a commission from the king of Portugal, a +treaty of pacification with the king of Guzerat was set on foot +and concluded, very little to the advantage of the Portuguese, +owing as was generally believed to the covetousness of +Noronha.</p> + +<p>The late success of the Portuguese terrified all the princes +of India who had been their enemies. Nizam-al-Mulk and Adel Khan +sent ambassadors to the viceroy to renew the former treaties of +peace; and the zamorin, to obtain the more favourable reception +from the viceroy, employed the mediation of Emanuel de Brito, +commandant of the fort at <i>Chale</i>. Brito accordingly +promised his interest, and the zamorin sent <i>Cutiale</i> as his +ambassador to Goa accompanied by a splendid retinue, where he was +received by the viceroy with much courtesy and great pomp. Had +not the viceroy fallen sick, he intended to have gone to Calicut, +to perform the ceremony of swearing to the observance of the +articles of pacification and amity which were agreed to upon this +occasion; but he sent his son Don Alvaro on this errand, under +the discretion of some discreet men, as Alvaro was very young. +They came to Paniany with a numerous fleet, where they were met +by the zamorin, accompanied by the kings of Chale and Tanor. The +peace was confirmed and ratified with great demonstrations of joy +on both sides, and lasted thirty years to the great advantage of +the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>The illness of the viceroy became serious and threatened to +end fatally, insomuch that he could not attend to the affairs of +government; for which reason he proposed that some worthy person +might be chosen to supply his place, and even desired that the +choice might fall upon his son Don Alvaro. This surprised all men +as violating the public liberty of choice, and might have proved +of dangerous consequence, had not the death of the viceroy +prevented its adoption. On the death of the viceroy, the +<i>first</i> patent of succession was opened in which Martin +Alfonso de Sousa was named; but he had gone a short while before +to Portugal. On the <i>second</i> being opened, Don Stefano de +Gama was therein named, who then lived in retirement a short way +from Goa.</p> + +<p>Don Stefano de Gama, who was the son of Don Vasco de Gama the +discoverer of India, entered upon the government in the beginning +of April 1540. The first thing he did was to have his whole +property publicly valued, that it might not be afterwards laid to +his charge that he had acquired riches during his government; and +indeed at his death, his fortune was found considerably +diminished. Finding the public treasury very much exhausted, he +advanced a large sum to it from his own funds. In the next place +he refitted the fleet, which had been laid up by his predecessor +after his return from Diu. He likewise founded the college of +<i>Santa Fe</i>, or St Faith, at Goa for the education of the +heathen youth who were converted, appointing the vicar-general +Michael Vaz as first rector. He sent his brother Christopher de +Gama, to attend to the repair of the ships at Cochin, and gave +notice to several commanders to hold themselves in readiness to +oppose the <i>Rumes</i> or Turks, whose fleet was reported to be +again proceeding towards the western coast of India. But being +afterwards credibly informed that the Turks would not set out +this year, he attended to other affairs.</p> + +<p>SECTION II.</p> + +<p><i>Journal of the Voyage from Goa to the Straits of +Bab-al-Mandab</i>.[262]</p> + +<p>Having expedited all the affairs of his government, and +collected an armament of 80 sail of different sorts and sizes, on +board which 2000 soldiers were embarked, besides mariners and +rowers. Don Stefano de Gama set sail from the bar of Goa, at +sunrise of the 31st December 1540, on his expedition to Suez. The +wind was easterly, blowing from the land, and they advanced under +an easy sail, coming to anchor about ten o'clock at the mouth of +the river <i>Chaparoa</i>. Proceeding on their voyage till the +13th of January 1541, they saw in the morning of that day great +quantities of weeds which grow on the rocks of the sea coast, and +soon afterwards a sea-snake, being indications of the +neighbourhood of land; and when the sun was completely risen, +they descried the island of Socotora, whither they were bound in +the first place, bearing due south.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 262: We now take up the Rutter or Journal +of Don Juan de Castro, but Purchas has chosen to omit the +navigation from the Malabar coast to the Island of Socotora, +<i>to avoid prolixity</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After coming to anchor at this island, I inquired at the +principal pilots of the fleet how far they had reckoned +themselves from the land when we first came in sight. The chief +pilot was 90 leagues short; the pilot of the <i>Bufora</i> +galleon 100 and odd; those who made the least were 70 leagues +short; and my own pilot, being only 65 leagues, was nearest in +his reckoning. They were all astonished at this difference, and +all affirmed in excuse for their short reckoning, that the way +was actually shorter than was expressed on the charts; with them +the Moorish pilots concurred in opinion, affirming that it was +only 300 leagues from Goa to Socotora[263]. The island of +Socotora is 20 leagues in length from east to west, and 9 leagues +broad, being in lat. 12° 40' N. on its north side. This +northern side runs east and west, somewhat inclined towards the +north-west and south-east The coast is all very clear without +rocks and shoals, or any other hinderance to navigation. The +anchoring ground in the road is sand, stony in some places, but +not of such a nature as to cut the cables. On this side the north +wind blows with such force as to raise up great heaps of sand +over the hills, even beyond their highest craggy summits. In the +whole circuit of the island there is no other place or harbour +where a ship may winter in safety. The sea coast all around is +very high, and girt with great and high mountains, having many +pyramidal peaks, and having a grand appearance. The tides on the +coast of this island are quite contrary to those on the opposite +shore of India, being flood when the moon rises in the horizon, +and as the moon ascends the tide of ebb begins, and it is dead +low water when the moon comes to the meridian of the island; +after which, as the moon descends, the tide begins to flow; and +when set it is full sea. I made this observation for many days by +the sea side, and always found it thus.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 263: The real distance is 430 marine +leagues, and the difference may be easily accounted for by the +operation of an eastern current, not observed or not sufficiently +allowed for.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>If I am not deceived, this island of Socotora was in ancient +times named <i>Dioscorides</i>, and had a city of the same name, +as appears in the <i>sixth</i> table of Asia by Ptolemy: But by +the situation which he has given it, he appears to have had bad +information from navigators[264]. The Socotorians are Christians, +their ancestors as they say having been converted by the holy +apostle Thomas. The island has many churches, in which there is +<i>no oracle</i>[265] except the cross of Christ. They pray in +the <i>Chaldean</i> tongue; and are very ignorant, but as I was +informed they are desirous of being instructed in the doctrines +and ceremonies of the Romish church, which they confess to be +alone good and worthy of being followed. The men have names like +us, as John, Peter, Andrew, &c. that of the women being +generally Mary. The manner of life of these people is singular, +as they have no king, governor, prelate, or other person in +authority, but live in a manner like wild beasts, without any +rule, or order of justice or policy[266].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 264: Don Juan omits all mention of the +island of <i>Abdal Kuria</i>, about nine leagues E.S.E. of +Socotora, with two intersposed small islands, called <i>Las Duas +Hermanas</i> or the Two Sisters.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 265: Probably meaning no images or +Christian idols.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 266: Since then they have been subdued by +the Arabs.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the whole island there is no city or great town, and most +of the people dwell in caves, though some have small thatched +cottages, separated from each other, more savage than pastoral. +Their food is flesh and wild dates, and their drink chiefly milk, +as they taste water but seldom. They are much devoted to the +cross, and you will hardly meet a single individual without one +hanging from the neck. Their dispositions are good; their persons +tall and straight, their faces comely but swarthy, the women +being somewhat fairer, and of very honest behaviour. They have no +arms either of defence or offence, except very short swords of +dead iron. The men go entirely naked, except a clout of a certain +cloth called <i>Cambolis</i>, a considerable quantity of which is +manufactured in the island. The country is very poor, and +produces no other merchandise than <i>verdigris</i>[267] and +<i>sanguis draconis</i>; but the <i>verdigris</i> is in great +abundance, and is esteemed above all. All the island is +mountainous, and breeds abundance of all kinds of cattle like +those of Europe. There is no wheat or rice or other provisions of +that kind, which I believe is not the fault of the ground, but +owing to want of skill and industry in the people; as the land +within the external mountains is fresh, and hath many vallies and +plains, very convenient for culture. They have no manner of +navigation, neither do they catch any fish, though the sea around +their coast has an infinite quantity. They have very few fruit +trees, among which the palm tree is chiefly esteemed, and +produces a principal part of their food. The land produces all +kind of garden and medicinal plants, and the mountains are +covered with the herb <i>Basil</i> and other odoriferous +herbs.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 267: By verdigris is probably meant the +Socotorine aloes.--Purch.]</blockquote> + +<p>Leaving Socotora, we were very near Aden in the morning of the +27th of January 1541, which was to the north-west, distant from +us about 6 leagues. The wind being from the east and fair, we +sailed W.S.W. and then knew that the land we had seen the evening +before, thinking it an island, was the mountain of Aden. This +mountain is very high and is full of crags on every side, with +some very high peaks, like the hill of Cintra, having a noble +appearance. This hill descends to the sea, into which it projects +a very great and long cape or promontory; on each side of which +there is a deep harbour or bay, the strong city of Aden being +situated on that which is to the east of the cape. In ancient +times the hill was called <i>Cabubarra</i>, famous among +navigators, and the city of <i>Aden</i> was then known by the +name of <i>Madoca</i>. Within these three years, this city of +Aden has fallen under the power of the Turks, being taken by the +treachery of Solyman Pacha, governor of Cairo, in the following +manner. At the request of the king of Cambaya and all the +inhabitants of the <i>Straits of Mecca</i>[268], the grand Turk +sent the governor of Cairo, Solyman Pacha eunuch, with a great +fleet of ships and gallies for India. On coming to Aden, the king +and inhabitants, fearing the treachery of the Turks, refused to +allow them to come into their city, but supplied them, with all +kinds of provisions and necessaries. As Solyman and his soldiers +shewed no resentment, the king became reassured, and after many +messages and declarations of friendship on both sides, consented +to an interview with the Pacha on board his galley, that they +might treat respecting the conquest on which the Pacha was bound. +But the king was made prisoner by Solyman on board the galley; +and the Turks landing possessed themselves of the city, before +the gates of which the king was hanged next day. Whereupon +Solyman left a garrison to keep possession of the city, and +proceeded on his voyage to Diu.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 268: This singular expression certainly +means the Red Sea, which the Arabs often call the Straits of +Mecca, or more properly the Gulf of Mecca; sometimes Bahr-hejaz, +or the Sea of Hejaz, one of the provinces of +Arabia.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>From the Cape of <i>Guardafu</i> on the coast of Africa, +anciently called <i>Aromata</i>, and from the opposite promontory +of <i>Siagros</i> or Cape <i>Fartak</i> in Asia, all the sea to +the city of <i>the heroes</i>, now <i>Suez</i>, is called the +<i>Arabian Gulf</i>, vulgarly the Red Sea. The distance between +these two promontories may be 58 leagues. From these promontories +the coast on both sides of this sea extends towards the west, +nearly at the same distance, till they come to the two cities of +<i>Aden</i> in Arabia; and <i>Zeyla</i> in Ethiopia or +<i>Abexi</i>[269]; and from thence the two shores begin to +approximate rapidly, with desert coasts and little winding, till +they almost meet in the straits which are formed by two capes or +promontories; that on the Arabian side being named +<i>Possidium</i> by the ancients, but I could never learn either +the ancient or modern name of that on the side of Ethiopia[270]. +This strait between the promontories is called by the +neighbouring people and those who inhabit the coasts of the +Indian ocean <i>Albabo</i>[271], which signifies the gates or +mouths in the Arabic language. This strait is <i>six</i> leagues +across, in which space there are so many islands, little islets, +and rocks, as to occasion a suspicion that it was once stopped +up. By those straits, sluices, and channels, there entereth so +great a quantity of water, which produces so many and great +creeks, bays, gulfs, and ports, and so many islands, that we do +not seem to sail between two lands, but in the deepest and most +tempestuous lake of the great ocean. Now returning to the mouths +of the strait, which is the object of our description, we are to +note that the land of Arabia at this place stretches out into the +sea with a long and large point or promontory; and as there is a +great nook or bay, it appears on coming from sea as if this cape +were an island separate from the continent. This is what was +named the promontory of <i>Possidium</i> by Ptolemy. Not more +than a stones throw from this promontory is a small islet called +the Isle of the <i>Robones</i>. For <i>Roboan</i>[272]in Arabic +signifies a pilot, and in this isle dwell the pilots who are in +use to direct ships coming from sea to the ports for which they +are bound within the straits. This islet is round and quite flat, +about the sixth part of a league in circuit, and the channel +between it and the main land of Arabia may be crossed on foot at +low water; but at one quarter-flood it becomes too deep for being +waded. To seawards from this little island about a league from +the coast is an island about a league and a half in length, which +has a large haven on the side towards Ethiopia secure in all +winds, where a large fleet of gallies may be safely harboured; +but the side of this island towards Arabia has neither harbour +nor landing-place[273]. This channel is easily sailed in the +middle, steering N.W. and by W. from S.E. and by E. having 11 +fathoms all through. It is all clean in every place, without +flats, shoals, or any other obstruction, so that it may be passed +on either side or in the middle. The whole ground is a soft coral +rock, with hardly any sand. Being far within the channel, and +going to seek the road or haven for shelter from the east winds +which are here very strong, the depth somewhat diminishes, but is +never less than 9 fathoms.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 269: Meaning Abassi, Abyssinia, or +Habash.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 270: The cape on the Arabian shore is +called Arrah-morah, or of St Anthony, and that on the African +<i>Jebul al Mondub</i>, or <i>Mandab</i>, which signifies the +Mountain of Lamentation, as formerly explained respecting +<i>Bab-al-Mandub</i>, the name of the straits--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 271: In Arabic <i>Al Bab</i> is the gate, +and <i>Al Abwah</i> the gates. By the Turks it is called <i>Bab +Bogazi</i>, a general name for all straits; and <i>the babs</i> +by the English sailors.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 272: Rather Roban or +Ruban.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 273: The island of Prin.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Besides this channel of the Arabians[274], there are many +others by which we may safely enter the straits; but we shall +only mention one other, which they called the channel of +Abyssinia, between the <i>Island of the Gates</i>, or +<i>Prin</i>, and the promontory opposite to <i>Possidium</i>, +which is on the Abyssinian shore, and is about five leagues +broad; but in this space there are six great high islands, which +being seen by sailors while without the straits are apt to put +them in fear that there is no passage that way; but between all +these islands there are large channels of great depth all of +which may be taken without danger, or leaving them all on the +right hand, we may pass in safety between them and the coast of +Abyssinia. At noon on the 29th of January 1541, I took the +altitude of the sun, which at its great height rose 62-3/4 +degrees above the horizon, the declination of this day being 15 +degrees, whence the latitude of the promontory <i>Possidium</i> +and mouth of the straits is 12° 15' N. The pilot took the +same altitude with me, and being taken on the land, it cannot but +be accurate.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 274: From this expression it is probable +that Don Juan had described the channel between the island of +Pria and the shore of Arabia, or rather the pilot +island.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION III.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Voyage, from the Straits of +Bab-el-Man-dub, to Massua</i>.</p> + +<p>On the same night, two hours after midnight, we set sail from +the mouth of the straits, and by day-light on the 30th we saw the +land of both the Arabian and African coasts, being nearer to the +latter. The wind blew hard at E.S.E. till noon, and we sailed to +the N.W. and by W. making our way by a channel between the first +islands and the coast of Abyssinia, till that day unknown to the +Portuguese, being about 4 leagues distant from that coast. An +hour after sunrise, we saw a range of islands along the coast, +most of them low, stretching from S.E. to N.W. and which extended +about 60 leagues. Continuing our course in this channel with a +fair wind, we saw many little islands on either side, at +whatsoever part we cast our eyes. In this channel of the +<i>Abyssins</i>, as it is called, it is not proper to sail by +night, nor unless the wind is in the poop, as if the wind should +change there is not room to turn to windward, neither can we come +to anchor till so far forward <i>as the first of the first +islands</i>, when we shall observe to seawards nine little +islands, and from thence forwards the sea remains free and open +to seaward, but towards the land there still are many islands. +Some of these islands are about two leagues distant from the +coast, but the greatest part of them are close to the land. The +length of this channel, between the three first islands and the +coast of Abyssinia is about 8 leagues, and the safest navigation +is nearer the continent than the islands: But in my opinion no +one ought to venture upon this passage without a pilot of the +country.</p> + +<p>On the 31st day of January we came to a shoal with six fathoms +water, and to seawards of which, over against certain islands +called the Seven Sisters, there is a very dangerous rock as I was +told by the Moorish pilots; so that the safe navigations in this +part is to go between the shoal and the land, and in no case to +pass to seawards of the shoal. At night we came to anchor in a +haven named <i>Sarbo</i>, or <i>Sorbo</i>, in 9-1/2 fathoms +water; having all this day seen many little islands close to the +coast. On the 1st of February I landed at the port in this island +of <i>Sarbo</i> taking the pilot and master along with me, that +we might all three take the altitude of the sun. At its greatest +height it was scarce 71° above the horizon, and the +declination of that day being 13° 56', the latitude was +15° 7' N. About 24 leagues short of Massua, and 4 leagues +from the Abyssinian coast, in lat. 15° N. there is a great +cluster or archipelago of islands, some of which hardly rise +above the surface of the sea, while others are so lofty that they +seem to touch the clouds; and between these there are so many +bays, ports, and harbours, that no wind can annoy us. All of +these islands want water, except one very high island, called +<i>Whale</i> Island by the Portuguese, because it very much +resembles one, in which there is water and plenty of cattle, with +a large haven in which ships may winter. Of all these islands, +that which is most out to sea is called in Arabic <i>Sarbo</i>, +where we now lay at anchor. The island of Sarbo is about a league +in length and half a league broad, all low land with many low +barren trees, and covered with grass. In every place we found the +marks of men and cattle, but we only saw one camel, for which +reason our men called it the Island of the Camel. Though we +sought the whole island with much diligence we could find no +water, except in one well dug in a stone which seemed intended to +contain rain water. Between these islands there are numerous arms +of the sea, reaches, and channels. At sunrise on the 4th of +February, we set sail from the port of <i>Sarbo</i>. February 7th +we sailed along many islands about three or four leagues distant +from the main land, most of them very low, almost even with the +sea. We passed to seaward of them all about a league, and about +even-song time, we saw to seawards of us a very long range of +islands about 5 leagues in extent and about four leagues from us, +which lay N.W. and S.W. as far as I could discern. The coast all +this day trended N.W. and by W. and S.E. and by E. so that the +channel in which we sailed this day was about 5 leagues broad. +The greatest part of this day I caused the lead to be constantly +thrown, always having 25 fathoms on an ouze bottom.</p> + +<p>Two hours after sunrise on the 8th of February we set sail, +steering mostly to the N.W. and at sunset we were nearly entered +into the channel between that point of <i>Dallac</i> which looks +to the continent, and an island called <i>Shamoa</i>[275]. But as +night was coming on, and many of the galleons were far astern, so +that it might be difficult for them to hit the channel, and as +besides the wind was now scarce, we took in our sails, and with +our foresails only <i>we went rummore</i>[276], sailing to the +south-east, and two hours after night-fall we cast anchor in 40 +fathoms water the ground ouzing. All this day we saw many islands +along the coast, so low and flat that they seemed to have no +surface above water. The coast stretched N.W. and S.E. to a low +point which is as far forward as the island of <i>Dallac</i>. On +doubling this point, a great bay or creek penetrates ten or +twelve leagues into the land.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 275: In Purchas these two last mentioned +places are named Dalaqua and Xamea, the Portuguese expressing our +<i>k</i> by <i>qu</i>, and our <i>sh</i> by <i>x</i>; but we have +preferred the more ordinary mode of spelling in modern +geography.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 276: This expression is absolutely +unintelligible, but in the context the ship is said to have +returned to the south-east. It is used on a subsequent occasion +apparently in the same sense, and perhaps means beating to +windwards or drifting to leeward.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Island of Dallac is very low land, almost level with the +sea, having no mountain or any other height. In the common +opinion it is 25 leagues long by 12 in breadth. The side of the +island opposite to the south stretches E.S.E. and W.N.W. being +all the coast which I could see, and along the coast lay great +numbers of little islands, all very low, and having the same +direction with the coast. I only went along this coast of the +island seven leagues, at two leagues from the land, and though +the lead was often cast I never found ground. The metropolitan +city or chief town is situated almost on the point of the island +which lieth on the west side, and is a frontier to Abyssinia. It +is called <i>Dallaca</i>, whence the island took its name. +<i>Dallac</i>, in the Arabic language signifies <i>ten lacs</i>, +because in former times the custom-house of this city yielded +that sum yearly to the king. Every Arabian <i>lac</i> is 10,000 +Xerephines; so that <i>ten lacs</i> are worth 40,000 +crusadoes[277]. The west point of the island, opposite to +Abyssinia, is distant from the continent about 6 or 7 leagues, +and in this space there are five very flat islands. The first of +these, one league from the point, called <i>Shamoa</i>, is two +leagues in circuit, and contains some springs and wells. Between +this island of <i>Shamoa</i> and the western point of Dallac, is +the principal and most frequented channel for going to +<i>Massua</i>. In this channel the water is 70 fathoms deep. The +land of this island is red, and produces few trees, but plenty of +grass. The king of it and all his people are Moors. He resides +most part of the year at Massua, because of the trade which he +carries on with the Abyssinians. At present this island and +Dallac yields very little profit; for since the rise of Suakem, +Massua, Aden, and Jiddah, it has lost its trade and +reputation.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 277: A Xerephine being 3s. 9d., a lac is +L.1875 sterling, and ten lacs are consequently +L.18,750.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 12th of February the whole of our fleet came into the +harbour of Massua. Massua is a small island very low and flat, in +which anciently stood the city of <i>Ptolomaida of the wild +beasts</i>. This island is in length about the fifth part of a +league, and a caliver-shot in breadth, being situated in a large +crooked nook or bay of the sea, and near the north-west head-land +of the bay. The channel which divides it from the main land is +about a falcon-shot across, and in some parts not so much, in +which channel the harbour is situated, which is safe in all +weathers, as all the winds that blow must come over the land, and +it has not much current. The depth of water is eight or nine +fathom with an ouze bottom. The proper entrance into this port is +on the north-east by the middle of the channel, between the +island and the main; because from the point which runneth to the +E.N.E. a shoal projects towards the land, and the continental +point of the bay hath another projecting towards the point of the +island, both of which make it necessary for ships to avoid the +land and to keep the mid-channel, which is very narrow and runs +N.E. and S.W. Very near this island of Massua, towards the south +and the south-west, there are two other islands, that nearest the +main land being the larger, and that more out to sea being +smaller and very round. These three islands form a triangle, +being all very flat and barren, having no wells or springs; but +in Massua are many cisterns for the use of the inhabitants. There +are many shoals interspersed among these islands, but there is a +channel through among them, through which gallies and rowing +vessels may pass at full sea. This island of Massua, with all the +coast from Cape <i>Guardafu</i> to <i>Swakem</i>, was only a +short time before under the dominion of <i>Prester John</i>; but +within these few years the king or sheikh of <i>Dallac</i> hath +usurped it, and resides there the greater part of the year, +because of the trade which he carries on with the Abyssinians, +from whom he procures great quantities of gold and ivory. In the +months of May and June, in consequence of excessive calm weather, +the air of this island is exceedingly intemperate and unhealthy; +at which season the sheikh and the other inhabitants go all to +Dallac, leaving Massua entirely empty. All the coast of the bay +of Massua on the main-land is extremely mountainous, till you +come to a place called <i>Arkiko</i>[278] by the sea-side, where +there are many wells of water, where the coast is more clear and +open, with many fields and plains. Arkiko is about a league from +Massua to the south, and through all these mountains and fields +there are many wild beasts, as elephants, tygers, wolves, wild +boars, stags, and elks, besides others not known to us; whence +Massua was called <i>Ptolomaida of the wild beasts</i>, which is +farther confirmed, as the latitude of Massua is the same as that +assigned to <i>Ptolomaida</i>[279].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 278: Arkiko, Arkoko, or Erkoko, by some +erroneously called Erocco, and by De L'Isle, Arcua. In the +edition of this journal by Purchas it is called +Arquito.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 279: These are no proofs that Massua is on +the spot formerly occupied by Ptolomaida; for the whole coast of +Abyssinia is full of wild beasts, and since Ptolomy fixed the +latitude solely by computed distances, it is next to impossible +that these should exactly agree with real +observations.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION IV.</p> + +<p><i>Digression respecting the History, Customs, and State of +Abyssinia</i>.</p> + +<p><i>Presbyter</i> or <i>Prester John</i>, otherwise called +<i>Prete Jani</i>, who is the king or emperor of the Abyssinians, +is lord of all the land called anciently <i>Ethiopia sub +Egypto</i>[280], or Lower Ethiopia; which is one of the most +extensive dominions we know of in the world. This empire begins +at Cape <i>Guardafu</i>, called anciently <i>Aromata</i>, whence +running along the Red Sea, with desert and not very crooked +coasts, it reaches to the boundaries of the rich city of +<i>Swakem</i>. On the north side it borders on the warlike people +of the <i>Nubys</i>, <i>Nuba</i>, or Nubians, who intervene +between Abyssinia and the <i>Theabaid</i> or Upper Egypt. From +thence it reaches a great way inland to the kingdom of +<i>Manicongo</i>, including part of <i>Lybia Inferior</i>, and +other interior parts of Africa towards the west; whence turning +behind the springs and lakes of the Nile through burning and +unknown regions, it endeth in the south upon the <i>Barbarian +Gulf</i>, now known to the Portuguese who navigate that gulf, as +the coasts of <i>Melinda</i> and <i>Magadoxa</i>. The Nile is +still known by its ancient name, being called <i>Nil</i> by the +Abyssinians, Egyptians, Arabians, and Indians. The springs and +lakes of this river are on the confines which separate the land +of the Abyssinians from the Cafres that inhabit the continent +behind Melinda and Mozambique, as I was informed by some great +lords and other persons of Abyssinia, whence it appears that the +ancients had little knowledge respecting the origin of this +river. Inquiring from these people, if it were true that this +river did sink in many places into the earth, and came out again +at the distance of many days journey, I was assured there was no +such thing, but that during its whole course it was seen on the +surface, having great breadth and depth, notwithstanding of what +we read in the fifth book of the Natural History of Pliny. I made +many inquiries respecting the causes of increase and overflowings +of this river, which has been so much disputed by all the ancient +philosophers, and received the most satisfactory solution of this +question never before determined. Thus almost jestingly, and by +means of very simple questions, I came to learn that which the +greatest philosophers of antiquity were ignorant of.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 280: That is Ethiopia <i>below</i> Egypt, +or more properly to the <i>south</i> of Egypt. The expression +<i>below</i> seems ridiculous, as Abyssinia or Ethiopia +containing the sources of the Nile must be <i>higher</i> than +Egypt at its mouth. But among Greek and Roman geographers, +<i>above</i> and <i>below</i> meant respectively to the north and +to the south.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The principal lords of Abyssinia informed me, that in their +country the winter began in May, and lasted all June and July and +part of August, in which latter month the weather becomes mild +and pleasant. In June and July it is a great wonder if the sun +ever make his appearance; and in these two months so great and +continual are the rains that the fields and low grounds are +entirely overflown, so that the people cannot go from one place +to another. That this prodigious quantity of water hath no other +issue or gathering-place excepting the Nile; as towards the Red +Sea the country is entirely skirted by very high mountains. Hence +that river must necessarily swell prodigiously and go beyond its +ordinary bounds, as unable to contain such vast quantities of +water, and overflows therefore both in Egypt and the other lands +through which it passes. And as the territories of Egypt are the +most plain of these, of necessity the overflowing there must be +the more copious, as the river has there more scope and freedom +to spread out its waters than in the high and mountainous lands +of Abyssinia. Now, it is manifest that the inundations of the +Nile in Egypt always begin when the sun is in the summer +solstice, which is in June, while in July the river increases in +greater abundance, and in August, when the rains diminish in +Abyssinia, the river decreases by similar degrees to its former +increase. Hence the manifest cause of the increase of the Nile is +from the great and continual rains that fall in Abyssinia during +the months of June and July. I was myself in Massua in the month +of June and part of July, where I saw great storms of thunder and +rain; and we saw within the continent great and constant black +clouds; though the Abyssinians said what we saw was little in +comparison of what it was in the inland country. We likewise know +that the months of June and July are the winter season at the +Cape of Good Hope and all the coast of Africa, where the rains +are continual. I was likewise told that the Nile formed many +islands, especially one exceedingly large, in which was a great +and rich city; which on due consideration must be the Island of +<i>Meroe</i>. They told me also that on this great island, and +all through the river, there were great numbers of fierce and +pestiferous animals, which doubtless must be crocodiles. +Enquiring if the river in a certain place fell from such a +height, that with the noise of the fall those who inhabited the +neighbouring towns were born deaf; they said that certainly in +one place the river did fall over a great rock with a prodigious +noise, but had no such effects.</p> + +<p>As an extended account of the manners and customs of the +Abyssinians would interfere with this journal, I must touch them +only shortly, though most worthy of being known; more especially +the causes of the overthrow and ruin of this empire in these our +own days.</p> + +<p><i>Atini Tingill</i>, afterwards named David, <i>Prete +Jani</i> or Emperor of Ethiopia, reigning in the year 1530, +became so cruel and tyrannized so much over his subjects that he +incurred their universal hatred. At that time <i>Gradamet</i>, +king of Zeyla, made war on Abyssinia, encouraged by the great +enmity of the people against their sovereign, and perhaps +secretly invited by some of the great lords of the kingdom. On +entering into Abyssinia, and having reduced some towns and +districts, Gradamet divided liberally the spoils among his +warriors, among whom he had 300 Turkish arquebusseers, who formed +the main strength of his army. He likewise enfranchised all the +inhabitants of the towns through which he passed, exempting the +inhabitants from the taxes and impositions they had to pay to +their sovereign, by which he gained to his party all the common +people, and even many of the principal nobles of the +kingdom[281].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 281: Of the cruelties of David, several +examples are given in the journal of Alvarez, such as the death +of two <i>Betudetes</i>, the chief justice, two <i>Tigre +mahons</i> or governors of Tigre, and four <i>Barnagassoes</i> or +governors of the maritime country, in six years. This disposition +increased with his years, and perhaps he intended to force some +alteration in the religion of the country; which indeed +sufficiently appears by his sending Alvarez and Bermudez as his +ambassadors to the Pope.--<i>Purchas</i>.]</blockquote> + +<p>King David sent an army against the king of Zeyla; but when +the Turks began to shoot their calivers or arquebusses, among the +Abyssinians, by which some of them were slain, they were seized +with an universal panic and took flight. Proud of this victory, +the king of Zeyla overrun the country, accompanied by a great +number of Abyssinians, and advanced into that part of the south, +towards Magadoxa and Melinda, where the vast treasures of the +former kings of Abyssinia were secured on the top of an almost +inaccessible mountain. Seeing every day the Abyssinians revolting +to the Moors, David gathered a new army with which be marched +against <i>Gradamet</i> and joined battle, but was again +completely defeated, chiefly, by means of the Turkish +musqueteers: On which David withdrew to a strong post on a +mountain, where in a few days he died, in the year 1539. After +this great victory Gradamet marched immediately to the mountain +where the treasure was deposited, which he assaulted and took, +gaining possession of the largest treasure that ever was known in +the world. On the death of David, those of the nobles who had +continued to adhere to him, elected his eldest son in his stead, +who was a young man under age; and that nothing might be wanting +to assist the ruin of the kingdom, already almost irrecoverably +reduced by the Moors, another party of the nobles appointed a +different son of the late king to succeed to the throne. In this +hopeless condition of his affairs, the unfortunate youth, having +to contend at the same time against foreign invasion and domestic +division, withdrew for personal safety to the mountain of the +Jews.</p> + +<p>In the interior of Abyssinia there is a very large and high +mountain which can only be ascended by one very difficult path, +and on its summit there is a large plain, having abundance of +springs, with numerous cattle, and even some cultivation. The +inhabitants of this mountain observe the law of Moses. Though I +have carefully inquired, I could never learn how this people came +into Abyssinia, and wherefore they have never descended from +their mountain to mix with the other inhabitants of the country. +The young king received a friendly entertainment from these Jews, +who acknowledged him as their sovereign, and defended him against +the king of Zeyla, who was unable to force his way up the +mountain, and had to retire. About this time we arrived at +Massua, which put the Moors in great fear, and inspired new +courage into the hearts of the Abyssinians, insomuch that the +young king left the mountain of the Jews and took up his quarters +with his adherents in other mountains towards the sea coast and +nearer to Massua, whence he wrote many pitiful and imploring +letters for assistance, to which favourable answers were returned +giving him hopes of succour. We proceeded on our expedition to +Suez; and being returned again to Massua, it was ordained to send +an auxiliary force of 500 men under a captain, which was +accordingly done and we set sail on our way back to India. Since +that time, I have not learnt any intelligence whatever respecting +the affairs of Ethiopia[282].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 282: The circumstances and fate of this +Portuguese expedition into Abyssinia will be found in the next +chapter of this work.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Abyssinians are naturally ceremonious men, and full of +points of honour. Their only weapons are darts, in which they +figure to themselves the lance with which our Saviour was +wounded, and the cross on which he died, though some wear short +swords. They are very expert horsemen, but badly apparelled; and +are much given to lying and theft. Among them riches are not +computed by money, but by the possession of cattle and camels, +yet gold is much valued. In their own country they are dastardly +cowards, but in other countries valiant; insomuch that in India +they say that a good <i>Lascarin</i>, or what we call a soldier, +must be an Abyssinian; and they are so much esteemed in +Ballagayat, Cambaya, Bengal, and other places, that they are +always made captains and principal officers in the army. Their +clothing is vile and poor. They wear linen shirts, and the great +personages have a kind of upper garment called <i>Beden</i>. The +vulgar people are almost quite naked. They eat <i>bollemus</i> +and raw flesh; or if held to the fire, it is so little done that +the blood runs from it. In the whole land there are no cities or +towns, so that they live in the field under tents and pavilions +like the Arabs[283]. They pride themselves on believing that the +queen of <i>Sheba</i> was of their country, alleging that she +took shipping at <i>Massua</i>, though others say at +<i>Swakem</i>, carrying with her jewels of great value when she +went to Jerusalem to visit Solomon, making him great gifts, and +returned with child by him.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 283: The word used here in the edition of +Purchas is <i>Alarbes</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>It is alleged in the history of Abyssinia, that when one of +the Soldans of <i>Babylon</i> in Egypt made war many years ago +upon their emperor, he gathered a multitude of people and turned +the course of the Nile, so that it might not run into Egypt[284]. +The Soldan, amazed at this vast enterprize, which he believed +would entirely ruin the land of Egypt, sent ambassadors with +great gifts, and made peace with the emperor, giving a privilege +to the Abyssinians to pass through his country without paying +tribute, when on their way to visit the holy sepulchre at +Jerusalem, and the shrine of St Catharine on Mount Sinai. Some +learned Moors whom I conversed with while in the Red Sea +confirmed the truth of this relation.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 284: According to Bermudez, this attempt +was begun by <i>Ale Beale</i>, predecessor to <i>Onadinguel</i> +or <i>Atine-tingil</i>.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION V.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Journal of De Castro from Massua to +Swakem</i>.</p> + +<p>We set sail at sun-rising on the 19th of February from the bay +which is half a league beyond Massua and half a league from the +land. This day was very close and rainy, and numbering our fleet +I found 64 rowing vessels; that is 3 galliots, eight small +gallies, and 35 foists[285]. By night our north-west wind lulled, +and it blew a little from the west. In the second watch it came +on to rain; and in the middle of the morning watch we weighed +anchor and rowed along shore till morning, during which time it +rained hard. By evening of the 20th we were as far as the extreme +point of the range of islands on the north side, about 14 leagues +from Massua. The coast from Massua hither stretched N.N.W. and +S.S.E. for these 14 leagues, and in some of the islands which lay +to seaward we knew that there were cattle and water, with some +few poor dwellings. The distance from these islands to the +African coast might be about four leagues. The islands in this +range having cattle and water are <i>Harate</i>, <i>Dohull</i>, +and <i>Damanill</i>, which are all low and surrounded with shoals +and flats. All the first watch of the night, having the wind fair +at east, we sailed N.N.W. At the beginning of the second watch we +came suddenly to certain very white spots, which threw out flames +like lightning. Wondering at this strange event, we took in our +sails believing we were upon some banks or shoals; but on casting +the lead I found 26 fathoms. As this great novelty to us made no +impression on the native pilots, and being in deep water, we made +sail again. On the 21st at day light, we saw off to seawards a +low island of which the Moorish pilot had been afraid in the +night. At day light on the 22nd we again set sail, and at noon my +pilot took the altitude of the sun, and found our latitude +18° 30' N. At this time we were abreast of a very long point +of sand projecting from the main-land. After doubling this point, +we found the sea very free, and sailed N.W. and by W. One hour +after noon we came to a haven called <i>Marate</i>. All the coast +on our left hand during this day stretched N.N.W. and S.S.E. the +land by the sea shore being very low with not even a hillock; but +within the land the mountains rise to such a height that they +seem to reach the clouds. <i>Marate</i> is a very low desert +island and without water, 66 leagues beyond Massua, of a roundish +figure, and a league and a half in circuit. It is about three +leagues from the main, and on the S.W. side which fronts the +Ethiopean coast it has a very good harbour, safe in all winds, +especially those from the eastern points; as on this side two +long points stretch out from the island east and west, one +quarter N.W. and S.E. between which the land straitens much on +both sides, forming a very great and hollow bosom or bay, in the +mouth and front of which there is a long and very low island, and +some sands and shoals, so that no sea can come in. This haven has +two entries, one to the east and the other to the west, both near +the points of the island which form the harbour. The channel on +the <i>east</i> stretches N. and S. one quarter N.W. and S.E. +having three fathoms water in the shallowest place, after which +it immediately deepens, and within the haven we have four and +five fathoms near the shore, with a mud bottom. During the night +the wind was from the east, but less than in the day, and we rode +at anchor all night.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 285: The particular enumeration comes only +to 46 vessels, so that the number of 64 in the text seems an +oversight or transposition.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At sunrise on the 23d of February, we set sail from the island +and port of <i>Marate</i>, finding seven fathom water and a sandy +bottom[286]. At eleven o'clock we came to two small islands far +to seawards, one called <i>Darata</i> and the other +<i>Dolcofallar</i>[287], from whence to <i>Swakem</i> is a days +sail. From noon we sailed N.W. by W. till even-song time, when we +entered the channel of <i>Swakem</i>, in which, after sailing a +league N.W. we had certain shoals a-head, on which account we +altered our course to W. one quarter N.W. and sometimes W. to +keep free of these shoals. We continued in this course about +three leagues, till we saw a great island a-head of us, when we +immediately tacked towards the land, and came to an anchor +between certain great <i>shoals of stone</i> or sunken rocks, +forming a good harbour named <i>Xabaque</i>[288], which in the +Arabic means a net. It might be an hour before sunset when we +came to anchor. This day my pilot took the sun at noon, and found +our latitude <i>scarce</i> 19° N[289]. The shoals of Swakem +are so many and so intermingled, that no picture or information +were sufficient to understand them, much less to sail through +among them; the islands, shoals, banks, rocks, and channels are +so numerous and intricate. At the entrance among these shoals, +there is to seaward a shoal under water on which the sea breaks +very much, and to landward a small island, these two ranging N.E. +and S.W. a quarter more E. and W. the distance between being +three quarters of a league. Immediately on entering, the channel +seemed large and spacious, and the farther we advanced so much +more to seaward there appeared to us an infinite number of very +flat islands, shoals, sand-banks and rocks, that they could not +be reckoned. Towards the land side these were not so numerous; +but it is the foulest and most unnavigable channel that ever was +seen, in comparison with any other sea. What ought chiefly to be +attended to in this channel, is always to keep nearer to the +shoals that are to seawards, and as far as possible from those to +landward. The breadth of this channel in some places is about +half a league, in others a quarter, and in others less than a +gun-shot. In the entry to this channel we had six fathoms, and +from thence to the port of <i>Shabak</i> never less, and never +more than 12. From the beginning of the shoals to <i>Shabak</i> +may be about five leagues, and their whole length eight or nine. +We have then another channel, more secure for ships and great +vessels; and we may likewise pass these shoals leaving them all +to seaward, going very close to the main-land, which is the best +and most pleasant way.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 286: Perhaps this refers to the <i>west</i> +channel of the harbour, though not so expressed in the +text.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 287: Named Daratata and Dolkefallar in +Astley.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 288: More properly +Shabak.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 289: Purchas in a side-note makes this the +latitude of the harbour of <i>Xabaque</i>; but it is obvious that +they had sailed a long way between noon, when the altitude was +taken, and an hour before sunset, when they entered the +harbour.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 24th, at sunrise, we set sail from the port of +<i>Shabak</i>, and rowed by so narrow a channel that our fleet +had to follow each other in single line a-head, being only about +a cross-bow shot over in the widest parts. In this narrow channel +we were never more than a cannon shot from the main-land, and +sometimes little more than a cross-bow shot; having shoals, rocks +and banks on every side of us, all under water, yet we had always +sufficient indications to avoid them; as wherever they lay, the +water over them appeared very red or very green, and where +neither of these colours appeared we were sure of the clearest +channel, the water, being there dark. Continuing by this channel +among so many difficulties, we came to anchor at half an hour +past eleven at a little low round island, in lat. 19° N. In +this latitude Ptolomy places the mountain of the +<i>Satyrs</i>[290]. Of this mountain the native pilots had no +knowledge; but going about half a league into the land, I found +the footsteps of so many kind of beasts, and such great flocks of +<i>pianets</i>[291] as was wonderful. All these tracks came till +they set their feet in the sea, and they occupied, the greatest +part of the field. I believe the fable of the <i>Satyrs</i> to +have arisen from thence, and that they were said to inhabit these +hills and mountains. It is to be noted that in the channel of +four leagues from the harbour of <i>Shabak</i> to this island, +the water is never less than two and a half fathoms nor deeper +than eleven, and also that the tide at this island does not ebb +and flow above half a yard. It begins to flow as soon as the moon +begins to ascend towards the horizon, in the same order as +already mentioned respecting Socotora.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 290: This mountain of the Satyrs may more +properly be generally referred to the high range of mountains on +this part of the coast, perhaps from abounding in the baboon +called Simia Satyrus, or the Mandrill.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 291: I know not what to make of the +<i>pianets</i>; but the footsteps of beasts reaching to the edge +of the water may probably refer to amphibious animals, while the +flocks of pianets may have been water-fowl of some +kind.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 26th at sunrise we departed from the island, rowing along +a reef of rocks that ran between us and the land to which it was +almost parallel, all the sea between it and the land being full +of shoals and banks; but to seawards there were neither shoals +nor banks nor any other impediment. At nine o'clock we came to +anchor at a small island encompassed by many flats and shoals, +where there was a good haven. This island was a league and a half +from that we left in the morning, and 5 leagues short of +<i>Swakem</i>. The 27th at sunrise, we set sail from this second +island, and two hours within the night we came to anchor a league +and a half farther on in 28 fathoms water. The 28th we +<i>bridled</i> our oars and set sail. At nine o'clock we anchored +about two leagues from the land in 23 fathoms, on soft sand, like +ouze or mud. This morning we found some shoals under water, but +the sea always shewed itself very green or red over them. Two +hours after noon we set sail again, and anchored at night in 37 +fathoms on a sandy bottom, hard by an island a league and a half +short of Swakem. The coast runs N.N.W. and S.S.E. having all +along a shoal which extends near half a league into the sea. This +land differs in nothing from that formerly described. The 1st +March 1541, departing from this anchorage, and having doubled a +point of land made by the shoal, we approached the land inwards +by a channel, and came to anchor in the haven of the city of +<i>Swakem</i>.</p> + +<p><i>Swakem</i> was called by the ancients the port of +<i>Aspi</i>, as may be seen in the <i>third</i> table of Africa +by Ptolemy. At this day it is one of the richest cities in the +East[292]. It is situated within the Arabian Gulf or Red Sea, on +the coast of <i>Ethiopia sub Egypto</i>, now called the land and +coast of the <i>Abexii</i> or Abyssinians. Among famous places, +this may be reckoned equal or superior to them all in <i>four</i> +things. The <i>first</i> is the goodness and safety of the haven. +The <i>second</i> in the facility and good service for lading and +unlading ships. The <i>third</i> in its traffic with very strange +and remote people of various manners and customs. The +<i>fourth</i> in the strength and situation of the city. As +touching the goodness and security of the port I shall first +speak. Nature hath so formed this port that no storm from the sea +can enter it in any direction. Within the haven the sea is so +quiet, and runs so insensibly, that scarcely can we perceive it +to have any tide. The ground is mud. The road in all places has +five or six fathoms, and seven in some places; and is so large +that two hundred ships may ride commodiously at anchor, besides +rowing-vessels without number. The water is so clear that you may +plainly perceive the bottom; and where that is not seen the depth +is at least ten or twelve fathoms. The ships can be laden or +unladen all round the city, merely by laying a plank from them +into the warehouses of the merchants; while gallies fasten +themselves to stones at the doors of the houses, laying their +prows over the quays as so many bridges. Now touching the trade +and navigation of this port with many sorts of people, and with +strange and remote countries, I know not what city can compare +with it except Lisbon: as this city trades with all India, both +on this side and beyond the Ganges; with <i>Cambaya</i>, +<i>Tanacerim</i>, <i>Pegu</i>, <i>Malacca</i>; and within the +Straits with <i>Jiddah</i>, <i>Cairo</i>, and <i>Alexandria</i>. +From all Ethiopia and Abyssinia it procures great quantities of +gold and ivory. As to the strength and situation of this city +enough can hardly be said; since to come to it, the +inconveniences, difficulties, and dangers are so great, that it +seems almost impossible: as for fifteen leagues about, the +shoals, flats, islands, channels, rocks, banks, and sands, and +surges of the sea, are so many and intricate that they put the +sailors in great fear and almost in despair. The situation of the +city is this: In the middle of a great nook or bay, is a +perfectly flat island almost level with the sea and exactly +round, being about a quarter, of a league in circuit, upon which +the city of <i>Swakem</i> is built; not one foot of ground on the +whole island but is replenished with houses and inhabitants, so +that the whole island, is a city. On two sides this insular city +comes within a bow-shot of the main land, that is on the E.S.E. +and S.W. sides, but all the rest is farther from the land. The +road, haven, or bay surrounds the city on every side to the +distance of a cross-bow shot, in all of which space, ships may +anchor in six or seven fathoms on a mud bottom. All around this +bay there is a great shoal; so that the deep water is from the +edge of the city all round to the distance of a bow-shot, and all +beyond is full of shoals. In this bay there are three other +islands on the land side to the north-west. The two which lie +farthest in are small, but that nearest to the channel is about +as large as the city. Between this island and the main sea, there +is a large and very long channel, having seven fathoms water, all +along which a great navy might safely ride at anchor, without any +danger of annoyance from the city, whence only their masts could +be seen. When the moon appears in the horizon it is full sea, and +as the moon advances it ebbs till the moon comes to the meridian, +when it is dead low water; and thence it begins again to flow +till the moon sets, when it is again full sea. The entire ebb and +flow of the sea at this city does not exceed a quarter of a yard. +The most that it rises along the coast is a yard and a half, and +in some places less than three quarters of a yard. But when I +made this observation it was neap tide.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 292: This is to be understood of 1541, when +visited by De Castro. Since the Turkish conquest, Mokha and other +places have greater trade.--<i>Purch</i>.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION VI.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Voyage from Swakem to Comol</i>.</p> + +<p>We remained in the haven of Swakem from the 1st to the 9th of +March 1541, when an hour before sunset we weighed from before the +city, and anchored for the night at the mouth of the channel. We +weighed again on the 10th, and came again to anchor at night, +when the dew was wonderfully great. On the 11th it blew a storm +from the north, so violent that it raised great mountains of sand +along the sea coast, after which it dispersed them, and the air +remained obscured by the sand as if it had been a great mist or +smoke. We remained at anchor all this day, and on the 12th we +left this channel two leagues beyond <i>Swakem</i>, and being +without the channel we made sail. About a league and a half from +the coast there were so many rocks, shoals, and flats, on which +the sea continually broke, that we had to take in our sails and +row for three hours, till we got beyond these shoals, after which +we again made sail. At evening we came to anchor within the bank +by a very narrow channel, a league beyond that we had been last +in, and three leagues from Swakem, but the channel within the +entrance was large, with clean ground, and perfectly secure in +all winds.</p> + +<p>The 13th we went out of this channel an hour before day, and +about a cannon-shot to seaward we saw a long range of shoals with +broken water, seeming to stretch in the same direction with the +coast. At eleven o'clock the wind turned to the N.N.W. and as our +course was N.W. we were unable to make way, and had to fasten our +vessels to the rocks on these shoals, where we lay about three +hours. About two o'clock afternoon the wind freshened at N.N.E. +and we made sail N.W. But coming to the bank landward, we took in +our sails and rowed into a channel within the bank, where we came +to anchor. This channel is very narrow and winding, being about +seven leagues beyond Swakem, whence the coast to this place runs +N. and S. and then N. by W. and S. by E. I went ashore on the +15th to observe the order and flowing of the tide, and found it +was full sea when the moon was two hours past the meridian, and +was dead ebb two hours after the moon set. I found likewise that +the ebb and flow of the tide at this place was 22 cubits[293]. +The 16th we left this channel, with the wind at north, and cast +anchor half a league out at sea. The 17th we entered a very good +harbour named <i>Dradate</i> or <i>Tradate</i>, the coast from +Swakem here winding N. by W. and S. by E. distance 10 leagues. +The land behind the shore is all very low in that space, but +three leagues back from the coast it rises into great and high +mountains. This harbour of <i>Tradate</i>, in lat. 19° 50' N. +10 leagues beyond Swakem, is one of the best in the world. The +entrance is about a falcon-shot across, and grows narrower +inwards, but has 20 fathoms water in its whole length with a mud +bottom; and a quarter of a league within the land there is a +famous watering-place at certain wells, where is the best water +and in greatest plenty of any place on all these coasts. The 19th +we sailed at day-light, and advanced 3-1/2 leagues that day, +having many shoals to seaward of us, and the coast for these +3-1/2 leagues trended N. and S. On the 20th at sunrise the wind +blew from the N. and the sea was rough, for which reason we had +to seek shelter within the shoal, entering by a very narrow and +difficult channel. After we were in, the wind came N.N.E. and we +remained all day at anchor. The 21st we left the shoal with fine +weather, the wind being at W.N.W. and sailed N. keeping about +half a league from the land; and an hour after sunrise we came to +a long and fair point of land called by Ptolomy the <i>promontory +of Diogenes</i>. On the north side of this point is a large fine +bay named <i>Doroo</i>, and at the extremity of this long bare +point there is a large round tower like a pillar. At the entrance +of this harbour or channel there are six fathoms water, which +diminishes gradually inwards to three. The ground is hard clay, +and the bay is very large with many creeks and nooks within, and +many islands; many of these creeks penetrating deep into the +main-land, so that in every place there may be many vessels +hidden without being observed from the other branches of the +harbour. A quarter of a league off to sea from the mouth of this +harbour there is a shoal which defends it completely from the +admission of any sea, as this shoal is above water, and has no +passage except by the entrance already mentioned, which trends E. +by N. and W. by S. A cannon-shot from this bay there is a great +well, but the water is very brackish.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 293: Considering the very small rise and +fall of the tide at Swakem, the text in this place ought perhaps +only to have been <i>inches</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 22d we left this harbour of Doroo at day light, +proceeding by means of our oars, and found the sea very full of +rocks, so that escaping from some we got foul of others, and at +half past ten o'clock we had to fasten our vessels to the rocks. +Proceeding onwards, we got towards evening in with the land, and +having doubled a point we entered a very large bay named +<i>Fuxaa</i>, or <i>Fushaa</i>, three leagues and a half beyond +<i>Doroo</i>, the coast between stretching N. and E. with a +tendency towards N.W. and S.E. This bay of <i>Fushaa</i> is +remarkable by a very high sharp peaked hill, in lat. 20 15' N. In +the very mouth of the harbour there are two very low points, +lying N. by E. and S. by W. from each other, distant a league and +half. As no great sea can enter here it is a very good harbour, +having 10 and 12 fathoms water on a mud bottom, diminishing +inwards to five fathoms. Along the land within the bay on the +south side there are nine small islands in a row, and in other +places there are some scattered islets, all very low and +encompassed by shoals. The land at this bay is very dry and +barren, and it has no water.</p> + +<p>On the 25th we continued along the coast, having many rocks to +seawards about a league off; and at ten o'clock we entered a very +large harbour named <i>Arekea</i>, four leagues beyond +<i>Fushaa</i>, the coast between running N. and S. with some +tendence to N.W. and S.E. <i>Arekea</i>, the strongest and most +defensible harbour I have ever seen, is 22 leagues beyond +<i>Swakem</i>. In ancient times it was called <i>Dioscori</i> +according to Pliny. In the middle of the entry to this port there +is a considerable island, about a cross-bow shot in length and +breadth, having a bank or shoal running from it on the south side +to the main land, so shallow that nothing can pass over it. But +on the north side of this island the channel is about a cross-bow +shot in breadth and 15 fathoms deep, running N.W. and S.E. and on +both sides this channel is very shallow and full of rocks, the +fair way being in the middle. This channel is about a gun-shot in +length, after which the coasts on both sides recede and form +within a large fine and secure harbour, about a league long and +half a league broad, deep in the middle but full of shoals near +the land, and it hath no fresh water. At this place it was agreed +to send back all the ships to Massua, and to proceed with only +sixteen small gallies or row boats.</p> + +<p>Arrangements being accordingly formed, we set sail from +<i>Arekea</i> on the 30th at noon, and came to an anchor in a +port called <i>Salaka</i> four leagues beyond <i>Arekea</i> and +96 from <i>Swakem</i>, the coast trending N. and S. with a slight +deviation to N.E. and S.W. The land next the sea has many risings +or hillocks, behind which there are high mountains. It must be +noted that all the land from Arekea onwards close behind the +shore puts on this uneven appearance, whereas before that it was +all plain, till in the inland it rises in both into high +mountains. The 31st we sailed from <i>Salaka</i>, and an hour +before sunset we made fast to the rocks of a shoal a league from +the land and 17 leagues from <i>Salaka</i>, being 43 leagues from +Swakem. From the port of <i>Salaka</i> the coast begins to wind +very much; and from <i>Raseldoaer</i> or <i>Ras al Dwaer</i>, it +runs very low to the N.N.E. ending in a sandy point where there +are 13 little hillocks or knobs of stone, which the Moorish +pilots said were graves. From this <i>point of the +Calmes</i>[294] about two leagues, the coast runneth N.N.W. to a +shoal which is 43 leagues from <i>Swakem</i>. This point is the +most noted in all these seas, as whoever sails from +<i>Massua</i>, <i>Swakem</i>, and other places for <i>Jiddah</i>, +<i>Al Cossir</i>, and <i>Toro</i>, must necessarily make this +point. The sea for the last seventeen leagues is of such a nature +that no rules or experience can suffice for sailing it in safety, +so that the skilful as well as the unskilful must pass it at all +hazards, and save themselves as it were by chance, for it is so +full of numerous and great shoals, so interspersed everywhere +with rocks, and so many and continual banks, that it seems better +fitted for being travelled on foot than sailed even in small +boats. In the space between <i>Salaka</i> and +<i>Ras-al-Dwaer</i>, but nearer to the latter, there are three +islands forming a triangle, the largest of which is called +<i>Magarzawn</i>, about two leagues long and very high ground, +but has no water. This island bears N. and S. with +<i>Ras-al-Dwaer</i> distant three leagues. The second island lies +considerably out to sea, and is called <i>Al Mante</i>, and is +high land without water; the third island is all sand and quite +low, being four leagues from <i>Salaka</i> towards +<i>Ras-al-Dwaer</i>, but I did not learn its name.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 294: Meaning perhaps the sandy point near +Ras-al-Dwaer. This paragraph is very obscure, and seems to want +something, omitted perhaps by the +abbreviator.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>On the 2d of April 1541, casting loose from the +before-mentioned shoal, which is 43 leagues beyond <i>Swakem</i>, +we rowed along the coast, and entered a river called +<i>Farate</i>, about four leagues from the shoal; whence setting +our sails we got into a fine haven a league from thence called +<i>Kilfit</i>. All this day we saw no rocks to landward, but +there was a shoal to seaward. <i>Farate</i> is a large and fair +river, the mouth of which is in lat. 21°40' N. Its mouth is +formed by two low points about a gun-shot apart, from each of +which a shoal stretches towards the middle, where only there is +any passage. The river runs from the west to the east, having +very low land on both sides, without either tree or shrub or bush +of any kind. At the entrance it is 30 fathoms deep, and from +thence diminishes to 18 fathoms. <i>Kilfit</i> is a fine harbour +and very safe, as when once in, no wind whatever need be feared. +There are at the entry two very low points bearing N.W. 1/4 N. +and S.E. 1/4 S. distant near a quarter of a league. It is rather +more than three leagues in circuit, and every part of it is safe +anchorage, having 12 fathoms water throughout; the shore is +however rocky. This harbour is rather more than a league from the +river of <i>Farate</i>, between which is a range of mountains, +one of which is higher than the others. We left <i>Kilfit</i> on +the 3d, an hour before day, and rowed along the coast till an +hour before sunset, when we anchored in a haven called <i>Ras al +Jidid</i>, or the new cape, about nine leagues from +<i>Kilfit</i>. This day we saw a few shoals to seawards, but +fewer than before. Two leagues from <i>Kilfit</i> there is a very +good haven named <i>Moamaa</i>; and from the <i>point of the +shrubs</i> to another very long sandy point, about two leagues +distant, before the port of <i>Ras-al-Jidid</i>, the coast runs +N. and S. with a small deviation to the N.W. and S.E. the +distance being about three and a half leagues[295]. +<i>Ras-al-Jidid</i>[296] is a small but very pleasant haven, 57 +leagues beyond Swakem, and so exactly circular that it resembles +a great cauldron. There are two points at its entrance bearing N. +and S. and on the inside the eastern winds only can do harm. All +the ground is very clean, having 18 fathoms at the mouth and 13 +within; and half a league inland there is a well of water, though +not very plentiful, and bitterish. This port is a large half +league in circuit. It is a singularity in all the rivers or +harbours which I have seen on this coast, that they have no bars +or banks at their mouths, which are generally deeper than within. +On the land round this port, I found certain trees which in their +trunk and bark resembled cork-trees, but very different in all +other respects. Their leaves were very large, wonderfully thick, +and of a deep green, crossed with large veins. They were then in +flower, and their flowers in the bud resembled the flowers of the +mallow when in that state: But such as were opened were white, +and like the white cockle. On cutting a bough or leaf there run +out a great stream of milk, as from the dug of a goat. On all +this coast I saw no other trees, except a grove a little beyond +Massua, in some marshy ground near the sea. Besides these trees, +there are some valleys inland producing a few capers, the leaves +of which are eaten by the Moors, <i>who say they be appropriate +to the joynts</i>. On the 4th of April, from sunrise till eleven +o'clock, the wind blew a storm from the N.W. after which there +was much and loud thunder, accompanied with hail, the stones +being the largest I ever saw. With the thunder the wind veered +about to every point of the compass, and at last it settled in +the north. This day I carried my instruments on shore, when I +found the variation 1-1/4 degree north-east[297], and the +latitude by many observations 22° N. Though these +observations were made on shore with great care, so that I never +stirred the instrument when once set till the end of my +observations, I am satisfied there must be some error; because +the great heat cracked the plate of ivory in the middle, so that +there remained a great cleft as thick as a <i>gold portague</i>. +On the 6th, an hour before day, we weighed from the port of +<i>Ras-al-Jidid</i>, and advanced about three and a half leagues. +The 7th in the morning, the wind blew fresh at N.W. and we rowed +to the shore, where at eight o'clock we fastened our barks to +certain stones of a shoal or reef, lying before a long point +which hereafter I shall name <i>Starta</i>. We went in this space +about three leagues. About noon we made sail and proceeded in our +voyage, but in no small doubts, as we saw on both sides of our +course a prodigious number of shelves; we were therefore obliged +to take in our sails and use our oars, by means of which we came +about sunset to a good haven named <i>Comol</i>, in which we +anchored.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 295: This paragraph is likewise obscurely +worded, and is perhaps left imperfect by the +abbreviator.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 296: In some subsequent passages this +harbour is called Igidid, probably to distinguish it from the +point of Ras-al-Jidid.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 297: It is therefore probable that in all +the bearings set down in this voyage, when applied to practice, +either for the uses of geography or navigation, this allowance of +1-1/4 too much to the east ought to be +deducted.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>From a point two leagues beyond the harbour of <i>Igidid</i>, +or <i>Ras-al-Jidid</i>, to another very long and flat point may +be about four leagues, these two points bearing N.W. and S.E. +between which there is a large bay; within which towards the long +point at the N.W. is a deep haven so close on all sides that it +is safe from every wind. This point is an island; from which +circumstance and its latitude it seems certainly the island named +<i>Starta</i> by Ptolomy. From thence to a great point of land +over the harbour of <i>Comol</i> the distance may be five +leagues; these two points bearing N.W. by W. and S.E. by E. and +between them is a large fair bay. From the port of <i>Igidid</i> +till half a league short of the harbour of <i>Comol</i>, the land +close to the shore is all raised in small hills very close +together, behind which, about a league farther inland, are very +high mountains rising into many high and sharp peaks; and as we +come nearer to <i>Comol</i> these hills approach the sea, and in +coming within half a league of <i>Comol</i> they are close to the +shore. Comol is eleven leagues beyond <i>Igidid</i>, and 68 from +Swakem, and is in lat. 22° 30' N. This port is in the second +bay, very near the face of the point which juts out from the +coast on the north-west side of this second bay. Though not +large, the port of <i>Comol</i> is very secure, as towards the +seaward it has certain reefs or shoals above water which +effectually defend it from all winds. The land around it is very +plain and pleasant, and is inhabited by many <i>Badwis</i>[298]. +The north-west point which ends the bay and covers this port is +very long and fair, being all low and level, being what was named +by Ptolomy the promontory of <i>Prionoto</i> in his <i>third</i> +table of Africa, since the great mountains which range along the +whole of this coast end here.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 298: Named <i>Badois</i> in the edition of +Purchas, but certainly the <i>Badwis</i> or <i>Bedouins</i>, +signifying the <i>People of the Desert</i>, being the name by +which the Arabs who dwell in tents are distinguished from those +who inhabit towns.--Astl.].</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION VII.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Voyage from the Harbour of Comol to +Toro or Al Tor.</i></p> + +<p>Three hours after midnight of the 7th April 1541[299], we left +the harbour of <i>Comol</i>, using our oars for a small way, and +then hoisting sail we proceeded along the coast; but an hour +before day-light some of our barks struck upon certain rocks and +shoals, on which we again struck sails and took to our oars till +day-light. At day-light, being then the 8th, we came to a +spacious bay, of which to the north and north-west we could see +no termination, neither any cape or head-land in that direction. +We accordingly sailed forwards in that open sea or bay, but which +had so many shoals on each side that it was wonderful we could +make <i>any profit of a large wind;</i> for, <i>now going +roamour, and now upon a tack</i>, sometimes in the way and +sometimes out of it, there was no way for us to take certain and +quiet[300]. About sunset we came to a very great shelf or reef, +and fastening our barks to its rocks we remained there for the +night. The morning of the 9th being clear, we set sail from this +shelf, and took harbour within a great shelf called +<i>Shaab-al-Yadayn</i>[301]. After coming to anchor, we noticed +an island to seaward, called <i>Zemorjete</i>. This port and +shelf trend N.E. by E. and S.W. by W. From the <i>cape of the +mountains</i>[302], to another cape beyond it on which there are +a quantity of shrubs or furzes; the coast runs N.E. by N. and +S.W. by S. the distance between these capes being about three and +a half or four leagues. From this last point the coast of the +great bay or nook winds inwards to the west, and afterwards turns +out again, making a great circuit with many windings, and ends in +a great and notable point called <i>Ras-al-Nashef</i>, or the dry +cape, called by Ptolomy the promontory <i>Pentadactilus</i> in +his <i>third</i> table of Africa. The island <i>Zemorjete</i> is +about eight leagues E. from this cape; and from that island, +according to the Moorish pilots, the two shores of the gulf are +first seen at one time, but that of Arabia is a great deal +farther off than the African coast. This island, which is very +high and barren, is named <i>Agathon</i> by Ptolomy. It has +another very small island close to it, which is not mentioned in +Ptolomy. Now respecting the shelf <i>Shaab-al-Yadayn</i>, it is +to be noted that it is a great shelf far to seaward of the +northern end of the great bay, all of it above water, like two +extended arms with their hands wide open, whence its Arabic name +which signifies <i>shelf of the hands</i>. The port of this shelf +is to landward, as on that side it winds very much, so as to shut +up the haven from all winds from the sea. This haven and cape +<i>Ras-al-Nashef</i> bear from each other E.S.E. and W.S.W. +distant about four leagues.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 299: In our mode of counting time, three in +the morning of the 8th.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 300: This nautical language is so different +from that of the present day as to be almost unintelligible. They +appear to have sailed in a winding channel, in which the wind was +sometimes scant, sometimes large and sometimes contrary; so that +occasionally they had to tack or turn to windward. The strange +word <i>roamour</i>, which has occurred once before, may be +conjectured to mean that operation in beating to windward, in +which the vessel sails contrary to the direction of her voyage, +called in ordinary nautical language the short leg of the +tack.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 301: Signifying in Arabic the shelf of the +two hands.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 302: Probably that just before named +<i>Prionoto</i> from Ptolomy, and called cape of the mountains, +because the Abyssinian mountains there end.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At sunrise on the 10th we set sail to the N.N.E. the wind +being fresh and the sea appearing clear and navigable. When about +half a league from the point we saw, as every one thought, a ship +under sail, but on drawing nearer it was a white rock in the sea, +which we were told deceives all navigators as it did us. After +this we stood N. by E. By nine o'clock we reached an island named +<i>Connaka</i>, and passed between it and the main-land of +Africa. This island is small and barren, about half a league in +circuit, and is about a league and a half from the main. It +resembles a vast crocodile with its legs stretched out, and is a +noted land-mark among navigators. <i>Connaka</i> and +<i>Zamorjete</i> bear from each other N.W. by W. and S.E. by E. +distant about six small leagues. About half an hour past ten, we +reached a very long point of sand stretching far out to sea, +called <i>Ras-al-nef</i>, which signifies in Arabic the point or +cape of the nose. There is no nigh land whatever about this cape, +but a vast plain field without tree or any green thing, and in +the very face of the point stands a great temple without any +other buildings, and on each side of it is a very clear sandy +coast in manner of a bay. This cape of <i>Ras-al-nef</i> is +famous among navigators, as all their trouble and danger ends on +reaching it, when they consider themselves at home and secure. We +continued our course from this cape along the coast with the wind +at S.E. At noon my pilot took the altitude, and found our +latitude 24° 10' N. at which time we were beyond +<i>Ras-al-nef</i> about three leagues, whence the latitude of +that cape is 24° N. From this it appears that the ancient +city of <i>Berenice</i> was built upon this cape +<i>Ras-al-nef</i> as Ptolomy places it on this coast under the +tropic of <i>Cancer</i>, making the greatest declination of the +sun at this place almost 23° 50'. Likewise Pliny says that at +Berenice the sun at noon in the summer solstice gives no shadow +to the <i>gnomon</i>, by which that city appears to have stood +under the tropic.[303]</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 303: It may be presumed that the position +given by Ptolomy is merely accidental, resulting from computed +distances; and Pliny only speaks from the authority of Ptolomy. +In all probability <i>Al Kossir</i>, to be afterwards mentioned, +is the <i>Berenice</i> of the ancients.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>Half an hour before sunset, we came to an island called +<i>Shwarit</i>, but passing onwards a quarter of a league we came +to some shelves of sand and others of rock, and anchored between +them in a good harbour called <i>Sial</i>. These shelves and this +port are 103 leagues beyond <i>Swakem</i>. On these shelves we +saw a much greater quantity of sea-fowl than had been seen in any +part of the Red Sea. From <i>Ras-al-Nashef</i> to the island of +<i>Shwarit</i> may be between 16 and 17 leagues. After passing +Cape <i>Ras-al-Nashef</i>, or the N.W. point of the great bay, +the coast winds very much, running into the land, and pushing out +again a very long point of land called <i>Ras-al-nef</i>, which +two points bear from each other N.E. and S.W. almost 1/4 more N. +and S. distant about six leagues large. From <i>Ras-al-nef</i> +forwards, the coast winds directly to the N.W. till we come to +<i>Swarit</i>, the distance being between 10 and 11 leagues. In +this distance the sea is only in three places foul with shoals; +<i>first</i> to seaward of the island of <i>Connaka</i>, where +there is a large fair shoal rising above water in a great ridge +of large rocks; and running a long way toward the land; the +<i>second</i> place is at the island of <i>Shwarit</i>, as both +to the east and west of this island great shoals and flats +stretch towards the main-land, so as apparently to shut up the +sea entirely between that island and the main; the <i>third</i> +is at this harbour of <i>Sial</i> where we anchored, where the +sea is studded thick with innumerable shoals and flats, so that +no part remains free. The island of Shwarit is a gun-shot in +length and nearly as much in breadth, all low land, with a great +green bush in the middle, and opposite to its east side there is +a great rock like an island. <i>Shwarit</i> is little more than +half a league from the main-land.</p> + +<p>From <i>Swakem</i> all the way to <i>Ras-al-nef</i>, the +countries are all inhabited by <i>Badwis</i> or <i>Bedouins</i>, +who follow the law of Mahomet, and from <i>Ras-al-nef</i>, +upwards to <i>Suez</i> and the end of this sea, the coast all +belongs to Egypt, the inhabitants of which dwell between the +coast of the Red Sea and the river Nile. Cosmographers in general +call the inhabitants of both these regions <i>Ethiopians</i>. +Ptolomy calls them Egyptian Arabs: Pomponius Mela and other +cosmographers name them in general Arabs; but we ought to follow +Ptolomy, as he was the prince of cosmographers. These Egyptian +Arabs, who inhabit the whole country from the mountains to the +sea, are commonly called <i>Bedwis</i> or <i>Bedouins</i>, of +whose customs and manner of life we shall treat in another +place.</p> + +<p>We took in our sails on the 11th of April, and proceeded on +our way by rowing. At nine o'clock we entered a great bay called +<i>Gadenauhi</i>[304], about 4 leagues from <i>Sial</i>, the +coast between trending N.W. and S.E. rather more to the N. and S. +The land over the sea, which for some way had the appearance of a +wall or trench, becomes now very mountainous and <i>doubled</i>, +shewing so many mountains and so close that it was wonderful. The +port or bay of <i>Gadenauhi</i> is 107 leagues beyond +<i>Swakem</i>, in lat. 24° 40' N. It was low water <i>one +hour after high noon</i>[305], and full sea when the moon rose +above the horizon; and as the moon ascended it began to ebb, till +the moon was an hour past the meridian, when it began to flow, +and was full sea an hour after the moon set. By night the wind +was N.W. Two or three hours after midnight we departed from +<i>Gadenauhi</i> prosecuting our voyage. In passing between the +shoal which comes from the N.W. point of the bay and the island +of <i>Bahuto</i>, we stuck fast upon the shoal, and were much +troubled, believing ourselves in a net or cul-de-sac; but we had +no hurt or danger, and presently got into the right channel and +rowed along shore, against the wind at N.W. till day. The 12th we +rowed along shore, and came an hour after sunrise into a haven +called <i>Xarmeelquiman</i> or <i>Skarm-al-Kiman</i>, meaning in +the Arabic a cleft or opening in the mountains. This is a small +but excellent harbour, 1-1/2 league beyond <i>Gadenauhi</i>, and +108 leagues beyond <i>Swakem</i>, very much like the port of +<i>Igidid</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 304: Perhaps +<i>Wad-annawi</i>.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 305: This strange expression, as connected +with the tide which is dependent on the moon, may possibly mean +when the moon was in opposition to the north; or mid-way between +her setting and rising.--]</blockquote> + +<p>The 12th of April we set sail along shore, the wind being +fresher, and more large, at E.S.E. About noon it blew very hard +with such impetuous gusts that it drove the sands of the coast +very high, raising them up to the heavens in vast whirls like +great smokes. About evening when the barks draw together, the +wind was entirely calm to some, while others a little behind or +before, or more towards the land or the sea, had it still so +violent that they could not carry sail, the distance between +those becalmed and those having the wind very fresh, being often +no more than a stones throw. Presently after, the wind would +assail those before becalmed, while those that went very swift +were left in a calm. Being all close together, this seemed as if +done in sport. Some of these gales came from the E. and E.N.E. so +hot and scorching that they seemed like flames of fire. The sand +raised by these winds went sometimes one way and sometimes +another; and we could sometimes see one cloud or pillar of sand +driven in three or four different directions before it fell down. +These singular changes would not have been wonderful among hills; +but were very singular where we were at such a distance from the +coast. When these winds assailed us in this manner we were at a +port named <i>Shaona</i>, or <i>Shawna</i>; and going on in this +manner, sometimes hoisting and at other times striking our sails, +sometimes laughing at what we saw, and other times in dread, we +went on till near sunset, when we entered a port named +<i>Gualibo</i>,[306] signifying in Arabic the port of trouble, +having advanced this day and part of the former night about 13 +leagues.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 306: Perhaps +<i>Kalabon</i>.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>From <i>Gadenauhi</i> to a port named <i>Shakara</i> which is +encompassed by a very red hill, the coast trends N.W. by N. and +S.E. by S. the distance about 10 leagues; and from this red hill +to a point about a league beyond <i>Gualibo</i>, the coast runs +N.N.W. and S.S.E. distance about 6 leagues. In these 16 leagues, +the coast is very clear, only that a league beyond the Red Hill +there is a shoal half a large league from the land. In these 16 +leagues there are many excellent ports, more numerous than I have +ever seen in so short a space. At one of these named +<i>Shawna</i>, which is very large, the Moors and native +inhabitants say there formerly stood a famous city of the +gentiles, which I believe to have been that named <i>Nechesia</i> +by Ptolomy in his third book of Africa. Along the sea there runs +a long range of great hills very close together and doubling on +each other, and far inland behind these great mountains are seen +to rise above them. In this range there are two mountains larger +than the rest, or even than any on the whole coast, one of which +is black as though it had been burnt, and the other is yellow, +and between them are great heaps of sand. From the black mountain +inwards I saw an open field in which were many large and tall +trees with spreading tops, being the first I had seen on the +coast that seemed planted by man; for those a little beyond +Massua are of the kind pertaining to marshes on the borders of +the sea or of rivers; as those at the port of +<i>Sharm-al-Kiman</i> and at the harbour of <i>Igidid</i> are +wild and pitiful, naked and dry, without boughs or fruit. These +two mountains are about two leagues short of the port of +<i>Sharm-al-Kiman</i>. <i>Gualibo</i>, which is 122 leagues +beyond Swakem, is very like the port of <i>Sharm-al-Kiman</i>; +except that the one is environed by many mountains, while the +land round the other is an extensive plain. The entry to this +port is between certain rocks or shoals on which the sea breaks +with much force, but the entry is deep and large. After sunrise +on the 13th we left the port of <i>Gualibo</i>, and as the wind +was strong at N.W. making a heavy sea, we rowed along shore, and +at ten in the morning went into a port named <i>Tuna</i>, a +league and half beyond <i>Gualibo</i>. <i>Tuna</i> is a small +foul haven, beyond Swakem 123 leagues and a half, in lat. 25° +30' N. The entrance is between rocks, and within it is so much +encumbered with shoals and rocks that it is a small and sorry +harbour; but round the point forming the north side of this +harbour, there is a good haven and road-stead against the wind at +N.W. the land round it being barren sand. To the N.W. of this +there are three sharp mountains of rock, as if to indicate the +situation of the harbour. One hour before sunset we fastened +ourselves to a shoal a league beyond <i>Tuna</i>. This coast, +from a league beyond <i>Gualibo</i>, to another point a league +and a half beyond this shoal, trends N.N.W. and S.S.E distance +four leagues.</p> + +<p>The 14th April we rowed along shore, the sea running very high +so as to distress the rowers; but beating up against wind and sea +till past noon, we came into a fine bay, in the bottom of which +we came to anchor in an excellent haven. This day and night we +went about 5 leagues, and were now about 129 leagues beyond +Swakem. For these five leagues the coast extends N.W. and S.E. +the land within the coast being in some places low and plain, +while it is mountainous in others. By day-light on the 15th we +were a league short of <i>Al Kossir</i>, which we reached an hour +and half after sunrise, and cast anchor in the harbour. During +the past night and the short part of this day we had advanced +about seven leagues, the coast extending N.N.W. and S.S.E. +According to Pliny, in the sixth book of his Natural History, and +Ptolomy in his third book of Africa, this place of <i>Al +Kossir</i> was anciently named <i>Phioteras</i>[307]. All the +land from hence to <i>Arsinoe</i>, at the northern extremity of +the Red Sea, was anciently called <i>Enco</i>. This place is +about 15 or 16 days journey from the nearest part of the Nile, +directly west. This is the only port on all this coast to which +provisions are brought from the land of Egypt, now called +<i>Riffa</i>; and from this port of <i>Kossir</i> all the towns +on the coast of the Red Sea are provided. In old times, the town +of <i>Kossir</i> was built two leagues farther up the coast; but +being found incommodious, especially as the harbour at that place +was too small, it was removed to this place. To this day the +ruins of old <i>Kossir</i> are still visible, and there I believe +was <i>Philoteras</i>. New <i>Kossir</i> by observations twice +verified is in lat. 26°15' N. being 136 leagues beyond +<i>Swakem</i>. The port is a large bay quite open to the eastern +winds, which on this coast blow with great force. Right over +against the town there are some small shoals on which the sea +breaks, between which and the shore is the anchorage for frigates +and ships coming here for a loading. The town is very small and +perhaps in the most miserable and barren spot in the world. The +houses are more like hovels for cattle, some built of stone and +clay, and others of sod, having no roofs except a few matts which +defend the inhabitants from the sun, and from rain if any happen +now and then to fall as it were by chance, as in this place it so +seldom rains as to be looked upon as a wonder. In the whole +neighbouring country on the coast, fields, mountains, or hills, +there groweth no kind of herb, grass, tree, or bush; and nothing +is to be seen but black scorched mountains and a number of bare +hillocks, which environ the whole place from sea to sea, like an +amphitheatre of barrenness and sterility, most melancholy to +behold. Any flat ground there is, is a mere dry barren sand mixed +with gravel. The port even is the worst I have seen on all this +coast, and has no fish, though all the other ports and channels +through which we came have abundance and variety. It has no kind +of cattle; and the people are supplied from three wells near the +town, the water of which differs very little from that of the +sea.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 307: In Purchas, Al Kossir is named +Alcocer. Don John thinks this place to be the <i>Philoteras</i> +of Ptolomy; but Dr Pocock places it 2°40' more to the north, +making Kossir <i>Berenice</i>, which is highly probable, as it is +still the port of <i>Kept</i>, anciently Coptos, or of <i>Kus</i> +near it, both on the Nile, as well as the nearest port to the +Nile on all that coast, which <i>Berenice</i> was. Dr Pocock +supposes old Kossir to have been <i>Myos Hormos</i>: but we +rather believe it to have been Berenice.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<p>The most experienced of the Moors had never heard of the name +of Egypt[308], but call the whole land from <i>Al Kossir</i> to +Alexandria by the name of <i>Riffa</i>[309], which abounds in all +kinds of victuals and provisions more than any other part of the +world, together with great abundance of cattle, horses, and +camels, there not being a single foot of waste land in the whole +country. According to the information I received; their language +and customs are entirely Arabic. The land, as I was told, is +entirely plain, on which it never rains except for a wonder; but +God hath provided a remedy by ordaining that the Nile should +twice a year[310] overflow its natural bounds to water the +fields. They said likewise that the Nile from opposite to <i>Al +Kossir</i>, and far above that towards the bounds of Abyssinia, +was navigable all the way to Alexandria; but having many islands +and rocks, either it was necessary to have good pilots or to sail +only by day. They told me likewise that the natives inhabited +this barren spot of <i>Al Kossir</i>, as being the nearest +harbour on the coast of the Red Sea to the Nile, whence +provisions were transported; and that the inhabitants were +satisfied with slight matts instead of roofs to their houses +because not troubled with rain, and the matts were a sufficient +protection from the sun: but made their walls of stone to defend +themselves against the malignity and rapaciousness of the +<i>Badwis</i>, a perverse people, void of all goodness, who often +suddenly assaulted the place in hope of plunder, and frequently +pillaged the caravans coming across from the Nile with provisions +and other commodities.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 308: No wonder, as <i>Messr</i> is the name +by which Egypt is known to the Arabs.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 309: More properly <i>Al Rif</i>, which +name more particularly belongs to part of Lower +Egypt.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 310: This is erroneous, as the Nile only +overflows once yearly.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 18th of April we fastened ourselves to a shoal about four +leagues past <i>Kossir</i>, and set sail from thence at noon. The +19th, about half an hour past eight o'clock, while proceeding +with fine weather, we were suddenly taken aback by a fierce gust +at N.N.W. which obliged us to take shelter in an island called +<i>Suffange-al-bahar</i>[311] or <i>Saffanj-al-bahr</i>, losing 4 +or 5 leagues of way that we had already advanced. The name given +to this island means in the Arabic a <i>sea-sponge</i>. It is 13 +leagues beyond <i>Al Kossir</i>, in lat. 27° N. being in +length about two leagues by about a quarter in breadth, all of +sand without trees or water. Its harbour is good in all weathers; +but upon the main land the number of bays, ports, and harbours +about this place are wonderful. The best channel here is between +the island, and the main, along the coast of the continent, as on +the side next the island there are some shoals. Likewise in the +northern entry to this port there are other shoals which need not +be feared in coming in by day, and in the southern entrance there +is a large rock in the very middle. The 20th at sunset we were +about six leagues beyond this island of Safanj-al-bahr. From +which island to a sandy, point about 1-1/2 league beyond, the +coast trends N.N.W. and S.S.E. and from this point forwards to +the end of the six leagues, the coast winds inwards to landwards +forming a large bay, within which are many islands, ports, +creeks, bays, and notable harbours. The 21st by day we were fast +to the shore of an island called Sheduam, and the wind being +calm, we rowed along the coast of the island, which, opposite to +Arabia or the east side, is high and craggy, all of hard rock, +three leagues long and two broad. This island is 20 leagues +beyond <i>Al Kossir</i>, having no water nor any trees. It is +between the two coasts of Arabia and Egypt, being five leagues +from either. Beyond it to the north-west are three small low +islands with shoals among them. An hour after sunset, we were +upon the north cape or point of this island, whence we crossed +towards the Arabian coast[312], and having no wind we took to our +oars. Within a little it began to blow fair from the S.E. and we +set sail steering N.W. At eleven next morning, we were upon the +coast of the Stony Arabia, and soon sailed along its shore, +entering two hours before sunset into the port <i>Toro</i> or +<i>Al Tor</i>, which may be seen front the island of Sheduam, +distant 12 leagues, bearing N. by W. and S. by E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 311: <i>Safanj-al-Bahr</i>. In Arabic +<i>Safanj, Sofinj</i> and <i>Isfanj</i>, all signify +<i>Sponge</i>, which is obviously derived from the Arabic +word.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 312: Probably meaning that part of Arabia +between the Gulf of Suez and the Bahr-akkaba, called the +promontory of Tor, of which Cape Mahomed forms the S.W. +extremity,--E.]</blockquote> + +<p><i>Toro</i> or <i>Al Tor</i> was of old called <i>Elana</i>, +as may be seen in the writings of Ptolomy, Strabo, and other +ancient writers, although our observation of the latitude differs +materially from theirs. But they shew that <i>Elana</i> was +situated in the most inward part of a very great gulf, called +<i>Sinus Elaniticus</i>[313], from the name of this place +<i>Elana</i>, and in lat. 29°15' N. Now we know that +<i>Toro</i> is in lat. 28°10' N.[314] and lies upon a very +long and straight coast. The cause of this great difference, if +these places be the same, may have proceeded from erroneous +information given to Ptolomy and the other ancient cosmographers. +But that ancient <i>Elana</i> and modern <i>Toro</i> are the +same, appears from this, that from thence to Suez both on the +Arabian and Egyptian coasts of the Elanitic Gulf, not only is +there no memorial or remains of any other ancient town, and the +barrenness of the country, want of water, and rough craggy +mountains, make it evident that in no other place could there be +any habitation. Hence, considering that Ptolomy places Elana on +the coast of <i>Arabia Petrea</i>, near adjoining to mount Sinai, +and makes no mention of any town between it and the <i>City of +Heroes</i> on the upmost extremity of the Elanitic Gulf where the +sea ends; and as on this shore of Arabia there is neither town, +village, nor habitation, coming so near the position assigned to +<i>Elana</i> as <i>Toro</i>, and as it is impossible to inhabit +between <i>Toro</i> and <i>Suez</i>, it seems just to conclude +that <i>Toro</i> and <i>Elana</i> are the same place. The port of +<i>Toro</i> seems likewise that mentioned in holy writ under the +name of <i>Ailan</i>, where Solomon, king of Israel, caused the +ships to be built which sailed to <i>Tarsis</i> and <i>Ophir</i> +to bring gold and silver for the temple of Jerusalem: for taking +away the second letter from <i>Ailan</i>, the ancient names are +almost the same. Nor is it reasonable that it should be in any +other place, as the timber for the navy of Solomon was brought +from Lebanon and Antelibanus; and to avoid expences they would +necessarily carry it to the nearest port, especially as the Jews +then possessed the region of Idumea, and that part of the coast +of Arabia Petrea which is between Toro and Suez. Strabo holds +that <i>Elana</i> and <i>Ailan</i> are the same city; and when +treating of this city in another place, he says, that from the +port of <i>Gaza</i> it is 1260 furlongs to the city of Ailan, +which is situated on the <i>inwardest</i> part of the Arabic +Gulf[315]; "and there are two, one towards Gaza and Arabia, +called the Sinus Elaniticus, from the city Elana which stands +upon it; the other on the Egyptian side towards the <i>City of +Heroes</i> and the way from <i>Pelusium</i> to this gulf is very +small." This is what I would pick out from ancient authors.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 313: Don Juan entirely mistakes this point +of antiquity, in consequence of not having learnt that there was +another and eastern gulf at the head of the Red Sea; the +<i>Bahr-akkaba</i> or real <i>Sinus Elaniticus</i>, on which is +the town of <i>Ayla</i>, assuredly the ancient <i>Elana</i> or +<i>Aylan</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 314: If this observation be exact, the +great promontory or peninsula between the gulfs at the head of +the Red Sea must be extended too far south in the map constructed +by Dr Pocock.--Ast.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 315: Had Don Juan de Castro been acquainted +with the eastern gulf at the head of the Red Sea, called the +<i>Bahr-akkaba</i>, he would have more readily chosen <i>Ayla</i> +for the seat of <i>Ailan</i>, and the dock-yard of the navy of +Solomon, being at the <i>inwardest</i> part of the Red Sea, and +the port nearest to Gaza. Besides, the portion of the text marked +with inverted commas, seems a quotation by Don Juan from Strabo, +which distinctly indicates the eastern or Elanitic Gulf, and +points to <i>Ayla</i> as the seat of Elana and <i>Ailan</i>, and +distinctly marks the other or western gulf, now that of +Suez.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>"As this is a point of great moment in geography, it deserves +to be examined[316]. It is observable that Don Juan admits that +both Ptolemy and Strabo make the Red Sea terminate to the north +in two large gulfs, one towards Egypt and the other towards +Arabia, at the end of which latter they place <i>Elana</i>. Yet +here he rejects the authority of both geographers, alleging that +both were mistaken, because Tor is situated on a very long and +straight coast. He likewise cites Ptolomy as making the latitude +of Elana 29°15' N.[317] yet accounts the difference between +that position and the altitude found at Al Tor, 20°10', as of +no significance here, though in former instances he had held the +tables of Ptolomy as infallible. It is still stranger that Don +Juan should after all admit of a gulf of <i>Elana</i>, as will be +seen presently, and yet place it at a great distance, and at the +opposite side of the sea from that on which Elana stands. However +this may be, it is certain that Don Juan, and not the ancients, +has been misinformed on this matter; for not only the <i>Arab</i> +geographers give a particular account of this eastern gulf, as +will appear from the description of the Red Sea by +<i>Abulfeda</i>, but its existence has been proved, by two +English travellers, Dr Shaw and Dr Pocock. The errors which Don +Juan has here fallen into, has been owing to not having examined +the coast on the side of Arabia; for until the fleet came to the +island of Sheduam, it had sailed entirely along the African +shore; and then, leaving the north part of that island, it passed +over to the coast of Arabia[318] for the first time, where it may +be presumed that they fell in with the land some way to the north +of the S.W. point of the great peninsula between the two gulfs. +This cape in the maps by De L'Isle and Dr Pocock is called +<i>Cape Mahomet</i>. Still however as the island of Sheduam seems +to lie nearer the eastern gulf; its north end being at least +eighteen or twenty miles to the southward of Cape Mahomet, it is +surprising that Don Juan and the whole fleet should overlook that +gulf, which indeed was done before by the Venetian who sailed +along the Arabian shore in the fleet of Solyman Pacha. What Don +Juan says about the identity of <i>Elana</i> and <i>Ailan</i> or +<i>Aylan</i> we shall not contend about, as the authority of +Strabo, and the similarity of names are strong proofs. But we +shall presently see that the Arabs place <i>Aylan</i> at the head +of a great gulf; and the distance he cites from Strabo, 1260 +stadia from Gaza to Aylan, supposing it to be exact, is a proof +that <i>Aylan</i> cannot be the same with <i>Toro</i>. We shall +only observe farther, that the positive denial by Don Juan of +there being any such gulf as the <i>Elanitic</i> on the east or +side of Arabia, may have been the reason why it was not laid down +in the maps of <i>Sanson</i>, or by any geographer before <i>De +L'Isle</i>."--Ast. I. 124. a.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 316: This paragraph, marked by inverted +commas, is a dissertation by the editor of Astleys Collection, +too important to be omitted, and too long for a +note.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 317: The latitude of Ayla in modern maps is +about 29°10' N. having a very near +coincidence.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 318: Properly speaking only to the Arabian +coast of the Gulf of Suez, not at all to the Arabian coast of the +Red Sea.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The city of <i>Toro</i> or <i>Al Tor</i> is built on the +sea-side along an extensive and fair strand or beach, and about a +cannon-shot before coming to it we saw twelve palm-trees close +together very near the sea; and from these a plain field extends +to the foot of some high hills. These hills are part of a chain +which extends from the straits of Ormuz or Persian Gulf, and +which extend hither along the coast very high above the sea as +far as Toro, where they leave the coast, "and with a great and +sudden violence return from thence to the main towards the +north-east, as angry and wearied by so long neighbourhood of the +waters." <i>Arabia Petrea</i> is divided by three mountains from +<i>Arabia Felix,</i> and on the highest tops of them some +Christians lead holy and quiet lives. A little way beyond Toro, +on the borders of the sea, a mountain begins to rise by little +and little; and thrusting out a large high cape or promontory, +seems to those in the town like three great and mighty separate +mountains. This town of Tor is small but well situated, all its +inhabitants being Christians who speak Arabic. It has a monastery +of friars of the order of <i>Monserrat</i>, in which is the +oracle or image of <i>Santa Catalina</i> of Mount Sinai or St +Catharine. These friars are all Greeks. The harbour of Toro is +not large, but very secure, having opposite to the shore a long +stony bank, between which and the shore is the harbour. At this +place both the coasts of the gulf are only about three leagues +distant.</p> + +<p>Being desirous to learn some particulars concerning this +country, I made myself acquainted with the friars, from whom I +had the following information. They told me that Mount Sinai was +<i>thirteen</i> small days journey into the land, or about 18 +leagues[319]. The mountain is very high, the country around being +plain and open, having on its borders a great town inhabited by +Christians, into which no Mahometan can enter except he who +gathers the rents and duties belonging to the Turks. On the top +of the mountain is a monastery having many friars, where the body +of the blessed Virgin St Catharine lay buried. According to +Anthony bishop of Florence, the body of this Holy Virgin was +carried away by the angels from the city of Alexandria and buried +on Mount Sinai. They told me farther that about four months +before our arrival this most blessed and holy body was carried +from the mountain with great pomp, on a triumphal chariot all +gilt, to the city of Cairo, where the Christians of that city, +which are the bulk of the inhabitants, came out to receive it in +solemn procession, and set it with great honour in a monastery. +The cause of this strange removal was the many insults which the +monastery on Mount Sinai suffered from the Arabs, from whom the +friars and pilgrims had often to redeem themselves with money; of +which the Christians of Cairo complained to the Turkish governor, +and received permission to bring the blessed and holy body to +their city, which was done accordingly, in spite of a strenuous +opposition from the friars of Mount Sinai. I am somewhat doubtful +of the truth of this transportation, suspecting that the friars +may have trumped up this story lest we might have taken the holy +body from them, as they expected us with an army of 10,000 men. +Yet they affirmed it for truth, expressing great sorrow for the +removal. These friars told me likewise that several hermits lead +a solitary and holy life in these mountains over against the +town; and that all through the Stony Arabia, there are many towns +of Christians. I asked if they knew where the Jews had passed the +Red Sea; but they knew of no certain place, only that it must +have been somewhere between <i>Toro</i> and <i>Suez</i>. They +said likewise, that on the Arabian coast of the Gulf, two or +three leagues short of Suez, was the fountain which Moses caused +to spring from the rock by striking it with his rod, being still +called by the Arabs the fountain of Moses, the water of which is +purer and more pleasant than any other. They said that from +<i>Toro</i> to <i>Cairo</i> by land was seven ordinary days +journey, in which the best and most direct way was through Suez: +But that since the Turkish gallies came to Suez they had changed +the road, going two leagues round to avoid Suez, after which they +turned to the west.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 319: Surely this passage should be only +<i>three</i> short days journey.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>I afterwards conversed with a very honest, learned and curious +Mahometan, whom I asked if he could tell where the Jews crossed +the Red Sea; on which he told me that both in tradition and in +some old writings it was said that the Jews, fleeing from the +Egyptians, arrived on the coast of Egypt directly opposite to +<i>Toro</i>, where Moses prayed to God for deliverance, and +struck the sea twelve times with his rod, on which it opened in +twelve several paths, by which the Jews passed over to the other +side to where <i>Toro</i> now stands; after which the Egyptians +entering into these paths were all destroyed to the number of +about 600,000 men. That from <i>Toro</i> Moses led the Israelites +to Mount Sinai, where Moses spake many times with God. I approved +much of this opinion; for if the passage had been at Suez, as +some insist, the Egyptians had no occasion to have entered into +the sea for persecuting the Jews, as they could have gone round +the bay and got before them, more especially as they were +horsemen and the Jews all on foot. For though all these things +came about by a miracle, we see always on like occasions there is +a shew and manner of reason. I asked of this Moor if it were true +that the Christians of Cairo had carried away the body of St +Catharine from Mount Sinai; but he said he had never heard of it, +neither did he believe the story; and that only four months +before he had been in Cairo, which city they call +<i>Mecara</i>[320], where he heard of no such thing. He thought +likewise that the Christians about Mount Sinai would never have +permitted such a thing, as they all considered that woman as a +saint, and held her body in great reverence. He told me also that +two or three leagues before coming to <i>Suez</i> there is a +fountain which was given to the Jews at the intercession of +Moses, whom they call <i>Muzau</i>, the water of which surpasses +all others in goodness. On inquiring what kind of a place was the +town of <i>Suez</i>, he said he had never been there, as no +person could enter that town except those appointed by the +governor of Cairo for taking care of the gallies, nor come nearer +than two leagues under pain of death.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 320: Mecara, perhaps by mistake for +Meçara or Mezara, which is very near Mesr as it is called +by the Turks. Cairo is an Italian corruption of Kahera or al +Kahira--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION VIII.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Voyage from Taro or al Tor to +Suez.</i></p> + +<p>We set sail the day after our arrival at Toro, being the 23d +of April 1541, and on the 24th we were in the lat. of 27° 17' +N. At this place, which is 20 leagues beyond Toro and 52 leagues +from <i>al Kossir</i>, the land of Egypt, or that coast of the +Red Sea which continueth all the way from Abyssinia, comes out +into the sea with a very long and low point, which winds a great +way inwards to the land and more crooked than any other I have +seen. After forming a large fine bay, it juts out into a large +high cape or point, which is three short leagues from +<i>Suez</i>, at the other extremity of this bay, and from that +first promontory to <i>Suez</i> the land bears N.W. by N. and +S.E. by S. The shore of this bay is very high and rough, and at +the same time entirely parched and barren. The whole of this +large bay, except very near the shore, is so deep that we had no +ground with fifty fathom, and the bottom is a soft sand lake +ouze. This bay I hold to have been undoubtedly the <i>Sinus +Elaniticus</i> of the ancients, though Strabo and Ptolemy, being +both deceived in regard to its situation, placed it on the coast +of Stony Arabia at <i>Toro</i>. This I mentioned before, when +describing <i>Toro</i>, that Strabo says the Arabian Gulf ends in +two bays, one called <i>Elaniticus</i> on the Arabian side, and +the other on the Egyptian side where stands the <i>City of +Heroes</i>[321]. Ptolemy evidently fixes the <i>elanitic +sinus</i> on the coast of Arabia, where Toro now stands; which is +very wonderful, considering that Ptolemy Was born in Alexandria, +where he wrote his Cosmography and resided all his life, and +which city is so very near these places.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 321: No description can be more explicit: +but Don John unfortunately knew not of the eastern <i>sinus</i>, +and found himself constrained to find both <i>sinuses</i> in one +gulf.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 26th of April we set sail, and at eleven o'clock we +lowered our sails, rowing along shore, where we cast anchor. Two +hours before sunset we weighed again with the wind at north and +rowed along shore; and before the sun set we anchored behind a +point of land on the Arabian shore, which sheltered us +effectually from the north wind, having advanced only a league +and a half this day. This point is three <i>small</i> leagues +short of <i>Suez</i>, and is directly east of the N.W. point of +the Great Gulf, distance about a league. From this point, about +half a league inland, is the fountain of Moses already mentioned. +As soon as we had cast anchor we went on shore, whence we saw the +end of this sea, which we had hitherto thought without end, and +could plainly see the masts of the Turkish ships. All this gave +us much satisfaction, yet mixed with much anxiety. As the wind +blew hard all night from the north, we remained at anchor behind +the point till day.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 27th, the wind blowing hard at N.N.W. we +remained at anchor till ten, when we departed from the point and +made for Suez with our oars. When about a league from the end of +the sea, I went before with two <i>catures</i> to examine the +situation of Suez and to look out for a proper landing-place. We +got close up to Suez about three o'clock in the afternoon, where +we saw many troops of horse in the field, and two great bands of +foot-soldiers in the town, who made many shots at us from a +blockhouse. The Turkish navy at this place consisted of forty-one +large gallies, and nine great ships. Having completed the +examination, and returned to our fleet, we all went to the point +of land to the west of the bay, and came to anchor near the shore +in five fathoms water, in an excellent harbour, the bottom a fine +soft sand.</p> + +<p>It is certain that in ancient times Suez was called the +<i>City of Heroes</i>, for it differs in nothing as to latitude +situation and bearings from what is said in Ptolomy, Table III. +of Africa. More especially as Suez is seated on the uttermost +coast of the nook or bay where the sea of Mecca ends, on which +the City of Heroes was situated, as Strabo writes in his XVII +book thus: "The city of <i>Heroes</i>, or of <i>Cleopatra</i>, by +some called <i>Arsinoe</i>, is in the uttermost bounds of the +<i>Sinus Arabicus</i>, which is towards Egypt.". Pliny, in the +VI. book of his Natural History, seems to call the port of Suez +<i>Danao</i>, on account of the trench or canal opened between +the Nile and the Red Sea. The latitude of Suez is 29° 45' N. +being the nearest town and port of the Red Sea to the great city +of Cairo, called anciently <i>Babylon</i> of Egypt. From Suez to +the <i>Levant Sea</i> or Mediterranean, at that mouth of one of +the seven branches of the Nile which is called <i>Pelusium</i>, +is about 40 leagues by land, which space is called the +<i>isthmus</i>, or narrow neck of land between the two seas. On +this subject Strabo writes in his XVII. book, "The isthmus +between Pelusium and the extreme point of the Arabian Gulf where +stands the <i>City of Heroes</i>, is 900 stadia." This is the +port of the Red Sea to which Cleopatra Queen of Egypt, after the +victory obtained by Augustus over Antony, commanded ships to be +carried by land from the Nile, that they might flee to the +Indians.</p> + +<p>Sesostris King of Egypt and Darius King of Persia undertook at +different periods to dig a canal between the Nile and the Red +Sea, on purpose to open a navigable communication between the +Mediterranean and the Indian ocean; but as neither of them +completed the work, Ptolomy made a trench 100 feet broad and 30 +feet deep, which being nearly finished, he discontinued lest the +sea-water from the Arabian Gulf might render the water of the +Nile salt and unfit for use. Others say that, on taking the +level, the architects and masters of the work found that the Sea +of Arabia was <i>three cubits</i> higher than the land of Egypt, +whence it was feared that all the country would be inundated and +destroyed. The ancient authors on this subject are Diodorus +Siculus, Pliny, Pomponius Mela, Strabo, and many other +cosmographers[322].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 322: This communication was actually opened +about A.D. 685, by <i>Amru</i>, who conquered Egypt for +<i>Moawiah</i>, the first <i>Ommiyan Khalifah</i> of Damascus. It +was called <i>al Khalij al Amir al Momenein</i>, or the canal of +the commander of the faithful, the title of the Caliphs. It was +shut up about 140 years afterwards by <i>Abu Jafar al +Mansur</i>.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>Although the town of Suez had a great name of old, it is small +enough at this time, and I believe had been utterly ruined and +abandoned if the Turkish navy had not been stationed here. In the +front of the land which faces the south where this sea ends there +is the mouth of a small creek or arm of the sea entering a short +way into the land, which extends towards the west till stopped by +a hillock, the only one that rises in these parts: Between which +creek and the bay or ending of the sea is a very long and narrow +tongue or spit of sand, on which the gallies and ships of the +Turks lie aground; and on which the ancient and warlike City of +the Heroes is seated[323]. There still remains a small castle, +without which are two high ancient towers, the remains of the +City of Heroes which stood here in old times. But on the point of +land where the creek enters there is a great and mighty bulwark +of modern structure, which defends the entry of the creek, and +scours the coast behind the sterns of the gallies if any one +should attempt to land in that place. Besides this, there runs +between the gallies and the strand, an entrenchment like a ridge +or long hill, making the place very strong and defensible. Having +considered this place attentively, it seemed to me impossible to +land in any part except behind the little mountain on the west at +the head of the creek, as we should be there free from the +Turkish artillery, and likewise the possession of this hillock +might contribute to our success against the enemy. But it is +necessary to consider that all along this strand the water is +shoaly for the breadth of a bow-shot, and the ground a soft +sticking clay or sinking sand, as I perceived by examining the +ground from the foist or cature, which would be very prejudicial +to the men in landing.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 323: This description does not agree with +the map or relation of Dr Pocock; which makes the sea terminate +in two bays, divided by the tongue of land on which Suez stands. +That to the N.W. is very wide at the mouth, and is properly the +termination of the western gulf of the Red Sea. The other on the +N.E. is narrow at the entrance; and is divided by another tongue +of land into two parts.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>In regard to the particulars which I learnt concerning Suez, +as told me by some of the men I met with, especially the Moor +formerly mentioned whom I conversed with at Toro, I was informed +that at the fountain of Moses, formerly mentioned as three +leagues from Suez towards <i>Toro</i>, there had been a great +city in old times, of which they say dome buildings or ruins are +still to be seen; but they could not say what had been its name. +They told me also that the remains of the canal attempted to be +made in old times from the Nile at the city of Cairo to Suez were +still to be seen, though much defaced and filled by length of +time, and that those who travel from Suez to Cairo have +necessarily to pass these remains. Some alleged that this trench +was not intended for navigation between the Nile and the Red sea, +but merely to bring water from the Nile for the supply of Suez. +They told me that the whole country from Suez to Cairo was a +sandy plain, quite barren and without water, being three days +journey going at leisure, or about 15 leagues. That in Suez and +the country round it seldom rained, but when it did at any time +it was very heavy; and that the north-wind blew at Suez the whole +year with great force.</p> + +<p>From <i>Toro</i> to <i>Suez</i> it is 28 leagues, without any +island bank or shoal in the whole way that can impede the +navigation. Departing from Toro by the middle of the channel, the +ran for the first 16 leagues is N.W. by N. from S.E. by S. in all +of which space the two coasts are about an equal distance from +each other, or about three leagues asunder. At the end of these +16 or 17 leagues, the coasts begin to close very much, so that +the opposite shores are only one league distant, which narrowness +continues for two leagues; after which the Egyptian coast +withdraws very much towards the west, making the large fine bay +formerly mentioned. The mid channel from the end of the before +mentioned 16 or 17 leagues, till we come to the N.W. point of +this bay trends N.N.W. and S.S.E. the distance being 8 leagues. +In this place the lands again approach very much, as the Arabian +shore thrusts out a very long low point, and the Egyptian coast +sends out a very large and high point at the end of the bay on +the N.W. side, these points being only a little more than one +league asunder. From these points to Suez and the end of this +sea, the coasts wind inwards on each side, making another bay +somewhat more than two leagues and a half long and one league and +a half broad, where this sea, so celebrated in holy scripture and +by profane authors, has its end. The middle of this bay extends +N. and S. with some deflection to W. and E. respectively, +distance two leagues and a half. On the coast between Toro and +Suez, on the Arabian side, a hill rises about a gun-shot above +Toro very near the sea, which is all bespotted with red streaks +from side to side, giving it a curious appearance. This hill +continues along the coast for 15 or 16 leagues, but the red +streaks do not continue more than six leagues beyond Toro. At the +end of the 15 or 16 leagues this ridge rises into a great and +high knoll, after which the ridge gradually recedes from the sea, +and ends about a league short of Suez. Between the high knoll and +Suez along the sea there is a very low plain, in some places a +league in breadth, and in others nearer Suez a league and half. +Beside this hill towards Toro I saw great heaps of sand, reaching +in some places to the top of the hill, yet were there no sands +between the hill and the sea: "Likewise by the clefts and +breaches many broken sands were driven," whence may be understood +how violent the cross winds blow here, as they snatch up and +drive the sand from out of the sea and lift it to the tops of the +hills. These cross winds, as I noticed by the lying of the sands, +were from the W. and the W.N.W.</p> + +<p>On the other or Egyptian side of this gulf, between Toro and +Suez, there run certain great and very high hills or mountains +appearing over the sea coast; which about 17 leagues above Toro +open in the middle as low as the plain field, after which they +rise as high as before, and continue along the shore to within a +league of Suez, where they entirely cease. I found the ebb and +flow of the sea between Toro and Suez quite conformable with what +has been already said respecting other parts of the coast, and +neither higher nor lower: Whence appears the falsehood of some +writers, who pretend that no path was opened through this sea for +the Israelites by miracle; but merely that the sea ebbed so much +in this place that they waited the ebb and passed over dry. I +observed that there were only two places in which it could have +been possible for Sesostris and Ptolomy kings of Egypt, to have +dug canals from the Nile to the Red-Sea: One of these by the +breach of the mountains on the Egyptian coast 17 leagues above +Toro, and 11 short of Suez; and the other by the end of the nook +or bay on which Suez stands; as at this place the hills on both +sides end, and all the land remains quite plain and low, without +hillocks or any other impediment. This second appears to me to be +much more convenient for so great a work than the other, because +the land is very low, the distance shorter, and there is a haven +at Suez. All the rest of the coast is lined by great and high +mountains of hard rock. Hence Suez must be the place to which +Cleopatra commanded the ships to be brought across the isthmus, a +thing of such great labour that shortness was of most material +importance: Here likewise for the same reason must have been the +trench or canal from the Nile to the Red Sea; more especially as +all the coast from Toro upwards is waste, and without any port +till we come to Suez.</p> + +<p>During all the time which we spent between Toro and Suez, the +heaven was constantly overcast with thick black clouds, which +seemed contrary to the usual nature of Egypt; as all concur in +saying that it never rains in that country, and that the heavens +are never obscured by clouds or vapours: But perhaps the sea +raises these clouds at this place, and farther inland the sky +might be clear; as we often see in Portugal that we have clear +pleasant weather at Lisbon, while at Cintra only four leagues +distant, there are great clouds mists and rain. The sea between +Toro and Suez is subject to sudden and violent tempests; as when +the wind blows from the north, which is the prevailing wind here, +although not very great, the sea is wonderfully raised, the waves +being everywhere so coupled together and broken that they are +very dangerous. This is not occasioned by shallow water, as this +channel is very deep, only that on the Egyptian side it is +somewhat shoaly close to the shore. "About this place I saw +certain <i>sea foams</i> otherwise called <i>evil waters</i>, the +largest I had ever seen, being as large as a target, of a whitish +dun colour. These do not pass lower than Toro; but below that +there are infinite small ones, which like the other are bred in +and go about the sea[324]." While between Toro and Suez, though +the days were insufferably hot, the nights were colder than any I +ever met with.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 324: This passage respecting <i>sea +foams</i> or <i>evil waters</i> is altogether unintelligible, +unless perhaps some obscure allusion to <i>water-spouts</i> maybe +supposed.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION IX.</p> + +<p><i>Return Voyage from Suez to Massua.</i></p> + +<p>In the morning of the 28th of April 1541 we departed from +before Suez on our return to Massua[325]. At sunset we were one +league short of a sharp red peak on the coast, 20 leagues from +Suez. At night we took in our sails and continued along shore +under our foresails only, the wind blowing hard at N.N.W. Two +hours within the night, we came to anchor near the shore in 3 +fathoms, the heavens being very dark and covered by many thick +black clouds. The 29th we weighed in the morning, and came into +the port of Toro at nine o'clock, but soon weighed again, and +came to anchor a league farther on, in a haven called <i>Solymans +watering place</i>, where we took in water, digging pits in the +sand a stones throw from the sea, where we got abundance of +brackish water. Leaving this place in the morning of the 30th, we +anchored at 10 in the morning at the first of the three islands, +which are two leagues N.W. of the island of <i>Sheduam</i>. I +went on shore here with my pilot, when we took the suns altitude +a little less than 80°; and as the declination that day was +17°36' the latitude of this island is 27°40' N. At sunset +on the 1st of May we set sail, and by even-song time we came to +an island, two leagues long, which thrusts out a point very close +to the main land, between which and the island is a singularly +good harbour for all weathers, fit for all the ships in the +world. The 2d at sunset we came to anchor in the port of +<i>Goelma</i>[326], which is safe from N. and N.W. winds, but +only fit for small vessels. A short space within the land is the +dry bed of a brook, having water during the floods of winter +descending from the mountains. Digging a little way we found +fresh water. There is a well here also, but not abundant in +water. This port, the name of which signifies in Arabic <i>the +port of water</i>, is N.N.W. of <i>al Kessir</i>, distant 4 +leagues.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 325: The fleet seems only to have been +before Suez from 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the 27th of April +till the morning of next day the 28th, or rather Don Juan only +went forwards to examine the possibility of landing. Yet De Faria +says, II. 23. "That after many brave attempts made by several to +view and sound the harbour, Don Stefano landed with his men, and +being repulsed, chiefly by means of an ambush of 2000 horse, was +obliged to retire." The silence of Don John respecting any +military operations, and the shortness of time, leaves hardly +room to suppose that any were attempted.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 326: Rather Kallama or +Kalla'lma,--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>The 4th of May we rowed along shore, and came to anchor near +sunset, in a small but excellent harbour named <i>Azallaihe</i>, +two leagues S.E. beyond <i>Shakara</i> between that place and the +<i>black hillock</i>. We lay at anchor all night, the wind at +N.N.W. <i>Bohalel Shame</i> is a deep, safe, and capacious port, +in which many ships may ride at anchor. It was named from one +Bohalel, a rich chief of the <i>Badwis</i> who dwelt in the +inland country, and used to sell cattle to the ships frequenting +this port. <i>Shame</i> signifies land or country; so that +<i>Bohalel Shame</i> signifies the Land of Bohalel[327]. At this +place we found an honourable tomb within a house like a chapel, +in which hung a silk flag or standard, with many arrows or darts +round the grave, and the walls were hung round with many +bulls[328]. On an upright slab or table at the head of the grave +there was a long inscription or epitaph, and about the house +there were many sweet-scented waters and other perfumes. From the +Moors and Arabs I was informed that an Arabian of high rank of +the lineage of Mahomet was here buried; and that the +<i>Sharifs</i> of Jiddah and other great prelates gave +indulgences and pardons to all who visited his sepulchre: But the +Portuguese sacked the house and afterwards burnt it, so that no +vestige was left. On the shore of this harbour we saw many +footsteps of tigers and goats, as if they had come here in search +of water.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 327: Rather perhaps <i>Bohalel Shomeh</i>, +meaning the lot or portion of Bohalel.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 328: Perhaps +<i>Bells</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having often occasion to mention the <i>Badwis</i> or +<i>Bedouins</i> while voyaging along the coasts of their country, +it may be proper to give some account of that people. These +<i>Badwis</i> are properly the <i>Troglodites ophiofagi</i>, of +whom Ptolemy, Pomponius Mela, and other ancient writers make +mention. These <i>Badwis</i> or <i>Troglodites</i> live on the +mountains and sea-coasts from <i>Melinda</i> and <i>Magadoxa</i> +to Cape <i>Guardafu</i>, and thence all along the coasts of the +Red Sea on both sides, and along the outer coast of Arabia +through the whole coast of the Persian Gulf; all of which land +they may be more properly said to occupy than to inhabit. In Good +Arabic, <i>Badwi</i> signifies one who lives only by cattle[329]. +Those who dwell along the Red Sea from <i>Zeyla</i> to +<i>Swakem</i>, and thence to <i>al Kossir</i>, are continually at +war with the <i>Nubii</i> or <i>Nubians</i>; while those from +<i>Kossir</i> to <i>Suez</i> perpetually molest the Egyptians. On +the eastern coast of the Red Sea the <i>Badwis</i> have incessant +contests with the Arabians. They are wild men, among whom there +is no king or great lord, but they live in tribes or factions, +allowing of no towns in their country, neither have they any +fixed habitations, but live a vagabond life, wandering from place +to place with their cattle. They abhor all laws and ordinances, +neither will they admit of their differences being judged of by +any permanent customs or traditions, but rather that their sheiks +or chiefs shall determine according to their pleasure. They dwell +in caves and holes, but most of them in tents or huts. In colour +they are very black, and their language is Arabic. They worship +Mahomet, but are very bad Mahometans, being addicted beyond all +other people on earth to thievery and rapine. They eat raw flesh, +and milk is their usual drink. Their habits are vile and filthy; +but they run with wonderful swiftness. They fight afoot or on +horseback, darts being their chief weapons, and are almost +continually at war with their neighbours.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 329: <i>Badwi</i>, or more properly +<i>Badawi</i>, signifies a dweller in the field or in the desert; +corruptly called by us Bedouin.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p>By day-light of the 10th May we weighed anchor from the port +of <i>Igidid</i>[330], and an hour before sunset we fastened our +barks to a shoal about four leagues south of <i>Farate</i>. In +this shoal there is an excellent harbour, lying almost E.S.E. and +W.N.W. but very crooked and winding, so large that we could not +see to the other end. The 22d of May[331], by day-break, we were +a league short of the grove which stands four leagues north of +<i>Massua</i>, having the wind from the land. At nine o'clock it +began to blow fair from the N.N.E. and we entered the port of +Massua at noon, where we were joyfully received by the fleet and +army. From the 22d of May, when we entered Massua, the winds were +always from the easterly points, either E. or S.E. or E.S.E. +often with great storms. On the last day of June we had so +violent a gale from S.E. that the galleons drifted and were in +great danger of grounding. This storm was attended by heavy rain +and fearful thunders, and a thunderbolt struck the mast of one of +our galleons, which furrowed it in its whole length. On the 2d of +July we had another great storm from the east which lasted most +of the day, and drove many of our vessels from their anchors. +From thence to the 7th of July we had other storms, but small in +comparison. On the 8th and 9th we had two desperate gales from +the land.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 330: Either Don Juan or his abbreviator has +omitted part of the Journal at this place, from the port of +<i>Azallaihe</i> to that of <i>Igidid</i>--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 331: Here again a considerable portion of +the Journal is emitted.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION X.</p> + +<p><i>Return of the Expedition from Massua to India</i>.</p> + +<p>Having remained 48 days at Massua, we set sail from thence on +our return to India on the 9th of July 1541, one hour before +sunrise, and by day-break we were two or three leagues short of +the north point of <i>Dallak</i>, and among some flat islands +that have some woods, which islands are scattered in the sea to +the north of Dallak. We sailed through a channel between two of +these islands, having a fair wind almost N.W. our course being +N.E. by N. After doubling a shoal we came to anchor, and at two +in the afternoon we sailed again with a fair wind at N.N.E. +coasting the island of Dallak. An hour before sunset we came to a +very flat sandy island, called <i>Dorat Melkuna</i>, from which +on all sides extended great shoals. When the sun set we were a +league short of the island of <i>Shamoa</i>, between which and +the west side of Dallak, opposite the Abyssinian coast, is the +most frequented channel for such as sail to Massua. All the coast +of Dallak which we sailed along this day trends N.N.W. and S.S.E. +and is very low. The 18th of July by day break we saw the mouth +of the straits[332], about three leagues distant, "and we saw all +the fleet <i>lye at hull</i>, and presently we set sail +altogether[333]."</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 332: A large portion of the Journal is +again omitted at this place, either by Don Juan or his +abbreviator, Purchas.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 333: Perhaps in coming in sight of the +Strait, the ship of Don Juan was so much in advance as barely to +see the hulls of the rest; and lay to till the rest came +up.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Before leaving the Gulf of Arabia or of Mecca, it may be +proper to consider the reason why the ancients called this Gulf +the <i>Red Sea</i>, and to give my own opinion founded on what I +actually saw, whether it differ in colour from the great ocean. +In the <i>sixth</i> book of his Natural History, Pliny quotes +several opinions as the origin of the name <i>Erythros</i> given +to this sea by the ancients[334]. The first is, that it took its +name from <i>Erythra</i>, a king who once reigned on its borders, +whence came <i>Erythros</i> which signifies <i>red</i> in the +Greek. Another opinion was that the reflexion of the sun-beams +gave a red colour to this sea. Some hold that the red colour +proceeds from the sand and ground along the sea coast, and others +that the water was red itself. Of these opinions every writer +chose that he liked best. The Portuguese who formerly navigated +this sea affirmed that it was spotted or streaked with red, +arising as they alleged from the following circumstances. They +say that the coast of Arabia is naturally very red, and as there +are many great storms in this country, which raise great clouds +of dust towards the skies, which are driven by the wind into the +sea, and the dust being <i>red</i> tinges the water of that +colour, whence it got the name of the Red Sea.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 334: By Dr. Hyde, in his notes on +<i>Peritsol</i>, and Dr. Cumberland, in his remarks on +Sanchoniatho, and by other writers, <i>Erythros</i> or <i>Red</i> +is supposed to be a translation of <i>Edom</i>, the name of +<i>Esau</i>; whence it is conjectured that this sea, as well as +the country of <i>Idumea</i>, took their denominations from +<i>Edom</i>. But this does not seem probable for two reasons: +<i>First</i>, because the Jews do not call it the <i>Red Sea</i> +but <i>Tam Suf</i>, or the <i>Sea of Weeds</i>; and, +<i>second</i>, the ancients included all the ocean between the +coasts of Arabia and India under the name of the <i>Erythrean</i> +or <i>Red Sea</i>, of which the <i>Persian</i> and the <i>Arabian +Gulfs</i> were reckoned branches.--Ast. I. 129. c.]</blockquote> + +<p>From leaving <i>Socotora</i>, till I had coasted the whole of +this sea all the way to <i>Suez</i>, I continually and carefully +observed this sea; and the colour and appearance of its shores, +the result of which I shall now state. First then, it is +altogether false that the colour of this sea is red, as it does +not differ in any respect from the colour of other seas. As to +the dust driven by the winds from the land to the sea staining +the water; we saw many storms raise great clouds of dust and +drive them to the sea, but the colour of its water was never +changed by these. Those who have said that the land on the coast +is red, have not well observed the coats and strands: for +generally on both, sides the land by the sea is brown and very +dark, as if scorched. In some places it appears black and in +others white, and the sands are of these colours. In three places +only there are certain parts of the mountains having veins or +streaks of a red colour; and at these places the Portuguese had +never been before the present voyage. These three places are all +far beyond <i>Swakem</i> towards Suez, and the three hills having +these red streaks or veins are all of very hard rock, and all the +land round about that we could see are of the ordinary colour and +appearance. Now, although substantially the water of this sea has +no difference in colour from that of other seas, yet in many +places its waves by accident seem very red, from the following +cause. From <i>Swakem</i> to <i>Kossir</i>, which is 136 leagues, +the sea is thickly beset with shoals and shelves or reefs, +composed of <i>coral stone</i>, which grows like clustered trees +spreading its branches on all sides as is done by real +<i>coral</i>, to which this stone bears so strong resemblance +that it deceives many who are not very skilful respecting the +growth and nature of coral.</p> + +<p>This <i>coral stone</i> is of two sorts, one of which is a +very pure white, and the other very <i>red</i>. In some places +this <i>coral stone</i> is covered by great quantities of green +ouze or sleech, and in other places it is free from this growth. +In some places this ouze or sleech is very bright green, and in +others of an orange-tawny colour. From <i>Swakem</i> upwards, the +water of this sea is so exceedingly clear, that in many places +the bottom may be distinctly seen at the depth of 20 fathoms. +Hence, where-ever these shoals and shelves are, the water over +them is of three several colours, according to the colour of +these rocks or shelves, red, green, or white, proceeding from the +colour of the ground below, as I have many times experienced. +Thus when the ground of the shoals is sand, the sea over it +appears <i>white</i>; where the coral-stone is covered with +<i>green</i> ouze or sleech, the water above is greener even than +the weeds; but where the shoals are of <i>red</i> coral, or +coral-stone covered by <i>red</i> weeds, all the sea over them +appears very <i>red</i>. And, as this <i>red</i> colour +comprehends larger spaces of the sea than either the <i>green</i> +or the <i>white</i>, because the stone of the shoals is mostly of +<i>red coral</i>, I am convinced that on this account it has got +the name of the <i>Red Sea</i>, and not the green sea or the +white sea, though these latter colours are likewise to be seen in +perfection.</p> + +<p>The means I used for ascertaining this secret of nature were +these. I oftentimes fastened my bark upon shoals where the sea +appeared red, and commanded divers to bring me up stones from the +bottom. Mostly it was so shallow over these shoals, that the bark +touched; and in other places the mariners could wade for half a +league with the water only breast high. On these occasions most +of the stones brought up were of red coral, and others were +covered by orange-tawny weeds. Whether the sea appeared +<i>green</i>, I found the stones at the bottom were white coral +covered with green weeds; and where the sea was white I found a +very white sand. I have conversed often with the Moorish pilots, +and with persons curious in antiquities, who dwelt on this sea, +who assured me that it was never stained red by the dust brought +from the land by the winds: I do not, however reprove the opinion +of former Portuguese navigators; but I affirm, that having gone +through this sea oftener than they, and having seen its whole +extent, while they only saw small portions, I never saw any such +thing. Every person with whom I conversed wondered much at our +calling it the Red Sea, as they knew no other name for it than +the sea of Mecca[335]. On the 9th of August 1541, we entered the +port of <i>Anchediva</i>, where we remained till the 21st of that +month, when we went in foists or barks and entered the port of +Goa, whence we set out on this expedition on the 31st of December +1540, almost eight months before.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 335: This might have been the case among +the pilots at this time; but among Arabic geographers it is +likewise called the Sea of Hejaz, the Sea of Yaman, and the Sea +of Kolzum.--Astl.]</blockquote> + +<p><i>Table of Latitudes observed in the Journal of Don +Juan[336].</i></p> + +<pre> + Deg. Min. + Socotora, 12 40 + Bab-al-Mondub[A] 12 15 + Sarbo port,[B] 15 76[337] + Shaback, scarcely 19 0 + A nameless island, 19 0 + Tradate, harbour 19 50 + Fushaa, bay 20 15 + Farate, river 21 40 + Ras-al-Jidid, port[B] 22 0 + Comol, port 22 30 + Ras-al-Nef, Cape 24 0 + Swairt island 24 10 + Gaudenauchi, port 24 40 + Tuna, haven 25 30 + Kossir[A] 26 15 + Safanj-al-bahr, island 27 0 + Island, 2 leagues N.W. from Sheduan 27 40 + Toro, town 28 10 + Anchorage, 20 leagues farther 29 17 + Suez 29 45 +</pre> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 336: In this Table [A] denotes <i>two</i> +observations having been made at the place; [B] indicates more +observations than two; and all the rest only one. All of course +north.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 337: In the enumeration of latitudes in +Astleys Collection this is set down as 15 deg. 17 min. but in the +text of Purchas it is stated as here.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION XI.</p> + +<p><i>Description of the Sea of Kolzum, otherwise called the +Arabian Gulf, or the Red Sea. Extracted from the Geography of +Abulfeda</i>[338].</p> + +<p>The following description of the Red Sea was written by +<i>Ismael Abulfeda</i> prince of <i>Hamah</i> in Syria, the +ancient <i>Epiphania</i>, who died in the 733d year of the +<i>Hejirah</i> or Mahometan era, corresponding with the year 1332 +of the Christian computation, after having lived sixty-one years, +twenty two of which he was sovereign of that principality. +Greaves has mistaken both the length of his reign, which he makes +only three years, and the time of his death[339]. Abulfeda was +much addicted to the study of geography and history, and wrote +books on both of these subjects, which are in great estimation in +the East. His geography written in 721, A.D. 1321, consists of +tables of the latitudes and longitudes of places, in imitation of +Ptolemy, with descriptions, under the title of <i>Takwin al +Boldan</i>. No fewer than five or six translations have been made +of this work, but by some accident or other none of these have +ever been published. The only parts of this work that have been +printed are the tables of <i>Send</i> and <i>Hend</i>, or India, +published in the French collection of Voyages and Travels by +Thevenot; and those of <i>Khowarazm</i> or <i>Karazm, +Mawara'l-nahar</i>, or Great Bukharia, and Arabia. The two former +were published in 1650, with a Latin translation by Dr Greaves; +and all the three by Hudson, in the third volume of the <i>Lesser +Greek Geographers</i>, in 1712; from which latter work this +description of the Red Sea is extracted, on purpose to illustrate +the two preceding journals, and to shew that there really is such +a gulf on the coast of Arabia as that mentioned by the ancients, +that geographers may not be misled by the mistake of Don Juan de +Castro. In this edition, the words inserted between parenthesis +are added on purpose to accommodate the names to the English +orthography, or to make the description more strictly conformable +to the Arabic. The situations or geographical positions are here +thrown out of the text, to avoid embarrassment, and formed into a +table at the end. We cannot however warrant any of them, as those +which may have been settled by actual observation are not +distinguished from such as may not have had that advantage; which +indeed is the general fault of oriental tables of latitude and +longitude. The latitude of <i>Al Kossir</i> comes pretty near +that formed by Don Juan de Castro; but that of <i>Al Kolzum</i> +must err above one degree, while that of Swakem is more than two +degrees erroneous.--Ast.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 338: Astley, I. 130. We have adopted this +article from Astleys Collection, that nothing useful or curious +may be omitted. In the present time, when the trade beyond the +Cape of Good Hope is about to be thrown open, it might be highly +useful to publish a series of Charts of all the coasts and +islands of the great Eastern Ocean; and among others, a Chart of +the Red Sea, with a dissertation on its geography and navigation, +might be made of singular interest and utility.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 339: See Gagnier's preface to the life of +Mahomet by Abu'lfeda; and the preface of Shulten to that of +Saladin--Astl. I. 130. d.]</blockquote> + +<p>The author begins his description of the sea of <i>Kolzum</i> +or of <i>Yaman</i> at <i>Al Kolzum</i>[340], a small city at the +north end of this sea; which from thence runs south, inclining a +little towards the east, as far as <i>al Kasir</i> (<i>al +Kossir</i>) the port of <i>Kus</i>[341]. Hence it continues its +course south, bending somewhat westward to about <i>Aidab</i> +(Aydhab[342].) The coast passes afterwards directly south to +<i>Sawakan</i> (Swakem), a small city in the land of the blacks, +(or <i>al Sudan</i>). Proceeding thence south, it encompasses the +island of <i>Dahlak</i>, which is not far from the western shore. +Afterwards advancing in the same direction, it washes the shores +of <i>al Habash</i> (<i>Ethiopia</i> or <i>Abyssinia</i>), as far +as the cape or mountain of <i>al Mandab</i> (or <i>al +Mondub</i>), at the mouth of the <i>Bahr al Kolzum</i> or Red +Sea, which here terminates; the <i>Bahr al Hind</i>, or Indian +Sea flowing into it at this place. The cape or mountain of <i>al +Mandub</i> and the desert of <i>Aden</i> approach very near, +being separated only by so narrow a strait that two persons on +the opposite sides may see each other across. These Straits are +named <i>Bab al Mandab</i>. By some travellers the author was +informed that these Straits lie <i>on this side</i> of Aden to +the north-west, a day and nights sail. The mountains of <i>al +Mandab</i> are in the country of the negroes, and may be seen +from the mountains of <i>Aden</i>, though at a great distance. +Thus much for the western side of this sea. Let us now pass over +to the eastern coast.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 340: Or <i>al Kolzom</i>, which signifies +<i>the swallowing up</i>. Here, according to Albufeda in his +description of <i>Mesr</i> or Egypt, Pharaoh was drowned, and the +town and the sea took this name from that event. <i>Kolzum</i> is +doubtless the ancient <i>Clysma</i>, as indicated both by the +similarity of names, and the agreement of situation. It was in +the road of the pilgrims from Egypt to Mecca, but is now +destroyed. Dr Pocock places Clysma on his map about 15 min. south +from Suez.--Ast. I. 131. b.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 341: <i>Kus</i> is a town near the Nile, a +little way south of <i>Kept</i>, the ancient <i>Koptos</i>; which +shews that Kossir must be the ancient Berenice, as formerly +observed in a note on the Journal of de Castro.--Astl. I. 131. +c.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 342: In this name of <i>Aydhab</i>, the +<i>dh</i> is pronounced with a kind of lisp, like the English +<i>th</i> in the words <i>the</i>, <i>then</i>, &c. About +1150, in the time of <i>al Edrisi</i>, this was a famous port, +and carried on a great trade. Both the king of <i>Bejah</i> or +<i>Bajah</i>, a port of Nubia, and the Soldan of Egypt, had +officers here to receive the customs, which were divided between +these sovereigns. There was a regular ferry here to +<i>Jiddah</i>, the port of Mecca, which lies opposite, the +passage occupying a day and a night, through a sea full of shoals +and rocks. In his description of Egypt, Abulfeda says Aydhab +belonged to Egypt, and was frequented by the merchants of Yaman, +and by the pilgrims from Egypt to Mecca.--Astl. I. 131. +d.]</blockquote> + +<p>The coast of <i>Bahr al Kolzum</i> runs northward from +<i>Aden</i>[343], and proceeds thence round the coast of <i>al +Yaman</i> (or Arabia Felix), till it comes to the borders +thereof. Thence it runs north to <i>Joddah</i>. From +<i>Joddah</i> it declines a little to the west, as far as +<i>Jahafah</i>, a station of the people of <i>Mesr</i> (Egypt), +when on pilgrimage to Mecca. Thence advancing north, with a small +inclination towards the west, it washes the coast of +<i>Yanbaak</i> (<i>Yamboa</i>). Here it turns off +north-westwards, and having passed <i>Madyan</i> it comes to +<i>Aylah</i>. Thence descending southwards it comes to the +mountain <i>al Tur</i>[344], which thrusting forwards separates +two arms of the sea. Thence returning to the north, it passes on +to <i>al Kolzum</i>, where the description began, which is +situated to the west of <i>Aylah</i>, and almost in the same +latitude.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 343: From Aden the coast leading to the +Straits of Bab al Mandab runs almost due west, with a slight +northern inclination, about 115 statute miles, or 1 deg. 45 min. +of longitude to Cape <i>Arah</i>, which with Cape <i>al +Mandab</i> from the two sides of the Straits of Mecca or Bab al +Mandab, having the island of Prin interposed, considerably nearer +to the Arabian than the African shore.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 344: A mountain so called near Sinai, which +likewise goes by that name.--Ast. I. 151. h.--This mountain of +<i>al Tur</i> forms the separation between the Gulf of +<i>Suez</i> and that of Akkaba, its western extremity forming +Cape Mahomed.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p><i>Al Kolzum</i> and <i>Aylah</i> are situated on two arms or +gulfs of the sea, between which the land interposes, running to +the South; which land is the mountain <i>al Tur</i> almost in the +same longitude with <i>Aylah</i>, which stands at the northern +extremity of the eastern bay, while <i>al Kolzum</i> is at the +northern extremity of the western gulf, so that <i>Aylah</i> is +more to the east, and mount <i>al Tur</i> more to the south than +<i>al Kolzum</i>. <i>Aylah</i> is situated on the inmost part of +the promontory which extends into the sea. Between <i>al Tur</i> +and the coast of <i>Mesr</i> (Egypt), that arm of the sea or gulf +extends on which <i>al Kolzum</i> stands. In like manner that arm +of the sea on which <i>Aylah</i> is situated extends between +<i>al Tur</i> and <i>Hejaz</i>. From this mountain of <i>al +Tur</i> the distance to either of the opposite coasts is small by +sea, but longer about by the desert of <i>Fakiyah</i>, as those +who travel by land from <i>al Tur</i> to <i>Mesr</i> are under +the necessity of going round by <i>al Kolzum</i>, and those who +go by land from <i>al Tur</i> to <i>Hejaz</i> must go round by +way of Aylah. <i>Al Tur</i> joins the continent on the north, but +its other three sides are washed by the sea. The sea of <i>al +Kolzum</i>, after passing some way to the south-east from <i>al +Tur</i> begins to widen on either side, till it becomes +<i>seventy</i>[345] miles broad. This wider part is called +<i>Barkah al Gorondal</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 345: These are to be understood as Arabian +miles, 56-2/3 to the degree, or each equal to 1-1/4 English miles +according to Norwoods measure, 69-1/2 to the degree.--Astl. I. +132. b. + +<p>This would only give 80 English miles for the breadth of the +Red Sea; whereas, immediately below the junction of the two +northern guffs, it is 104 miles broad, and its greatest breadth +for a long way is 208 miles.--E.]</p> +</blockquote> + +<p><i>Table of Situations, from Abulfeda</i>[346].</p> + +<pre> + Lat. + deg. min. deg. min + Kolzum, 28 20 N. 54 15 E. + -------by some 56 30 + Al Kossir, 26 0 59 0 + Aydhab 21 0 58 0 + Swakem, 17 0 58 0 + Aden, 11 0 66 0 + Borders of Yaman, 19 0 67 0 + Jiddah, 21 0 66 0 + Jahafah, 22 0 65 0 + Yamboa, 26 0 64 0 + Aylah, 29 0 55 0 + ---- 28 50 56 40 + +</pre> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 346: The longitude is reckoned by +<i>Abulfeda</i> from the most western shores on the Atlantic +Ocean, at the <i>pillars of Hercules</i>; supposed to be 10 deg. +E. of the <i>Fuzair al Khaladat</i>, or the Fortunate +Islands.--Ast. I. 134. + +<p>These latitudes and longitudes are so exceedingly erroneous as +to defy all useful criticism, and are therefore left as in the +collection of Astley without any commentary; indeed the whole of +this extract from Abulfeda is of no manner of use, except as a +curiosity.--E.]</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>POSTSCRIPT.-<i>Transactions of the Portuguese in Abyssinia, +under Don Christopher de Gama[347].</i></p> + +<p>While the Portuguese fleet was at Massua, between the 22d of +May and 9th of July 1541, a considerable detachment of soldiers +was landed at Arkiko on the coast of Abyssinia under the command +of Don Christopher de Gama, brother to the governor-general, for +the assistance of the Christian sovereign of the Abyssinians +against Grada Hamed king of Adel or Zeyla, an Arab sovereignty at +the north-eastern point of Africa, without the Red Sea, and to +the south of Abyssinia. In the journal of Don Juan de Castro; +this force is stated at 500 men, while in the following notices +from De Faria, 400 men are said to have formed the whole number +of auxiliaries furnished by the Portuguese[348]. This account of +the first interference of the Portuguese in the affairs of +Abyssinia by De Faria, is rather meagre and unsatisfactory, and +the names of places are often so disguised by faulty orthography +as to be scarcely intelligible. In a future division of our work +more ample accounts will be given both of this Portuguese +expedition, and of other matters respecting Abyssinia.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 347: From the Portuguese Asia of De Faria, +II. 24.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 348: In an account of this expedition of +the Portuguese into Abyssinia, by the Catholic Patriarch, Juan +Bermudez, who accompanied them, this difference of the number of +men is partly accounted for. According to Bermudez, the force was +400 men, among whom were many gentlemen and persons of note, who +carried servants along with them, which increased the number +considerably.--E.]</blockquote> + +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<p>Some time before the expedition of De Gama into the Red Sea, +Grada Hamed the Mahometan king of Adel or Zeyla, the country +called <i>Trogloditis</i> by some geographers, submitted himself +to the supremacy of the Turkish empire in order to obtain some +assistance of men, and throwing off his allegiance to the +Christian emperor of Abyssinia or Ethiopia, immediately invaded +that country with a numerous and powerful army. On this occasion +he took advantage offered by the sovereign of Abyssinia, to whom +he owed allegiance, being in extreme youth, and made such +progress in the country that the emperor <i>Atanad Sagad</i>, +otherwise named <i>Claudius</i>, was obliged to retire into the +kingdom or province of Gojam, while his mother, <i>Saban</i> or +<i>Elizabeth</i>, who administered the government in his +minority, took refuge with the <i>Baharnagash</i> in the rugged +mountains of <i>Dama</i>, a place naturally impregnable, which +rising to a prodigious height from a large plain, has a plain on +its summit about a league in diameter, on which is an indifferent +town with sufficient cattle and other provisions for its scanty +population. On one side of this mountain there is a road of +difficult ascent to near the top; but at the last part of the +ascent people have to be drawn up and let down on planks by means +of ropes.</p> + +<p>While in this helpless condition, the queen got notice that +Don Stefano de Gama was in the Red Sea, and sent the Baharnagash +to him, desiring his assistance against the tyrant, who had +overrun the country, destroyed many ancient churches, and carried +off numbers of priests and monks into slavery. The embassador was +favourably listened to; and it was resolved by the +governor-general, in a council of his officers, to grant the +assistance required. Accordingly Don Christopher de Gama, brother +to the governor-general, was named to the command on this +occasion, who was landed with 400 men and eight field-pieces, +with many firelocks and abundance of ammunition. He was +accompanied by Don Juan Bermudez, Patriarch of Ethiopia, whose +presence was much desired by the Abyssinian emperor, on purpose +to introduce the ceremonies of the Roman church.</p> + +<p>Don Christopher de Gama and his men set out on their march +from Arkiko under the guidance of the Baharnagash for the +interior of Abyssinia, and the men endured incredible fatigue +from the excessive heat, though they rested by day and marched +only in the night. A whole week was spent in passing over a +rugged mountain, whence they descended into a very pleasant flat +country, watered by many rivulets, through which they marched for +two days to the city of <i>Barua</i>, the metropolis or residence +of the Baharnagash. Though much damaged in the late invasion, yet +this place had several sightly buildings, divided by a large +river, with goodly villages and country houses in the environs. +The Portuguese were received at the gates by a procession of +several monks singing a litany, one of whom made a speech to +welcome them, extoling their generosity in coming to the aid of +their distressed country: After which the Portuguese visited the +church and encamped.</p> + +<p>Don Christopher sent immediate notice of his arrival to the +Emperor, who was at a great distance, and to the queen mother who +was near, upon the mountain of Dama already mentioned. The +Baharnagash was sent to conduct her from the mountain, having +along with him two companies of the Portuguese as an escort, and +brought her to Barua attended by a great retinue of women and +servants. On her arrival, the Portuguese troops received her +under arms, and the cannon were fired off to do her honour. The +queen was seated on a mule, whose trappings reached to the +ground, and she was hidden from view by curtains fixed to the +saddle. She was clothed in white, having a short black cloak or +mantle with gold fringes on her shoulders. From her white head +dress a flowing white veil fell down that concealed her face. The +Baharnagash led her mule by the bridle, having his arms bare in +token of respect, while his shoulders were covered by a tigers +skin; and on each side of her walked a nobleman in similar +attire. She opened the curtains that surrounded her that she +might see the Portuguese troops; and on Don Christopher going up +to pay his compliments, she lifted her veil that he might see +her. The reception on both sides was courteous. Don Christopher +went afterwards to visit her and consult with her, when it was +resolved by the advice of the Abyssinians to winter at that +place, and to wait an answer from the Emperor. The answer came +accordingly, expressing his joy for the arrival of the Portuguese +succours, and desiring Don Christopher to march in the beginning +of summer.</p> + +<p>The Portuguese accordingly marched at the time appointed, and +in the following order. Some light horse led the van, to explore +the road: Then followed the artillery and baggage: After which +came the queen and her attendants, with a guard of fifty +Portuguese musqueteers: Don Christopher brought up the rear with +the remainder of the Portuguese troops; and the Baharnagash with +his officers secured the flanks. In eight days, the army came to +the mountain of <i>Gané</i> of most difficult ascent, on +the top of which was a city, and on the highest cliff a chapel, +near which was a house hung round with three hundred embalmed +bodies sewed up in hides. These external coverings were much rent +with age, and discovered the bodies within still white and +uncorrupted. Some supposed these were the <i>Roman</i> conquerors +of the country; while others, and among them the patriarch, +supposed them to have been martyrs. Encouraged by the presence of +the Portuguese auxiliaries, many of the natives resorted to the +queen. Don Christopher marched on to the mountain of Canete, well +watered and having abundance of cattle, which, almost impregnable +by nature was still farther strengthened by artificial +fortifications. The emperors of Abyssinia used formerly to be +crowned at this place, which was now held for the tyrant by a +thousand men, who used often to come down from the mountain and +ravage the open country.</p> + +<p>Contrary to the advice of the queen and her councillors, Don +Christopher determined to commence his military operations by +assaulting this den of thieves. For this purpose he divided his +force into three bodies, one of which he led in person, and +courageously endeavoured to force his way by the three several +passes which led to the summit. But after the most valiant +efforts, the Portuguese were forced to desist from the attack, in +consequence of great numbers of large stones being rolled down +upon them by the enemy. After hearing mass on Candlemas day, the +2d of February 1542, the Portuguese returned to the attack, +playing their cannon against the enemy; and though they lost some +men by the great stones rolled down among them from the mountain, +they at length made their way to the first gates which they broke +open, and forced their way to the second gates with great +slaughter of the enemy, and the loss of three Portuguese. The +enemy within the second and third gates, seeing only a few men of +the vanguard, opened their gates, on which the Portuguese rushed +in and maintained a hot contest with the enemy till Don +Christopher came up with the main body, and pressed the enemy so +hard that many of them threw themselves headlong from the rocks. +Many women and children were made prisoners, and much plunder was +taken. The queen and her retinue went up to the mountain, +expressing great admiration of the Portuguese prowess, as the +fortress had always been deemed impregnable by the Ethiopians. +The patriarch purified a mosque, which he dedicated to the +blessed virgin, and in which mass was celebrated to the great joy +both of the Portuguese and Abyssinians.</p> + +<p>Placing a garrison of Abyssinians in this place under a native +officer, the army marched on into the country of a rebel named +<i>Jarse</i>, who now submitted to the queen and brought his men +to her service, thinking nothing could withstand men who had +conquered nature, so highly did they esteem the conquest of the +mountain <i>Canete</i>. The king of Zeyla came on now with his +army, covering the plains and mountains with his numbers, and +exulting in the hopes of an easy victory over so small a number +of men. Don Christopher encamped in good order near a mountain in +full sight of the enemy. Palm Sunday and Monday were spent in +skirmishing, with nearly equal loss on both sides, but the +Portuguese had so far the advantage as to compel the enemy to +retreat to their camp. Don Christopher found it necessary to +remove his camp, being in want of some necessaries, particularly +water; and on the king of Zeyla observing the Portuguese in +motion from his position on the high grounds, he came down and +surrounded the Portuguese in the plain, who marched in good +order, keeping off the enemy by continual discharges of their +artillery and small arms. The enemy still pressing on, Don +Christopher ordered Emanuel de Cuna to face about with his +company, which he did so effectually, that he obliged a body of +Turks to retire after losing many of their men. The Turks rallied +and renewed their attack, in which they distressed De Cuna +considerably, so that Don Christopher was obliged to come in +person to his relief, and fought with so much resolution that he +was for a considerable time unconscious of being wounded in the +leg. At this time the king of Zeyla came on in person, thinking +to put a favourable end to the action, but it turned to his own +loss, as many of his men were cut off by the Portuguese cannon. +Don Christopher was in great danger of being slain, yet continued +the action with great resolution, till at length the tyrant was +struck down by a shot which pierced his thigh. His men +immediately furled their colours and fled, carrying him off whom +they believed slain though he was still alive. This victory cost +the Portuguese eleven men, two of whom were of note. After the +battle, the queen herself attended Don Christopher and all the +wounded men with the utmost alacrity and attention.</p> + +<p>After the respite of a week, the Portuguese army marched +towards the enemy, who came to meet them, the king of Zeyla being +carried in an open chair or litter. This battle was resolutely +contested on both sides. A Turkish captain, thinking to recover +the honour which had been lost in the former action, made a +charge with the men he commanded into the very middle of the +Portuguese, and was entirely cut off with all his followers. Don +Christopher on horseback, led his men with such fury into the +heat of the action, that at length he compelled the enemy to turn +their backs and seek safety in flight. The king of Zeyla had +infallibly been taken in the pursuit, had there been a sufficient +body of horse to pursue and follow up the victory. In this battle +the Portuguese lost eight men. After the victory, the allied army +of the Portuguese and Abyssinians, on marching down to a pleasant +river found it possessed by the enemy, who immediately fled with +their king. At this time the king of Zeyla sent an embassy to the +Pacha of Zabit acquainting him with the distress to which he was +reduced, and prevailed upon him by a large subsidy to send him a +reinforcement of almost 1000 Turkish musqueteers.</p> + +<p>Don Christopher wintered in the city of <i>Ofar</i>, waiting +the arrival of the Abyssinian emperor. While there a Jew proposed +to him, if he were in want of horses and mules, to shew him a +mountain at no great distance, inhabited by Jews, where he might +find a large supply of both. On that mountain the king of Zeyla +had a garrison of 400 men. Having inquired into the truth of this +information, and found that it was to be depended upon, Don +Christopher marched thither with two companies of Portuguese and +some Abyssinians, and came to the foot of the mountain which is +twelve leagues in compass. Some Moors who guarded the passes were +slain in the ascent, and on the top the Moorish commander met him +with all his men, but Don Christopher running at him with his +lance thrust him through the body. The shot of the Portuguese +soon constrained the Moors to make a precipitate flight, after +losing a great number of men, and the mountain was completely +reduced. Great numbers of horses and mules were found in this +place, which was inhabited by about 800 Jews in six or seven +villages, who were reduced to obedience. According to tradition, +these Jews, and many others who are dispersed over Ethiopia and +Nubia, are descended from some part of the dispersion of the ten +tribes. The Jew who acted as guide to the Portuguese on this +occasion, was so astonished at their valour that he was converted +and baptised, and by common consent was appointed governor of +this mountain. Before this it had the name of <i>Caloa</i>, but +was ever afterwards known by the name of <i>the Jews +mountain</i>.</p> + +<p>On the second day after the return of Don Christopher to the +army, the king of Zeyla began to shew himself more bold than +usual, trusting to the great reinforcement of Turkish musqueteers +he had procured from Zabid. The youth and inexperience of Don +Christopher allowed his valour to transport him far beyond the +bounds of prudence. He ought to have retired to some strong +position on the mountains, till joined by the emperor with the +military power of Abyssinia, as it was impossible for him to +contend against such great superiority, now that the king of +Zeyla had so strong a body of musqueteers: But he never permitted +himself to consider of these circumstances, till too late. On the +29th of August, the Turks made an attack upon the camp, and were +repulsed, on which occasion Don Christopher was wounded in the +leg and lost four men. In that part of the entrenchments defended +by Emanuel de Cuna, the Turks were likewise repelled, with the +loss of three men on the side of the Portuguese. In another part +Francisco de Abreu was killed while fighting like a lion, and his +brother Humphrey going to fetch off his body was slain and fell +beside that he went to rescue. On this Don Christopher came up to +relieve his men and performed wonders, till his arm was broken by +a musquet-ball and he was carried off by a brave soldier. He was +scarcely dressed when news was brought that the enemy had entered +the entrenchments, and had slain Fonseca and Vello, two of his +officers, on which he ordered himself to be carried to the place +of danger. As the enemy were now decidedly victorious, some of +the Portuguese abandoned their ranks and fled, as did the queen +and the patriarch, both being mounted on fleet mares, each taking +a different way, he from fear not knowing where he went, but she +from choice as being well acquainted with the country. Don +Christopher sent immediately to bring back the queen, as her +flight was entirely ruinous, occasioning the disbanding of all +the Abyssinian troops. But at length, seeing that all was lost, +he grasped in despair a sword in his left hand, saying, <i>Let +who will follow me to die like heroes in the midst of the +enemy</i>. He was carried however from the field by mere force, +with only fourteen men, accompanied by the queen and Baharnagash, +seeking some place of safety. The night being excessively dark +they lost their way and separated, the queen and Baharnagash +being fortunate enough to get up a mountain as they were better +acquainted with the country; but Don Christopher wandering with +some companions, fell into the hands of the enemy, who carried +him to the tyrant who was quite elated with his prize. The +victors used their good fortune with the utmost barbarity, +cruelly cutting down every one who fell in their way, which +occasioned one to set a quantity of powder on fire that was in +one of the tents belonging to the queen, by which all who were in +or near it were blown up.</p> + +<p>The king of Zeyla was quite elated by the capture of Don +Christopher, whom he caused to be brought into his presence, and +questioned him as to what he would have done with him, if +defeated and made prisoner. "I would have cut off your head," +answered Don Christopher, "and dividing your body into quarters, +would have exposed them as a terror and warning to other +tyrants." The king caused him to be buffeted with the buskins of +his slaves; his body to be immersed in melted wax, and his beard +interwoven with waxed threads, which were set on fire, and in +this manner he was led through the army as a spectacle. Being +brought back, the king cut off his head with his own hand, and +caused the body to be quartered and exposed on poles. Where the +head fell, it is said that there gushed out a spring of water +which cured many diseases. On the same hour, a tree was torn out +by the roots in the garden of a certain convent of monks, though +the air was at the time perfectly calm. Afterwards, at the same +hour, the emperor of Abyssinia having vanquished the tyrant and +caused his head to be struck off, the tree which was then dry +replanted itself in the former place, and became covered with +leaves.</p> + +<p>Most of the Portuguese who were taken on occasion of this +defeat, perished in slavery. Alfonso Chaldeira followed the queen +with thirty men. Emanuel de Cuna with forty got away to the +Baharnagash and was well received. Sixty more followed the +Patriarch Bermudez, making in all 130 men. Ninety of these went +to the emperor, who was then near at hand, and very much lamented +the slaughter among that valiant body of auxiliaries, and the +loss of their brave commander. De Cuna with his forty men were +too far off to join the Abyssinian emperor at this time. The +emperor marched soon afterwards against the king of Zeyla, +accompanied by ninety of the Portuguese who had joined him after +the former defeat, to whom he gave the vanguard of his army, in +consideration of the high opinion he had of their valour. At the +foot of the mountain of <i>Oenadias</i> in the province of +<i>Ambea</i>, they met a body of 700 horse and 2000 foot going to +join the king of Zeyla. Fifty Portuguese horse went immediately +to attack them, and Antonio Cardoso who was foremost killed the +commander of the enemy at the first thrust of his lance. The rest +of the Portuguese followed this brave example, and slew many of +the enemy, and being seconded by the Abyssinians, first under the +Baharnagash and afterwards by the king in person, eight hundred +of the enemy were slain and the rest put to flight, when they +went rather to terrify the tyrant with an account of their +defeat, than to reinforce him by their remaining numbers.</p> + +<p>The king of Zeyla was only at the distance of a league with +his army in order of battle, consisting of two bodies of foot of +three thousand men in each, while he was himself stationed in the +front at the head of five hundred horse. The emperor of Abyssinia +met him with a similar number, and in the same order. The ninety +Portuguese, being the forlorn hope, made a furious charge on the +advanced five hundred of the enemy, of whom they slew many, with +the loss of two only on their own side. The emperor in person +behaved with the utmost bravery, and at length the horse of the +enemy being defeated fled to the wings of their infantry. The +king of Zeyla acted with the utmost resolution, even shewing his +son to the army, a boy of only ten years old, to stir up his men +to fight valiantly against the Christians. The battle was +renewed, and continued for long in doubt, the emperor being even +in great danger of suffering a defeat; but at length a Portuguese +shot the king of Zeyla in the belly by which he died, but his +horse carried him dangling about the field, as he was tied to the +saddle, and his army took to flight. Only a few Turks stood firm, +determined rather to die honourably than seek safety in flight, +and made great slaughter among the Abyssinians: But Juan +Fernandez, page to the unfortunate Don Christopher, slew the +Turkish commander with his lance. In fine, few of the enemy +escaped by flight. The head of the king of Zeyla was cut off, and +his son made prisoner. Being highly sensible of the great merit +of the Portuguese to whom he chiefly owed this and the former +victories over his enemies, the emperor conferred great favours +upon them. De Cuna returned to Goa with only fifty men; and the +other survivors of the Portuguese remained in Abyssinia, where +they intermarried with women of that country, and where their +progeny still remains.</p> + +<h2><a name="chapter3-4" id="chapter3-4">CHAPTER IV.</a></h2> + +<p><b>CONTINUATION OF THE PORTUGUESE TRANSACTIONS IN INDIA, AFTER +THE RETURN OF DON STEFANO DE GAMA FROM SUEZ IN 1341, TO THE +REDUCTION OF PORTUGAL UNDER THE DOMINION OF SPAIN IN +1581.</b></p> + +<p>In our remaining account of the early Transactions of the +Portuguese in India, taken chiefly from the Portuguese Asia of De +Faria, we have not deemed it necessary or proper to confine +ourselves rigidly to the arrangement of that author, nor to give +his entire narrative, which often contains a number of trifling +incidents confusedly related. We have therefore selected such +incidents only from that work as appeared important or curious: +And, as has been already done in the two immediately preceding +chapters, containing the Voyages of Solyman Pacha, and Don +Stefano de Gama, we propose in the sequel to make such additions +from other authentic and original sources, as may appear proper +and consistent with our plan of arrangement. These additions will +be found distinctly referred to their respective authors as we +proceed.--E.</p> + +<p>SECTION I.</p> + +<p><i>Incidents during the Government of India by Don Stefano de +Gama, subsequent to his Expedition to the Red Sea.</i></p> + +<p>During the expedition of Don Stephano de Gama up the Red Sea, +some circumstances are related by De Faria which are not noticed +in the Journal of Don Juan de Castro, who either thought proper +to confine his narrative to nautical affairs, or his abreviator +Purchas has omitted such as were military. On his voyage up the +Red Sea, De Gama found most of the islands and cities abandoned, +as the people had received notice of the expedition. The chief +island was Massua, and the principal city Swakem, in about +19° of north latitude[349], which was well built and rich. +The sheikh or king had withdrawn a league into the interior, and +endeavoured to amuse De Gama with proposals of peace and amity, +that he might save his insular city from being destroyed. The +greatest injury occasioned by this delay was that it prevented De +Gama from destroying the ships at Suez, the main object of his +expedition, as so much time was gained that the news of his +approach was carried to Suez, and the Turks were fully prepared +for his reception. In revenge, De Gama marched into the interior +with 1000 men, accompanied by his brother Don Christopher, and +defeated the sheikh with great slaughter, making a considerable +booty. Then returning to Swakem, that city was plundered; on +which occasion many of the private men got to the value of five +or six thousand ducats, after which the city was burnt to the +ground.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 349: Lat. 19° 40'.]</blockquote> + +<p>Sending back the large ships from thence to Massua under the +command of Lionel de Lima, de Gama proceeded on his expedition to +Suez with 250 men in 16 catures or barks. At Al-Kossir, in lat. +25° N.[350] that place was destroyed. Crossing over to Toro, +some vessels belonging to the enemy were taken. The Turks first +opposed their landing; but some of them being slain, the rest +fled and abandoned the city, in which nothing of value was found; +but De Gama refrained from burning the city from reverence to St +Catharine, as there was a monastery at that place dedicated to +her, which he visited at the instance of the friars. Being to his +great glory the first European commander who took that city, he +knighted several officers, who very justly held this honour in +great esteem, which was even envied afterwards by the emperor +Charles V. The friars of this monastery of St Catharines at Toro +are of the Greek church, and of the order of St Basil. The city +of Toro is in lat. 28° N.[351] and is thought by learned +cosmographers to be the ancient <i>Elana</i>.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 350: Lat. 26° 15'.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 351: Lat. 28° 15'.]</blockquote> + +<p>Proceeding onwards to Suez, after many brave attempts to sound +and examine the harbour, all of which failed, De Gama resolved in +person and in open day to view the Turkish gallies. He +accordingly landed with his soldiers; but the enemies shot from +the town was well kept up, and 2000 Turkish horse broke out from +an ambush; and, though some of the enemy were slain by the +Portuguese cannon, De Gama and his men were forced to retire, +much grieved in being unable to accomplish the great object of +the expedition.</p> + +<p>On his return to the fleet at Massua, he there found that +owing to the severity of <i>Emanual de Gama</i>[352] a mutiny had +taken place, and that 80 men had run away with a ship, designing +to go into Ethiopia. They were met however by a captain belonging +to the king of Zeyla, and most of them slain after a vigorous +resistance. Five of the mutineers were found hanging on a +gallows, executed by order of Emanuel de Gama, for having +concealed the design of the other 80 who deserted. At their +execution, these men cited De Gama to answer before <i>the great +tribunal</i>, and within a month De Gama died raving mad.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 352: In preceding passage, Lionel de Lima +is mentioned as commanding the fleet; Emanuel de Gama may +therefore be supposed to have commanded the ship that +mutinied.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About July 1541, while on its return from Massua to India, the +fleet commanded by the governor Don Stefano de Gama encountered +so severe a storm that one of the galliots sunk bodily, a bark +was lost, and all the other vessels dispersed. During the +continuance of this dreadful tempest, many religious vows were +made by the people; but that made by one of the soldiers +afterwards occasioned much mirth. He vowed, if he survived the +tempest, that he would marry Donna Isabel de Sa, daughter to Don +Garcia de Sa afterwards governor of India, which lady was one of +the most celebrated beauties of the time. At length De Gama +arrived at Goa; and as the ships from Portugal did not arrive at +the expected time, and the public treasure was much exhausted by +the late charges, he loaded the goods provided for the home +voyage in four galleons, and dispatched them, for Lisbon.</p> + +<p>About this time <i>Nizamoxa</i>[353] wished to gain possession +of the forts of <i>Sangaza</i> and <i>Carnala</i>, held by two +subjects of Cambaya, on the frontiers of that kingdom, which were +formidable from their strength and situation; and took them by +assault in the absence of their commanders, who applied to Don +Francisco de Menezes, the commander at Basseen to assist in their +recovery, offering to hold them of the Portuguese. Menezes went +accordingly with 300 Portuguese and a party of native troops, +accompanied by the two proprietors, each of whom had 200 men. The +fort of Carnala was taken by assault, and the garrison of Sangaza +abandoned it on the approach of De Menezes. Having thus restored +both commanders to their forts, De Menezes left Portuguese +garrisons with both for their protection. Nizamoxa sent +immediately 5000 men who ruined both districts, and the owners in +despair resigned their titles to the Portuguese, and withdrew to +Basseen, whence De Menezes sent supplies to the two forts, +meaning to defend them. Nizamoxa sent an additional force of +6000, men, of which 1000 were musqueteers and 800 well equipped +horse. This great force besieged Sangaza, to which they gave two +assaults in one day, and were repulsed with great slaughter. +Menezes went immediately to relieve the place with 160 +Portuguese, 20 of whom were horse, together with several +<i>naigs</i> and 2000 Indians. After a sharp encounter, in which +the Portuguese were nearly defeated, the enemy fled from Sangaza, +leaving all the ground about the fort strewed with arms and +ammunition. In this engagement the enemy lost 500 men and the +Portuguese 20. During the action a Portuguese soldier of +prodigious strength, named <i>Trancoso</i>, laid hold of a Moor +wrapped up in a large veil as if he had been a buckler, and +carried him before his breast, receiving upon him all the strokes +from the enemies weapons, and continued to use this strange +shield to the end of the battle.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 353: In Portuguese <i>x</i> has the power +of <i>sh</i> in English orthography; hence the name of this +prince was perhaps Nizam Shah, and may be the same prince called +in other places of De Faria Nazamaluco or Nizam al +Mulk.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The governor Don Stefano de Gama happened at this time to be +in <i>Chual</i>, visiting the northern forts; and considering +that the maintenance of Sangaza and Carnala cost more than they +produced, and besides that Nizamoxa was in alliance with the +Portuguese, delivered them to that prince for 5000 pardaos, in +addition to the 2000 he paid before, to the great regret of De +Menezes. Soon afterwards a fleet arrived from Portugal under +Martin Alfonso de Sousa, who was sent to succeed Don Stephano de +Gama in the government. This fleet had the honour to bring out to +India the famous <i>St Francisco Xaviar</i>, one of the first +fathers of the society of Jesus, both in respect to true piety +and virtue. He was the first ecclesiastic who had the dignity of +<i>Apostolic Legate</i> of all Asia, and was very successful in +converting the infidels: But we shall afterwards have occasion to +enlarge upon his great virtues and wonderful actions.</p> + +<p>On his arrival in the port of Goa, Martin Alfonso de Sousa +sent notice to Don Stefano de Gama at the dead hour of the night, +which induced De Gama to return an answer unworthy of them both. +Martin Alfonso found nothing to lay to the charge of Don Stefano, +as those desired who instigated him to seek for offences; for +Alfonso was a gentleman of much honour, and could never have +thought of any such thing of himself. But, though he ought now to +have checked himself, finding nothing against De Gama, he became +the more inveterate; as it is natural for men when they are in +the wrong to persist with obstinacy. Alfonzo vented his malice by +refusing conveniences to De Gama for the voyage home, which so +disgusted him that he never waited upon Alfonso after resigning +to him the sword of command.</p> + +<p>Don Stefano arrived safe in Portugal, where he was received +with much honour by the court, and with favour by the king; but +refusing a wife offered by his majesty, he was disgraced, on +which he went to reside at Venice. The Emperor Charles V. +persuaded him to return to Portugal, assuring him of the kings +favour; but he found none; for princes are more fixed in +punishing a little omitted to please, than in rewarding much done +for their service. On assuming the government of India, Don +Stefano made an inventory of all he was worth, being 200,000 +crowns; and when he left the government his fortune was found +40,000 crowns diminished. He was of middle stature, thick and +strong built, with a thick beard and black hair, and a ruddy +completion. On his tomb was inscribed at his own desire, <i>He +who made knights on Mount Sinai ended here</i>.</p> + +<p>SECTION II.</p> + +<p><i>Exploits of Antonio de Faria y Sousa in Eastern +India</i>[354].</p> + +<p>We have placed these exploits in a separate Section, because, +although they appear in the Portuguese Asia as having taken place +during the government of Don Stefano de Gama, yet is their +chronology by no means well defined: and likewise because their +authenticity is even more than problematical. In themselves they +appear to carry evidence of overstepping the modest bounds of +history; and there is reason to believe that they rest +principally, if not altogether, on the authority of Fernan Mendez +de Pinto, of notorious character. Yet they seem sufficiently +curious to warrant insertion in this work; and it is not at all +improbable that Antonio de Faria may have been a successful +freebooter in the Chinese seas, and that he may have actually +performed many of the exploits here recorded, though exaggerated, +and mixed in some places with palpable romance.--E.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 354: De Faria, II. 29 et seq.]</blockquote> + +<p>About this time Pedro de Faria, who was governor of Malacca, +sent his factor MENDEZ DE PINTO with a letter and a present to +the king of <i>Patane</i>, desiring him to procure the liberty of +five Portuguese who were then slaves to his brother-in-law at +Siam. Pinto was also entrusted with goods to the value of 10,000 +ducats, to be delivered to the factor of De Faria at <i>Pam</i>. +Having at that place made up a valuable cargo of diamonds pearls +and gold, to the extent of 50,000 crowns, it was all lost one +night in a tumult, occasioned by the following circumstance. +There resided in Pam an ambassador from the king of Borneo, who +one night detected the king of Pam in bed with his wife, and +immediately slew him. On the death of the king becoming public, +the people rose in commotion, more for the purpose of plunder +than revenge. In this tumult about 4000 men were slain, and the +Portuguese factors were robbed, and some of their companions +slain. They made their escape to <i>Patane</i>, where they and +other Portuguese asked leave of the king to make reprisals on +three vessels belonging to merchants of Pam, which were then +riding at anchor in the river <i>Calantam</i> 18 leagues off, +richly laden from China. Getting the kings permission, they set +out to the number of 80 persons in three vessels, and after a +sharp engagement took and brought in these ships to Patane, where +their cargoes were valued at 300,000 ducats. The people of Patane +urged the king to take these ships from the Portuguese; but he +decided that the 50,000 crowns should be made good to them of +which they had been plundered at Pam; on which the merchants paid +that sum and were allowed to continue their voyage.</p> + +<p>About the same period, <i>Pedro de Faria y Sousa</i> sent his +kinsman <i>Antonio de Faria y Sousa</i> to treat of important +affairs with the king of <i>Patane</i>, and in particular to +preserve peace with that prince. Antonio carried goods with him +to the value of 12,000 ducats, and finding no sale for them at +that place, he sent them to the port of <i>Lugor</i> in the +kingdom of Siam, a place of great trade, where he was informed +they would sell to great advantage. He intrusted the charge of +this valuable cargo to <i>Christopher Borallo</i>, who was +surprised while at anchor in the mouth of the Lugor river by, +Khodjah Husseyn, a Moor of Guzerat, who commanded a vessel well +stored with artillery, and manned with 80 Turks and Moors. +Borallo thought himself happy in escaping from these pirates by +swimming on shore, and brought the news of this disaster to +Antonio de Faria at Patane, who vowed that he would never desist +till he had destroyed Husseyn, in revenge for this loss. Husseyn +was equally inveterate against the Portuguese, ever since Hector +de Silveyra had taken a ship belonging to him in the sea of +Guzerat, killing his father and two brothers, and had continually +exerted himself in robbing and murdering the Portuguese. Owing to +this loss and his determination of revenge, Antonio de Faria was +led to the performance of those brave actions which I now mean to +relate with all my usual sincerity, without affection for my +kindred.</p> + +<p>Antonio accordingly fitted out a small vessel with 50 men, in +which he sailed from Patane on Saturday the 8th May 1540, and +steered north-east towards the kingdom of <i>Champa</i> or +<i>Tsiompa</i>, to examine that coast. He here saw the island of +<i>Pulo Condor</i>, in lat. 3° 20' N[355]. and then to the +eastwards rounded one six leagues from the coast of Cambodia. +Entering the port of <i>Bralapisam</i>, he found there a vessel +of the <i>Lequii</i>, having on board an ambassador from the +prince of the island of <i>Lossa</i>[356] in 36° of north +latitude, for the king of Siam. As soon as this vessel espied the +Portuguese ship, it weighed anchor and sailed away. Faria sent +after them a Chinese pilot with a civil message, who brought back +this remarkable answer, "We return thanks: The time will come +when our nation shall have commerce with that captain in real +friendship, through the law of the supreme God, whose clemency is +boundless, since by his death he gave life to all mankind, and +remains an everlasting faith in the house of the good. We +confidently hold that this will be when half the times are +past[357]." The pilot also brought back a rich cymeter in a +scabbard of beaten gold, with a handle of the same, splendidly +ornamented with pearls of great value. Antonio would have made a +return, but the vessel could not be overtaken. From thence +Antonio proceeded to the river <i>Pulo Cambier</i>, which divides +the kingdoms of <i>Cambodia</i> and <i>Tsiompa</i>. At the town +of <i>Catimparu</i>, he was informed that great river took its +rise in the lake of <i>Pinator</i>, 260 leagues westwards in the +kingdom of <i>Quitirvam</i>, encompassed with high mountains, +around which lake there are 38 towns, 13 of which are +considerable, where was a gold mine that yielded 22 millions of +crowns yearly. It belonged to <i>four</i> lords, who were engaged +in continual wars for its possession. At <i>Bauquerim</i> +likewise there is a mine of the finest diamonds: and from the +disposition of the people they might easily be conquered by the +Portuguese.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 355: Pulo Condor, off the mouths of the +Japanese river, is in lat. 8° 40' N. perhaps the figure 3 in +the text is a typographical error.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 356: Possibly Luzon in lat. 16° N. may +be here meant. Unless we can suppose some part of Japan may be +intended, which is in the latitude of the text--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 357: This strange oracular message, and +indeed most of the wonderful deeds of Antonio de Faria, smells +strongly of <i>Mendez de Pinto</i>, the factor of Pedro de Faria, +who has been characterised as the <i>prince of liars</i>. Indeed +the editor of Astleys Collection says that his name ought to be +<i>Mendax</i> de Pinto.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Coasting along, Antonio came to anchor in the mouth of the +river <i>Toobasoy</i>, fearing to go up. At this place he espied +a large vessel to which he made signs of peace, but received a +rude answer. As night drew on, it was thought proper to wait for +day; but in the dark first one vessel and then three more were +descried coming towards them, and forty men from the first vessel +boarded them, but were all slain, their vessel taken and the +others burnt. A black, who was taken on this occasion, declared +himself a Christian, saying he had been slave to Gaspar de Melo, +who had been taken by the pirate <i>Similau</i> along with 26 +other Portuguese, all of whom he had barbarously put to death. +The black said that Similau had another vessel in the port richly +laden, having only a few men on board. Similau with the other +prisoners were put to the same death they had used to inflict on +others. As soon as day appeared that other vessel was taken, and +the booty in silver only amounted to 60,000 ducats, besides other +goods. Thus enriched, Antonio went on to the river +<i>Tinacoreu</i> or <i>Varela</i>, where the ships of Siam and +Malacca, trading with China, barter their goods for gold, +<i>calamba</i>, and ivory, with which that country abounds. He +anchored off a small town called <i>Tayquileu</i>, the +inhabitants of which called the Portuguese the <i>bearded +people</i>; for though these people had beards, theirs were short +and thin, whereas those of the Portuguese were at their full +growth, many of them reaching to their girdles. By the +inhabitants of this place, Antonio was informed that their river +was formerly called <i>Tauralachim</i> or the Great Stock, to +express its greatness: That it is deep and navigable for 80 +leagues, up to a town named <i>Moncalor</i>, and then becomes +wide and shallow, coming from the great country of +<i>Chintaleuho</i>, where the country for eight days journey had +been depopulated 40 years before <i>by a multitude of birds!</i> +In the middle of that country is the great lake of +<i>Cunabetee</i> or <i>Chiamay</i>, whence spring four great +rivers. That lake is 180 leagues in circumference, and the +country round abounds in mines of silver, copper, tin, and +lead.</p> + +<p>From thence Antonio proceeded to the island of <i>Hainan</i>, +passing in sight of <i>Champiloo</i>, in lat. 18° N. at the +entrance of the bay of Cochin China. Farther on he discovered the +promontory of <i>Pulocampas</i>, whence the island of Hainan may +be seen. To the west of this they found a river, up which Borallo +was sent in a small vessel with 16 men, who discovered at least +2000 sail of vessels and a large walled town. On their return +they saw a large vessel at anchor. The captain supposing this +might be Husseyn took it; but learnt from an ancient Christian of +Mount Sinai, who was among the prisoners, that it belonged to a +pirate named <i>Quioy Tayjam</i>, who had killed above an hundred +Portuguese, and now lay hid in the forecastle with six or seven +others, all of whom were drawn from their hiding place and slain. +In this vessel were found 60,000 quintals[358] of pepper, with a +great deal of other spices, besides ivory, tin, wax, and powder, +the whole valued at 60,000 crowns; besides several good cannon, +some valuable baggage, and silver. In the hold were nine +children, the biggest only about nine years old, all loaded with +irons, and starving of hunger.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 358: This is either an enormous +exaggeration, or a gross error. The quantity in the text is equal +to 3500 tons.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Coasting along the island of Hainan, Antonio met some fishers +of pearls, whom he used courteously. They told him that the +island belonged to China. Hence he went to the river +<i>Tananquir</i>, where he was suddenly attacked by two large +vessels, both of which were taken, after a long struggle, in +which 80 of the enemy were slain, with the loss of 14 men +belonging to Antonio, only one of whom was a Portuguese. After a +while they heard lamentable cries in the hold of one of these +ships, in which 17 prisoners were found, two of whom were +Portuguese. From one of these Antonio was informed that these +vessels had belonged to <i>Necoda Xicaulem</i>, who, after +becoming a Christian at Malacca and marrying a Portuguese woman, +had killed her and many more of her nation. The booty in these +two ships was valued at 50,000 crowns. One of the vessels was +burnt, as Antonio had not a sufficient number of men to navigate +her. In both vessels there were seventeen brass guns, most of +which had the arms of Portugal. Antonio anchored at Cape +<i>Tilaumere</i>, where four vessels came up to his squadron +likewise now consisting of four vessels, and in one of these was +the bride of a young nobleman, who had engaged to meet her at +that place with a like number of ships, owing to which they had +come up to the Portuguese vessels. Three of these ships were +taken, in one of which was the bride. Some of the seamen were +retained, and all the others were set on shore. Antonio then went +to <i>Mutipinam</i>, as a convenient place for selling his +prizes; but as the governor of that city somewhat obstructed the +sale, Antonio was obliged to hasten it, and received in payment +of the goods he had to dispose of to the value of 200,000 crowns +in uncoined silver.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of the year 1541, Antonio sailed in search of +the port of <i>Madel</i> in the island of <i>Hainan</i>, and by +the way took some prizes. Here he met with <i>Hinymilau</i>, a +bold pirate and a great enemy to the Christians, whom he +delighted to put to cruel deaths. With him they had a desperate +engagement, and at last took him. He gave a bold account of the +many cruelties he had practised upon the Portuguese, and was +therefore immediately slain with four more. The prize was valued +at 70,000 ducats. This action struck such terror into all who +were in that river, that they sent a message to Antonio, calling +him <i>King of the Seas</i>, offering him 30,000 crowns to take +them under his protection, and desiring to have passes for their +safe trading. He accepted the money and gave the passes, only for +writing which his servant received 6000 crowns in the space of +twelve days. So great a reputation had he acquired in these +parts, that the governor of the city offered to make him admiral +of those seas for the emperor of China, with a salary of 9000 +crowns yearly. Antonio ran all along this coast without any +remarkable occurrence, only that he saw many towns, none of which +were large, and a fruitful country, and was informed that there +were mines of silver, tin, saltpetre, and brimstone.</p> + +<p>Being now weary of looking out for the pirate <i>Husseyn</i>, +the soldiers demanded their shares of the prizes and to be +discharged. This was agreed to, and their course was directed +towards Siam; but by a furious storm they were cast away upon the +<i>Ladrones</i>, where out of 500 men, only 86 got on shore +naked, 28 of whom were Portuguese. At this place they were +fifteen days with hardly any thing to eat. While in utter +despair, as the island was uninhabited, they discovered a small +vessel making for the shore where it cast anchor, and presently +thirty Chinese landed, some of whom went to procure wood and +water, while the others diverted themselves. Our men ran +furiously and possessed themselves of the vessel and put to sea +as quickly as possible. In this vessel they found only an old man +and a child, but were quite delighted upon finding plenty of +provisions and much silk. Sailing for <i>Xamoy</i> in +<i>Liampo</i>, they took another Chinese vessel and went to the +island of <i>Luxitay</i>[359], where they remained fifteen days +refitting both vessels, and then proceeded on their voyage. On +the coast of <i>Lamau</i> they discovered a large vessel having +fifteen guns, which began to fire upon them as soon as within +range; but on coming close it was observed to have several +crosses and some men in Portuguese habits, on which they hailed +each other, and the vessel was found to belong to <i>Quiay +Panjau</i> a Chinese and a great friend of the Portuguese, having +thirty soldiers of that nation on board. He came on board of +Antonios vessel, bringing a present of amber, pearls, gold, and +silver, worth 2000 ducats. Among other discourse, Antonio told +him that he was bound for <i>Liampo</i> to furnish himself with +necessaries, meaning to attempt the mines of <i>Quamjaparu</i>, +where he was told he might get much treasure. <i>Quiay Panjau</i> +offered to accompany him, demanding only a third part of what +might be taken, which was agreed to.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 359: The names in this strange relation of +the adventures of Antonio de Faria are so extremely corrupt as to +defy even conjectural commentary.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>They refitted at the river Ainay, and going from there to +<i>Chincheo</i>, Faria hired 35 Portuguese whom he found at that +place. Soon after putting again to sea he found eight Portuguese, +almost naked and all wounded in a fishing-boat, who told him that +the pirate Khojah Husseyn had taken their ship, worth 200,000 +ducats, in the harbour of the isle of <i>Cumbor</i>, and that +they had escaped with difficulty in that miserable condition. +Faria was quite rejoiced to hear of that pirate, and immediately +turned back eight leagues to <i>Layloo</i> to prepare for +engaging him. He there changed his old vessels for new ones, and +provided men arms and ammunition, paying generously for every +thing. In four vessels which he there fitted out, he had 40 +pieces of cannon, 160 muskets, 6000 darts, with abundance of +other arms and ammunition, and a force of 500 men, 95 of whom +were Portuguese. In a day and a half sail from <i>Layloo</i> he +came to the fisheries where those Portuguese had been robbed, and +was informed by some fishermen that Husseyn was only at the +distance of two leagues in the river <i>Tinlau</i>. To make quite +sure, he sent a person to see if that were the case, and finding +the information accurate he proceeded immediately to the place. +The engagement began before day-light upon four ships belonging +to the pirate, which were soon reduced to great straits, when +four small vessels came up to their assistance. One of the +Portuguese cannon was so well pointed that it sank the first of +these at the first fire, and killed several men in another +vessel. At length Antonio boarded Husseyns vessel, and gave him +such a cut over the head as struck him down on the deck, and by +another stroke cut his hamstrings so that he could not rise. The +pirates wounded Antonio in three places; but being succoured by +his men the victory was complete, almost 400 of the enemy being +slain or drowned by leaping overboard, while it cost 43 men on +the side of Antonio, 8 of whom were Portuguese. Antonio +immediately landed to bury his dead, and finding 96 men belonging +to Husseyn in a house where they were left to be cured, he set +the house on fire, and destroyed them all. He here restored the +Portuguese ship to her owners, and gave liberty to all the +slaves, as he vowed on going upon this enterprise, paying their +masters the value. After all this generosity, the remaining booty +was worth 100,000 crowns.</p> + +<p>On the night after sailing from <i>Tinlau</i> so violent a +storm arose that two of the ships were cast away, and most of the +goods in the others had to be thrown overboard, to the value of +200,000 ducats. One hundred and eleven men were lost, eleven of +whom were Portuguese. Thirteen men who escaped the shipwreck were +carried prisoners to <i>Nauday</i>, where Faria came with the +five remaining ships to anchor. He immediately offered 3000 +crowns to the governor of the city for the liberty of the +prisoners, and meeting with an unfavourable answer, he determined +to liberate them by force. His men were fearful of the issue of +so dangerous an enterprise; but he so encouraged them, that they +agreed. He had at this time, which was in the beginning of the +year 1542, a force of 470 men in all, 60 of whom were Portuguese. +Of these he chose 300 men to accompany him on shore. After +sending another civil message to the governor, who answered by +hanging the messenger, he landed with his small but resolute +band. While marching towards the city, 12,000 foot and 100 horse +came out to meet him. His musqueteers killed at least 300 of +them, and pursued the rest to a bridge which led into the city. +The governor was on the inside with 600 men, and defended the +passage of the bridge till he was slain by a musquet shot, +immediately on which his men fled, and were pursued with great +slaughter till they ran out at the opposite side of the city. The +city was plundered, on which occasion he who even got least was +enriched, after which the place was reduced to ashes. Having thus +gloriously redeemed his prisoners, Antonio returned to his ships +with many beautiful female captives, having only lost eight men, +one of whom was a Portuguese.</p> + +<p>Antonio now resumed his intended expedition for the mines, but +in the first place went to pass the winter at <i>Pulo Hindor</i>, +an inhabited island fifteen leagues from <i>Nauday</i>. When near +the islands of <i>Commolem</i>, he was attacked by two large +ships in which were 200 resolute men commanded by a pirate named +<i>Premata Gundel</i>, a mortal enemy to the Portuguese, to whom +he had done much harm, but thought now he had only to encounter +Chinese merchant ships. One of the pirate ships came up to board +one of those belonging to Antonio, but <i>Qiay Panjau</i> came up +against her in full sail and ran so furiously upon the pirate +ship that both went down instantly, but <i>Quiay</i> and most of +his men were saved. The other pirate ship commanded by +<i>Premata</i> in person boarded Faria, who was in great danger +of being taken, but was at length victorious and slew 90 of the +enemy; then boarding in his turn, he put the whole to the sword. +This action cost Antonio 17 men, 5 of whom were Portuguese, and +above 40 were wounded, among whom Antonio himself had two great +cuts and a thrust of a spear. The prize was valued at 120,000 +ducats. After staying 20 days in the island of <i>Buncalen</i> to +cure the wounded men, they steered for the gates of +<i>Liampo</i>, which are two islands three leagues from the city +of that name which was built by the Portuguese who there governed +in the nature of a commonwealth.</p> + +<p>Anchoring at the gates of <i>Liampo</i>, Antonio sent to ask +leave to come into the port, when he received a courteous answer, +praying him to wait six days till the inhabitants had prepared a +house for his reception. On Sunday morning, the time being +expired, he hoisted sail and went up the river accompanied by +many boats sent to receive him, in which were 3000 of the +citizens, who saluted him with the sound of musical instruments. +About 200 ships then in the port were ranged in two lines forming +a lane through which de Faria passed, all the cannons in the +vessels and on shore firing a salute. Some Chinese who saw this +magnificent reception asked whether this was a brother or near +kinsman to the king of Portugal, and being answered he was only +his smiths son, they concluded that Portugal must be the greatest +kingdom in the world. From his ship, Antonio was received into a +barge shaded by a natural chestnut tree full of ripe fruit, and +was seated on a silver chair raised on six steps adorned with +gold, six beautiful maids richly clad standing on each side, who +played and sang melodiously. When he landed on the quay, he was +placed in a still richer chair on mens shoulders under a canopy, +guarded by 60 halberdiers, and preceded by 16 men on fine horses, +and before these eight with silver maces, all in splendid attire. +In this manner he was conducted to a large scaffold covered with +fine tapestry, where being placed in his chair of state, he +received the compliments of the magistracy and principal +inhabitants of the city. From the quay to the city, which was a +considerable distance, there was a closely covered lane formed of +chestnut, pine, and laurel trees, and the ground was strewed with +flowers. And all the way, at regular distances, there were +companies of dancers, and perfumes burning, with astonishing +multitudes of people the whole way.</p> + +<p>At the entrance into the city, a temporary castle was built +for the occasion, having the arms of the Faria family in front, +being <i>Sanguin, a tower argent; in base, a man torn in +pieces</i>. At this place he was received by a reverend old man, +attended by four mace-bearers, and after some ceremonies the old +man made a long speech in praise of the family, concluding with a +panegyric on his own actions, and bidding him welcome to the +city. The orator then offered him, in the name of the city, five +chests full of silver in bars, worth twenty thousand pieces of +eight, which he refused, saying he would endeavour to deserve in +some measure the honours which wore heaped on him. From thence he +walked on foot, passing through many splendid arches, to the +church of our Lady, where he assisted at mass under a canopy, and +heard a sermon full of his own praises. After this he was +conducted by above 1000 Portuguese to a large open space before +the house in which he was to reside, shaded by a variety of fine +trees, the ground strewed with flowers and sweet herbs, where +three long tables were splendidly decorated and richly covered +with a sumptuous entertainment. When Antonio was seated, the +whole multitude departed, except about 80 of the principal +citizens who were to dine along with him, and 50 soldiers who +attended, while the halberdiers stood at a distance to keep off +the people. As soon as the company was seated, the music began to +play, and eight beautiful maids came forwards playing on +instruments and dancing, eight others being placed beside Antonio +singing. The dishes were brought in by a number of fine women, +and set upon the tables by men, the abundance and costliness of +the entertainment being wonderful. After dinner the company +adjourned to another place, where there was a bull-feast, with +several wild horses among them, and at the death of each animal +there followed dancing music and other entertainments.</p> + +<p>De Faria continued here five months, entertained in great +splendour, having dogs and horses to go a hunting, as the +environs abounded in game. The time being come for going to the +mines of <i>Quamgiparu</i>, Quiay Panjau who was to have +accompanied him thither was carried off by sickness. After this +another Chinese named <i>Similau</i> dissuaded Antonio from +attempting the adventure of the mines, as attended with too much +difficulty and danger, and proposed to him to undertake an +expedition to the island of <i>Calempluy</i>, in which were the +tombs of the ancient kings of China, which were said to contain +great treasures. To this Antonio gave ear, as covetousness had +great sway even upon his generous mind. Happy had it been for him +if he had returned to India, satisfied with the victories he had +already achieved. About the middle of May 1542, he set sail +accompanied by <i>Similau</i> in two galliots with 146 men, 52 of +whom were Portuguese, and among these the priest <i>Diego +Lubato</i>. Next day they discovered the islands of +<i>Nangnitur</i>, and then entered upon seas till then unknown by +the Portuguese. Having crossed a gulf of 40 leagues, they +discovered the high mountain, of <i>Nangalaci</i>, and held on +their course northwards. At the end of ten days they anchored in +a river where they saw white people like the Chinese, but +differing in language, and could never prevail to have any +intercourse with them. After eight days sailing they entered the +strait of <i>Silcapaquim</i>, in which they spent five days in +sight of many populous towns. But this course appearing +dangerous, they steered up the river <i>Humbepadam</i> by the +advice of <i>Similau</i>, passing to the east of the mountain +<i>Fangus</i>, and came thirteen days afterwards to the bay of +<i>Buxipalem</i> in the latitude of 30°, which produces fish, +serpents, and crocodiles of wonderous size, and many sea-horses. +Farther on they came to the bay of <i>Calinclam</i>, surrounded +with high mountains, whence four great rivers fall into the sea. +They next sailed under the great mountain <i>Botinasora</i>, +abounding in lions, rhinoceroses, tigers, ounces, and other wild +beasts, and then past <i>Gangitanu</i>, inhabited by the +<i>Gigahui</i>, a wild gigantic people, some <i>ten</i> and some +<i>eleven spans</i> high, of whom they saw fourteen of both +sexes. They have good complexions, being white and red, but very +ill-favoured features. Antonio gave them some procelain dishes +and silk, for which they seemed thankful, and brought some cows +and deer in return, but their language could not be +understood.</p> + +<p>At length they arrived in the bay of <i>Nanking</i>, and six +days afterwards to the great city of <i>Pamor</i>, whose bay was +almost hid under three thousand vessels. Fearing danger here they +stood off and came to <i>Tanquilem</i>, where Similau and 36 +Chinese seamen ran away for fear; because Antonio, weary of the +voyage, and finding that Similau could give no good account of +where they were, threatened to kill him. Similau was not indeed +ignorant, but he was so terrified by the ill usage of the +Portuguese that he knew not what he said, and they were afraid +that either he knew not the coast or meant to betray them. It was +a great error to believe him at <i>Liampo</i>, and to use him ill +at <i>Nanking</i> where they had most need of him. In fine the +Portuguese gave themselves up for lost, not knowing where they +were till some of the natives informed them that they were only +ten leagues from the island of <i>Calempluy</i>, on which they +sore repented the ill usage they had given to <i>Similau</i>. +Doubling Cape <i>Guinaytarau</i>, after a tedious voyage of two +months and a half, they discovered the island of which they were +in search in the middle of the river. This island is quite plain +and seemed four miles round. Next morning Antonio sailed round it +in his galliots, and found it surrounded by a wall of jasper so +closely built that it seemed all one stone. The wall rose 19 feet +above the surface of the water, and was terrassed on the inside. +On the top of the wall was a <i>massy twist</i>, on which was a +brass rail, having little columns at regular distances, on which +were the statues of women having balls in their hands, all +likewise of brass. At some distance from these were figures of +iron, of monstrous shapes, that seemed to give each other their +hands; and further on were several curious arches of stones of +various colours. On the inside there were afterwards seen a +delightful assemblage of small groves of orange trees, among +which were 366 chapels dedicated to the gods of the year. On one +side was a great building, not all of a piece, but divided into +seven parts, all over splendidly ornamented with gold.</p> + +<p>In the evening Antonio entered the island by one of its eight +gates, accompanied by sixty men, four of whom were Portuguese. On +entering one of the chapels, they saw a man who seemed an hundred +years of age, who fell down with fear; but, on recovering, +rebuked the soldiers for taking the bars of silver from the +tombs. Having received information of what was in the other +chapels, Antonio went on board with a considerable quantity of +silver taken from the first chapel, meaning to return next day to +plunder them all. About midnight, lights were seen on the top of +the great building, and numbers of bell were heard all over the +island. Antonio went again on shore, though advised to make off +as the alarm was given. He brought away two old men with some +candlesticks and a silver idol, and was informed that the island +would soon be relieved, as the first hermit had given the alarm; +on which Antonio found that he had erred in not bringing away +that old man as he was advised. He departed therefore from the +island, much dissatisfied at having missed the acquisition of so +much treasure by his own fault. After sailing a month, there +arose so great a storm on the 5th of August, that his galliot was +swallowed up. The other galliot perished a few days afterwards, +and only fourteen of the crew escaped. Thus perished the brave +Antonio de Faria; a just judgment, doubtless, for the +sacrilegious robbery he intended to have committed.</p> + +<p>No less unfortunate was the end of the city of <i>Liampo</i>, +where Antonio had been so nobly received, falling a sacrifice to +the base and insatiable avarice of its inhabitants. Lancelot +Pereyra, judge of that city, having lost a thousand ducats by +some Chinese, went out with a body of troops to rob and plunder +others in satisfaction of the debt. This unadvised and barbarous +procedure brought the governor of the province against the city +with 80,000 men, and in four hours burnt it to the ground, +together with 80 ships that were in the port. Twelve thousand men +were slain, among whom were 1000 Portuguese, and three millions +of gold were lost. Thus scarce any thing was left of +<i>Liampo</i> but the name; and thus what the Portuguese gained +by their valour was lost by their covetousness. <i>Liampo</i> had +above three thousand catholic inhabitants, almost the half of +whom were Portuguese. Those who survived this cruel execution, +obtained leave in 1547, by great presents, to settle in the +province of <i>Chincheo</i>, in a village which began to flourish +in consequence of a rich trade, but it came to the same end with +the other.</p> + +<p>SECTION III.</p> + +<p><i>Transactions during the Government of Martin Alfonso de +Sousa, from 1542 to 1543</i>.</p> + +<p>In the year 1542, but whether under the government of De Gama +or De Sousa is uncertain, Antonio de Mota, Francisco Zeymoto, and +Antonio Peixoto, while on a voyage to China, were driven by a +storm among the islands of <i>Nipongi</i> or <i>Nijon</i>, called +<i>Gipon</i> by the Chinese, and known in Europe by the name of +<i>Japan</i>. They were well received in one of these islands, of +which they had the honour to be the first discoverers, though +accidentally. These islands of Japan are far to the eastward of +all India, being even beyond China, and lie between the latitudes +of 30° and 40° N[360]. These islands are numerous, the +principal and largest island being that peculiarly called +<i>Niphon</i>, <i>Nifon</i>, <i>Nipongi</i>, or <i>Japan</i>, +which gives name to the group, and in which is the city of +<i>Meaco</i> the imperial residence. According to the natives +this principal island is 366 leagues in length, but by our +computation only 266[361]. The chief islands around the large +one, are <i>Cikoko</i>, <i>Toksosi</i>, <i>Sando</i>, <i>Sisime +Bacasa</i>, <i>Vuoki</i>, <i>Taquixima</i>, or <i>Takishima</i>, +and <i>Firando</i>[362]. Fernan Mendez Pinto in his travels +assumes the merit of this discovery to himself; pretending that +he came to the island of <i>Tanixima</i>, by which I suppose he +meant <i>Taquixima</i>, not by stress of weather, but by design, +in the service of a pirate who had relieved him and his +companions when cast away, naming Christopher Borallo and Diego +Zeymoto as those who accompanied him. In both relations +<i>three</i> names are mentioned as the discoverers of Japan, one +only, <i>Zeymoto</i>, being the same in both, and both agree in +the date of the discovery being in 1542. According to Pinto, the +prince of the island of <i>Tanixima</i> was named +<i>Nautaquim</i> who stood amazed on seeing the three Portuguese +strangers, and uttered the following mysterious words: "These are +certainly the <i>Chinchicogies</i>, spoken of in our records; +who, flying over the waters, shall come to be lords of the lands +where God has placed the greatest riches of the world. It will be +fortunate for us if they come as friends!"</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 360: More rigidly from lat. 31° 28' to +40° 80' N. and between the longitudes of 127° 47' and +142° 33' E. from Greenwich.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 361: Meaning probably a different +denomination of measure. The island of Niphon measures 824 +English miles in extreme length, from S.W. to N.E. in a somewhat +bent line. Its breadth varies from 55 to 240 miles, averaging +about 100; but it is extremely irregular, owing to many deep bays +and considerable peninsulae. <i>Jedo</i> is now the capital and +residence of the temporal sovereign, <i>Meaco</i> of the once +spiritual sovereign, now reduced to chief priest of the national +religion.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 362: The only islands of magnitude besides +Niphon, are <i>Kiusiu</i>, which does not appear to have any +representative in the text, and <i>Sicocf</i>, probably the +<i>Cikoko</i> of De Faria. The other numerous islands are of +little importance, and several of the names in the text cannot be +referred to any of the islands. <i>Firando</i> and +<i>Taquixima</i> remain unchanged, and the others cannot be +traced.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The first action of the new governor De Sousa was to diminish +the pay of the soldiers. The saving of charges is a great means +of gaining the favour of princes; <i>yet ministers never express +their zeal by retrenching their own large allowances</i>, but by +cutting off the small ones from the poor; and, as was natural, +this alteration occasioned much discontent among the troops. At +this time the queen of <i>Batecala</i>, a well-built city on the +banks of a river, on the coast of Canara, in a fertile country, +refused to pay her tribute, and entertained pirates in her port +to the great prejudice of trade; on which account De Sousa went +with 2000 men in 60 vessels of different kinds to reduce her to +obedience. On entering the port of Batecala where he demanded +payment of the tribute, and that the pirate ships should be +delivered up, the queen endeavoured to procrastinate till such +time as she knew it would be necessary for the governor to retire +with his armament to Cochin. But being aware of this artifice, +the governor landed with 1200 men in two battalions, and ordered +twenty light vessels to go up the river to attack the city on +that side, while he assailed it on the land side. While marching +through a wood, the governor was opposed by a body of +musqueteers; but his troops drove them to the gates of the city, +which they entered along with the fugitives, in spite of every +opposition from the enemy who were encouraged by the queen in +person. It was night when the Portuguese got possession of the +city; and in the morning they began to plunder, not even sparing +the Portuguese who were settled there. They even fell out among +themselves, and came to blows, in which all were hurt and none +enriched. The enemy noticed this contention among the Portuguese +from a neighbouring hill to which they had retired, and +endeavoured to take advantage of this circumstance, by +discharging incessant flights of arrows into the town. On +receiving orders from De Sousa to march against the enemy, the +discontented troops exclaimed, "That the rich gentry might march +if they would; but that they only came to make up by plunder for +the pay of which they had been unjustly deprived." Gracia de Sa +went out against the enemy with a few lances; but after several +charges, almost the whole of the Portuguese shamefully took to +flight, endeavouring in such haste to reimbark that several were +drowned in the confusion. Indignant at this cowardice, the +governor reproached them as not being the same brave men he had +left in India only two years before. To this they answered, +thinking he meant it as a reflection on his predecessor, "That +the men were the same, but the governor was changed; and that +this was the fruit of lessening their pay, to enable him to give +gratuities to those who knew better how to beg favours than to +deserve them." De Sousa retired to the ships for the night, but +landed next day, when he utterly destroyed the city and +surrounding country with fire and sword, and made all the woods +be cut down[363]. Unable any longer to resist, the queen +purchased peace by submitting to a heavier subjection than +before.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 363: The cutting down of the woods +mentioned in the text, probably refers to cocoa nut trees, on +which the natives of the coast of India appear to have greatly +depended for food.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The king of Ormuz had fallen into arrears of life tribute, and +was due 500,000 ducats, which he was unable to pay; for the +tribute had been successively raised from 12,000 ducats +originally imposed by Albuquerque, to 100,000, so that from a +tributary he became a slave, not having even a competent +maintenance remaining. Finding him unable to discharge the debt, +De Sousa proposed to him to make over the customs of Ormuz to the +Portuguese, which he agreed to, that he might get rid of the +oppression. But the Persians soon afterwards deprived them of +this source of revenue, which they had unjustly appropriated to +themselves.</p> + +<p>In the year 1544, De Sousa fitted out a fleet of 45 sail, in +which were embarked 3000 seamen and soldiers. The design of this +armament was kept a profound secret, which was to rob the pagoda +of <i>Tremele</i>, 12 miles inland from St Thomas of Meliapour, +in the kingdom of Bisnagar, for which express orders had been +given by King John, under pretence that India was wasted, as if +any pretence could justify robbery. The design was however +discovered, or as others say it was disappointed by contrary +winds. Yet the governor was persuaded to plunder other pagodas, +where it was thought there were equal riches. By the way, he sent +a message to the king of Jafnapatam in the island of Ceylon, +commanding him either to become tributary to the crown of +Portugal, or to prepare for opposing the armament. The king +agreed to pay 4000 ducats yearly, glad to get off so easily. A +king called <i>Grande</i> near Cape Comorin, being in fear of the +Portuguese, sent a present to the governor. De Sousa proceeded to +a pagoda named <i>Tebelicate</i>[364], near <i>Calecoulam</i>, +although the Portuguese were at peace with the king of that +country, and went into it with a small number of his confidants, +whence they brought out two casks so heavy that they loaded many +men. These casks were reported to contain water, though some +affirmed that it was gold and jewels; but the truth was never +known. It has been alleged by some writers that nothing was found +but a golden vessel worth 4000 crowns, in which the idol used to +be bathed, and which was ordered to be restored by the king of +Portugal, who was much displeased at the conduct of De Sousa on +this occasion; as if it were a greater crime to rob the pagoda of +<i>Tebilicare</i> without orders, than that of <i>Tremele</i> +with orders. While the Portuguese were returning to their ships, +the town and pagoda were set on fire, and they were attacked in a +narrow defile by 200 Nayres, who killed 30 of them; but on +getting into the open field, the Nayres were put to flight. No +danger terrifies avarice. The Portuguese went on to another +pagoda, from which a chest was brought out and opened publicly, +and some silver money which it contained was distributed among +the troops; but of so small account, that many believed the +liberality was owing to that circumstance.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 364: Called afterwards +<i>Tebilicare</i>.]</blockquote> + +<p>De Sousa was obliged to return in all haste to Goa, owing to +the following circumstance, communicated to him by a message from +Don Garcia de Castro. <i>Aceda Khan</i>, lord of the lands around +Goa, intending to depose Adel Khan, prevailed on Don Garcia, by +means of presents to deliver up to him <i>Meale Khan</i> the +brother of Adel Khan, pretending that he held the kingdom +wrongfully. This gave just cause of complaint to Adel Khan, and +occasioned considerable danger to the Portuguese. The governor +listened to the arguments and offers of both sides; but inclined +more to favour Aceda Khan, who offered to cede the kingdom of +Concan, giving a revenue of about a million, then possessed by +Abraham, a good man and a friend of the Portuguese. As this +territory was very valuable, particularly from its neighbourhood +to Goa, the governor declared in favour of Meale Khan, and +prepared to possess himself of the Concan which was offered by +Aceda Khan. This was a notorious act of injustice; and as De +Sousa was naturally of a haughty disposition, none of his +officers dared to remonstrate; but Pedro de Faria, then +four-score years of age, trusting to his quality and the great +offices he had held, repaired late one night to the governors +tent, and prevailed upon him to desist from so unjust an +undertaking. Next day the governor abandoned his design, +pretending various reasons of delay, and returned to Goa, +carrying Meale Khan along with him.</p> + +<p>At this time Aceda Khan died, who was the contriver of this +discord, and Adel Khan descended the gaut mountains with a +powerful army to reduce the rebels, recovering possession of the +Concan in a few days. But as Adel Khan was still fearful of Meale +Khan, he offered the lands of <i>Salsete</i> and <i>Bardez</i> to +De Sousa, on condition of delivering him up, which were valued at +50,000 ducats of yearly revenue. De Sousa refused to give up this +man who had confided in him for protection; but offered, if put +in possession of these districts, that he would remove Meale to +some place where he could give no disturbance to Adel Khan. These +conditions were agreed to and performed by Adel Khan, but evaded +by De Sousa, who sent Meale to Cananor and brought him back to +Goa. Some alleged that this was done to overawe Adel Khan, while +others said it was meant as a bait to extort presents; and it was +certain that some were actually sent.</p> + +<p>In this treaty, Adel Khan had agreed that De Sousa was to be +put into possession of the vast treasures which had been left by +the rebel Aceda Khan, said to amount to ten millions of ducats, +and which at his death had fallen into the hands of Khojah +Zemaz-oddin, who persuaded De Sousa that it was only one million, +and delivered that sum to him. Adel Khan afterwards gave notice +to De Sousa of the vast fraud which had been used in the +pretended delivery of the treasure; but all his efforts to secure +the defaulter were in vain.</p> + +<p>Sultan Mahmud, sovereign of Cambaya or Guzerat, was desirous +of recovering possession of the castle built by the Portuguese at +Diu, and of freeing himself by that means from the trammels which +had been thrown in the way of the trade of his dominions. In the +late treaty between him and the Portuguese, it had been +stipulated, with the consent of the viceroy Don Garcia, that the +government of Cambaya might erect a wall between the city of Diu +and the castle. This wall was accordingly commenced; but as +Emanuel de Sousa, who commanded in the castle of Diu, considered +that the wall now building was of a very different description +from a mere boundary, as intended in the treaty, and appeared to +be destined for hostile purposes, he drove away the workmen, +threw down the wall, and made use of the materials for +strengthening the defences of the castle. Mahmud was highly +offended at this procedure, and at the instigation of his great +minister Khojah Zofar, he secretly used every possible means to +stir up enemies to the Portuguese, endeavouring to form an union +of the Indian princes to expel them not only from Diu but from +all India.</p> + +<p>In the course of this year 1544, the great Khan of the Tartars +invaded China and besieged <i>Peking</i> with a prodigious army, +amounting to millions of men. A large detachment from this vast +army, among which were 60,000 horse, was sent against the city of +<i>Quamsi</i>, which was plundered, and an immense number of the +inhabitants put to the sword. While on his return with this part +of the army, <i>Nauticor</i> the Tartar general attempted to +reduce the fortress of <i>Nixiancoo</i>, but was repulsed with +the loss of 3000 men, on which he was disposed to desist from the +enterprise, deeming the place impregnable. Among the prisoners +taken at Quamsi were nine Portuguese, one of whom named George +Mendez made offer to the Tartar general to put him on a plan for +gaining the fortress of <i>Nixiancoo</i>, on condition that he +and his companions were restored to liberty. The general agreed +to his proposal, and gained the fort by the advice of Mendez, +with the slaughter of 2000 Chinese and Moguls. In pursuance of +his promise, the general obtained the liberty of the Portuguese +from his sovereign, but prevailed on Mendez to continue in his +service by a pension of 6000 ducats. The Tartar emperor was +constrained to raise the siege of Peking and retire to +<i>Tuymican</i> his residence in Tartary, after having closely +invested the metropolis of China for almost seven months, with +the loss of 450,000 men, mostly cut off by pestilence, besides +300,000 that deserted to the Chinese.</p> + +<p>In 1545, Martin Alfonso de Sousa became exceedingly +dissatisfied with his situation as governor-general in India, +being threatened on every side by a combination of the native +princes, and having no adequate means of defence either in men or +money. Only a few days before the arrival of his successor, he +declared to Diego Silveyra who was going to sail for Portugal, +that if the king did not immediately send out a successor, he +would open the patents of succession, and resign the government +to whoever he might find nominated for that purpose. He was soon +afterwards relieved by Don Juan de Castro, whose journal of the +expedition into the Red Sea we have laid before our readers in +the preceding chapter, and who arrived at Goa in August or +September 1545, to assume the government of India.</p> + +<p>SECTION IV.</p> + +<p><i>Government of India by Don Juan de Castro, from 1545 to +1548.</i></p> + +<p>Khojah Zofar, who was now chief minister and favourite to the +king of Cambaya, though he continued to keep up a fair +correspondence with the Portuguese, yet, with the perfidy so +natural to a Moor, never ceased persuading his sovereign to +endeavour to shake off the yoke by a second attempt to reduce the +castle of Diu. For this purpose he collected a powerful army, yet +endeavoured in the first place to attain his ends by the most +infamous means of secret policy. With this view he gained over a +Portuguese of a base character, named <i>Ruy Freire</i>, to +poison the great cistern or reservoir of water, to set the +magazine of the castle on fire, and to admit him by a concerted +signal into the place. But this treacherous design was frustrated +by the information of an Ethiopian, a Turk and a female slave, +who revealed the plot to the commander, Don Juan Mascarenhas, who +had succeeded Emanuel de Sousa. As Mascarenhas became aware of +the storm that was gathering against him, he prepared to meet it +as well as possible, and sent notice of his danger to the +governor-general, Don Juan de Castro, and to all the neighbouring +Portuguese commanders. The garrison in the castle of Diu at this +time amounted only to 210 men: Of these Mascarenhas assigned 30 +for the defence of each of the four bastions; his lieutenant had +charge of a tower or bulwark over the gate with 20 men; other 20 +were placed in a small detached work; and he retained 50 men as a +body of reserve under his own immediate command, to act wherever +the greatest danger might call for his presence.</p> + +<p>By this time a considerable number of men were collected by +the enemy in the city of Diu, among whom were 500 Turks sent from +Mokha by the king of Zabid, and Khojah Zofar came on with all his +power, resolving to attack the sea bastion by means of three +castles well stored with cannon and ammunition, which were built +upon a ship of vast size; within the castles were 200 Turks, who +were intended to distract the attention of the defendants by +continually pouring in all sorts of artificial fireworks. This +device was however abortive, as Jacome Leite went by night in two +small vessels with twenty men, and though discovered he succeeded +in setting the floating castle on fire, a great part of which +blew up with all the Turks, and the remainder of the ship burnt +with so great a flame that the enemy was seen in whole battalions +running to quench the fire. Seeing the enemy in clusters, Jacome +pointed his cannon among them and killed many: After this +exploit, he proceeded to the mouth of the river, where he took +some vessels loaded with provisions belonging to the enemy, with +which he returned to the fort to the great admiration of the +whole garrison, having seven of his men wounded in this gallant +and successful exploit.</p> + +<p>Though frustrated in this design, Khojah Zofar persisted in +his intentions of besieging the castle, for which purpose he +began to rebuild the wall which had been destroyed by De +Sousa.[365] This could not be prevented, though many of the +workmen were killed by the cannon of the fort, and being at last +brought to perfection Zofar planted upon it sixty pieces of large +cannon, besides many of a small size. One of these cannons was of +such extraordinary magnitude that it shook the whole island every +time it was discharged, and it was managed with much expertness +by a renegade Frenchman in the service of Zofar. At this time Don +Ferdinand de Castro, son to the governor arrived with a +reinforcement. Mascarenhas having expressed a desire of acquiring +some intelligence from the enemys camp, one Diego de Anaya +Coutinno, a gentleman of note and of great strength, put on a +helmet with a sword by his side and a spear in his hand, and let +himself down from the wall under night. He soon discovered two +Moors at some distance from the fort, one of whom he slew with +his spear, and taking up the other in his arms ran with him to +the gate of the fort, calling out for admission, and threw him +in, to the great surprise and admiration of his companions. +Coutinno had borrowed a helmet, which he had engaged his word to +restore or die in its defence. It happened to fall off in the +scuffle, and he did not miss it till demanded, by its owner. He +immediately let himself down again from the wall to look for the +helmet, which he found and restored.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 365: This second siege of Diu appears to +have commenced about the beginning of March +1545.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Shortly afterwards an extraordinary movement was observed in +the besieging army, of which Mascarenhas was desirous to know the +cause. On this account six men sallied out at night from the +castle, and fell upon an advanced party of sixty Moors, some of +whom they killed; but the rest awaking, and being joined by +others, the Portuguese were forced to retreat after losing two of +their number; but the remaining four brought in a prisoner along +with them, who reported that the king of Cambaya was arrived from +<i>Champanel</i> with 10,000 horse, on purpose to see the capture +of the castle, which he was assured by Zofar must soon fall. This +exploit so incensed the king and Zofar, that they pressed the +siege with the utmost fury, and did much harm to the works of the +castle by incessant discharges from their numerous artillery. But +the renegade Frenchman, who managed their greatest gun, was slain +by a chance shot, and the gunner who succeeded him was so +ignorant that he did more harm to his own party than to the +Portuguese. All the neighbourhood continually resounded with the +incessant noise of the cannon, mixed with the cries and groans of +dying men; when a ball from the fort happened to go through the +kings tent, and sprinkled him all over with the blood of one of +his favourites, who was torn to pieces close by him. This so +terrified the king, that he immediately abandoned Diu, leaving +the command of the horse to Juzar Khan a valiant Abyssinian.</p> + +<p>Khojah Zofar continued to press the siege, and there was much +slaughter and destruction on both sides; but this was more +evident and prejudicial in the castle, owing to the small space +and the weakness of the garrison. Mascarenhas on his part exerted +every means for defence, always repairing to wherever there was +most danger, as desirous of gaining equal honour with Silveyra +who had so gallantly defended the same place only a few years +before. He was no less fortunate in courageous women than +Silveyra, as those now in the castle encouraged the men to fight +valiantly, and both assisted and relieved them in the labour of +repairing the walls. On one occasion that some Turks had got +within the walls and had taken post in a house, one of these +valiant females ran there with a spear and fought against the +enemy, till Mascarenhas came up with his reserve and put them all +to the sword. Zofar used every effort and device to fill up the +ditches and to batter down the walls of the castle; but equal +industry was exerted by the besieged to repair the breaches and +to clear out the ditches, the prime gentry doing as much duty on +those occasions as the private soldiers and masons; repairing +every night such parts of the walls and bastions as had been +ruined in the day.</p> + +<p>Astonished to see all the defences thus restored, and angry at +the obstinate resistance of so small a garrison, Zofar made a +furious assault upon the castle, but had his head carried off by +a cannon-ball. "In this violent death he fulfilled the prediction +of his mother at <i>Otranto,</i> who having in vain endeavoured +to prevail upon him to return into the bosom of the church, used +to superscribe her letters to him in the following manner. <i>To +Khojah Zofar my son, at the gates of hell.</i>" He was succeeded +by his son <i>Rumi Khan</i>, who inherited his fortune and +command, and was as eager as his father to reduce the castle of +Diu. Being in great straits, Mascarenhas was under the necessity +of applying to the governor-general at Goa and the commanders of +the neighbouring garrisons for reinforcements, on which occasion +a priest was employed, who run great danger, as the sea was at +this season scarcely navigable: But then Portugal had some +<i>decii</i> and <i>reguli</i>, while it now has only the grief +of wanting such patriots[366].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 366: It is hardly necessary to observe that +this is the expression of D. Faria in the <i>seventeenth</i> +century, when Portugal groaned under the yoke of the Austrian +sovereigns of Spain.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the mean time Rumi Khan and Juzar Khan gave a general +assault, particularly directing their efforts against the +bastions of St John and St Thomas, where they found a vigorous +resistance and lost a prodigious number of men. Yet numbers at +length prevailed, and the enemy gained a temporary possession of +the bastion of St Thomas. The garrison adding fury to despair, +made so desperate an effort to recover the bastion, that they +made a wonderful slaughter of the numerous assailants who had +penetrated their works, throwing headlong from the wall such as +had escaped the sword, insomuch that the bastion and the ditch +below were heaped with dead bodies. Rumi Khan spent the +succeeding night in prayers and processions to propitiate +Mahomet, and next morning renewed the assault with equal fury. +But after mounting the two bastions, he was at length forced to +retreat with the loss of near 2000 men, among whom was Juzar Khan +the Abyssinian general, who was succeeded in his command by his +uncle of the same name. In this action the Portuguese lost seven +men. Several other assaults were given with similar success. In +one of these the fire was so close and furious that several of +the Portuguese who were clad in cotton garments had their clothes +set on fire, on which they ran and dipt themselves in water, +after which they returned to their posts. Such as happened to +have skin coats escaped this danger; and as Mascarenhas noticed +this circumstance, he caused the gilt leather hangings of his +apartments to be made into coats for his soldiers.</p> + +<p>As the enemy had raised a mount near the castle which +overlooked the walls, whence they greatly annoyed the enemy, Don +Juan and Don Pedro de Almeyda sallied out with an hundred men and +destroyed that work, killing 300 Moors. At another time Martin +Botello went out with ten men to endeavour to make some +prisoners, to procure intelligence. This party fell upon a post +of the enemy occupied by eighteen men, all of whom fled except +one <i>Nubian</i>, who bravely endeavoured to defend himself +against the whole eleven. Botello closed with him, and finding +him hard to overcome while he touched the ground with his feet, +raised him in his arms as Hercules did Anteus, and carried him to +the fort by main strength. The assaults were frequently renewed, +and the besieged were worn out with fatigue and reduced to the +last extremity by famine, being forced to feed even upon naseous +vermin. A crow or a vulture taken while feeding upon the dead +bodies was so great a dainty for the sick that it sold for five +crowns. Even the ammunition was almost spent. In this extremity, +the enemy gave a fresh assault and forced their way into the +bastion of St John, whence they were driven out. Scarcely had +they retired when the bastion blew up with a vast explosion, +carrying up 73 of the garrison into the air, ten of whom came +down alive. Among these was Diego de Sotomayor, who fell into the +fort with his spear still in his hand. One soldier fell in a +similar manner among the enemy, and was immediately slain. <i>It +was no fable that armed men were seen in the air on this +occasion</i>[367]. Foreseeing the danger, as he believed from the +retirement of the enemy so suddenly that they had secretly caused +it to be undermined, Mascarenhas gave orders for the Portuguese +soldiers to retire from the bastion; but one Reynoso prevented +them from doing so, unaware of what was intended, upbraiding them +for cowardice.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 367: This is an evident allusion of De +Faria to the ridiculous reports so often propagated among the +Portuguese and Spaniards of those days, of heavenly champions +aiding them in battle against the infidels.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Thirteen thousand of the enemy immediately attacked the breach +which was formed by the explosion, and were at first resisted +only by five men, till Mascarenhas came up with fifteen more. +Even the women came forward to assist in defending the breach: +and the priest, who had returned from carrying advice to the +neighbouring Portuguese forts, appeared carrying a crucifix +aloft, and encouraging the men to behave themselves manfully. +After a long and furious contest, the enemy retired on the +approach of night, after losing 300 men, and Mascarenhas employed +the whole night in repairing the breach. The enemy renewed their +attacks every day, but with no better success, trusting to their +vast superiority in numbers, that they would at last wear out and +destroy the garrison. Rumi Khan began again to undermine the +works, even piercing through rocks that were in the way; but +Mascarenhas by means of a countermine disappointed his +expectations, as the mine exploded back upon the enemy and killed +many of their own men.</p> + +<p>Don Alvaro de Castro, son to the governor-general, was at this +time sent with supplies and reinforcements, and had to contend +against the winds and waves through almost incredible storms, yet +arrived at Bassen without loss. From thence Antonio Moniz Baretto +with eight gentlemen crossed over to Diu in a boat, being the +first reinforcement; who though few were no small comfort to the +besieged by their bravery. Next came Luis de Melo with nine men; +then Don George and Don Duarte de Menezes with seventeen; after +them Antonio de Ataide and Francisco Guillerme with fifty each; +and Ruy Freyre the factor of Chaul with twenty-four. With these +reinforcements Mascarenhas fell upon the enemy who then possessed +some of the works of the castle, and had even established +themselves in the bastion of St James. The enemy had now lost +5000 men and the besieged 200, but having as many more left, +scarcely half of whom were fit for duty, when Don Alvaro de +Castro arrived with 400 men and a sufficient supply of +ammunition, having taken by the way a ship belonging to Cambaya +richly laden.</p> + +<p>The joy of this relief was soon damped by the mutinous +disposition of the soldiers brought by Don Alvaro; who fearful of +the mines of the enemy, clamorously demanded to be led into the +field against the enemy; and when the governor prudently refused +compliance, they broke out into open mutiny in defiance of all +discipline, then scarce known or at least not respected by the +Portuguese. Being in danger of perishing in the castle by his own +men, Mascarenhas chose rather to die in the field among the +enemy, and made a sally with almost 500 men in three bodies. At +the first push the advanced post of the enemy was gained, and +they were forced to retire to their main works. Those who had +insolently compelled their commander to this extravagant measure, +now stood heartless at the foot of the trenches, while others who +had taken no part in the mutiny acted courageously. After a +severe reproof from Mascarenhas they took heart and mounted the +works, but the whole army of the enemy attacking them, the +Portuguese were forced to retire in disorder. The enemy followed +up the runaways, and 5000 of them under Mojate Khan endeavoured +to gain possession of the bastion of St Thomas, but were bravely +repulsed by Luis de Sousa. In this action sixty men were slain on +the side of the Portuguese, among whom were Don Alvaro de Castro, +who was mortally wounded in the head. About this time likewise +the enemy gained temporary possession of the bastion of St James +and even turned its cannon against the garrison, but were driven +out by Vasco de Cuna and Luis de Almeida, who had just arrived +with a reinforcement. The latter went out soon afterwards with +Payo Rodriguez and Pedro Alfonso in three caravels, and soon +returned with two great ships belonging to Mecca and several +other vessels, whose cargoes were worth 50,000 ducats.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of October 1545, when the siege had lasted +eight months, Don Juan de Castro set out from Goa with a powerful +armament for its relief. As the fleet, consisting of above 90 +vessels, was scattered during the voyage, Don Juan put in at +<i>Baseen</i> to wait for its reunion, and sent in the mean time +Don Emanuel de Lima with a squadron to scour the coast, who took +several vessels. At length the Portuguese fleet made its +appearance in the sea of Diu, to the great amazement and dismay +of the enemy, who had recently received a supply of 5000 men from +the king of Cambaya. Having landed his troops, it was resolved by +Don Juan de Castro to march and attack the enemy, chiefly on the +suggestion of the experienced Don Garcia de Sa. The Portuguese +army was accordingly marshalled in the following order. Don Juan +Mascarenhas, the valiant defender of the castle, led the van +consisting of 500 men. Two other bodies of equal force were led +by Don Alvaro de Castro[368], and Don Emanuel de Lima. Don Juan +de Castro led the reserve, composed of 1000 Portuguese and a body +of Indian soldiers. Among the men were several Portuguese women +in men's clothes, who went principally to assist those that might +be wounded. The lieutenant-governor was left in charge of the +fort with 300 men.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 368: This gentleman has been said only a +little way before, to have been <i>mortally</i> wounded. He must +only have been <i>severely</i> wounded on that former occasion; +or perhaps it might have been Don Ferdinand, another son of the +governor, who was killed.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having prepared for battle by the sacraments of the church, +this small army marched out at break of day of the 11th November +1545, to attack the numerous forces of the enemy, who were +strongly entrenched and defended by a powerful train of +artillery. At this time two Portuguese gentlemen who had +challenged each other, agreed that he who first mounted the works +of the enemy should be deemed conqueror: both honourably strove +to gain the victory, and both died gloriously in the attempt. +After a severe conflict, in which the Portuguese sustained some +loss, they at length mounted the works, and Mascarenhas and Don +Alvaro de Castro, having each gained possession of a tower or +bulwark, made room for the army drawing up in the open field in +the rear of the hostile works. Twice was the ensign carrying the +royal standard thrown down from the enemy's works, and twice +remounted. Rumi Khan used every effort, backed by his numerous +army, to drive the Portuguese from his entrenchments, but +unsuccessfully. Being joined by Juzar Khan, who had been worsted +by Mascarenhas, they united their troops and renewed their fight, +and distressed the Portuguese exceedingly, when father Antonio de +Cazal appeared in the ranks carrying a crucifix aloft on the +point of a lance, encouraging the troops to behave courageously. +By great and valiant exertions, after covering the field with +dead and wounded Moors, Rumi Khan was constrained to retreat in +disorder; but having rallied his troops, the Portuguese in their +turn were thrown into disorder. Don Juan, however exerted himself +to admiration, and restoring his men to order renewed the battle. +At this time a stone or bullet broke off an arm from the +crucifix, and the priest calling on the soldiers to avenge the +sacrilege, they fell on with such fury, that after incredible +efforts they drove the enemy into the city with vast slaughter. +Mascarenhas, Don Alvaro de Lima, and Don Juan de Castro, +successively forced their way into the city with their respective +battalions, by several avenues, making the streets and houses run +with blood. The women shared the fate of the men, and even +children were slain at their mothers breasts. In plundering the +houses, gold, silver, and jewels were alone attended to by the +soldiery, other things though of value being slighted as +cumbrous.</p> + +<p>Rumi Khan and the other officers of the enemy sallied with +about 8000 men, against whom Don Juan de Castro, with the +assistance of his son and Mascarenhas again engaged, and after a +bloody battle gained a complete victory. In this last engagement, +Gabriel Teixeyra killed the standard-bearer of the enemy, and +dragged the standard of Cambaya about the field proclaiming +victory. George Nunez brought out the head of Rumi Khan from +among the dead, and presented it to Don Juan. Juzar Khan was +wounded and made prisoner. In this great battle the enemy lost +5000 men, among whom, besides Rumi Khan, Azede Khan, Lu Khan, and +other men of note were slain. The Portuguese, according to one +account, lost 100 men, while others say only 34. Many thousands +were taken, with forty pieces of cannon of extraordinary size, +besides 160 others, and a prodigious quantity of ammunition. Free +plunder was allowed to the troops, by which many acquired great +riches and all were satisfied. Many of the Portuguese signalized +their valour in this action. The governor-general acted the part +of a valiant soldier, as well as that of a prudent general. +Mascarenhas, after sustaining a siege of eight months, +distinguished himself above all others. Of Don Alvaro de Castro, +it is sufficient to say that he acted like his father. The ensign +Barbado, though several times thrown down, as often remounted the +works of the enemy. Father Antonio del Cazal, by presenting to +view the <i>image of life</i> banished the <i>fear of death</i>. +Many others distinguished their valour, some of whom survived and +others were slain. The enemy confessed that, one day during the +siege, they saw over the church in the castle a beautiful woman +in the air, clothed in white, and so brilliantly illuminated with +rays of light that they could not look upon her; and that this +day there were some men in the field armed with lances who did +them much harm. The king of Cambaya was so enraged with the loss +he had sustained in this siege, that he ordered twenty-eight +Portuguese prisoners to be torn in pieces in his presence.</p> + +<p>Great was the joy at Goa on the news being received of the +events at Diu, which were carried thither by Diego Rodriguez de +Azevedo, who likewise carried a message from Don Juan de Castro +requesting the city to lend him 20,000 pardaos for the use of the +army, sending a lock of his whiskers in pawn for the faithful +repayment of the money. The city respectfully returned the +proposed pledge, and sent him more money than he wanted, and even +the ladies of Goa on this occasion sent him their earrings, +necklaces, bracelets, and other jewels to be applied to the +public service. But the governor punctually restored all exactly +as sent, having been amply supplied by the capture of a rich ship +of Cambaya. Having restored the castle to a better condition than +before the siege, Don Juan de Castro sailed for Goa, leaving a +garrison of 500 men in the castle under Don George de Menezes, +with six ships to secure the coast. The city also was now better +inhabited than ever, through the good usage of the governor to +the Moors.</p> + +<p>Don Juan de Castro returned from Diu to Goa on the 11th of +April 1546, where he was received with universal demonstrations +of joy, and was conducted into the city in a splendid triumph, +prepared on purpose after the manner of the ancient Romans. The +city gates and the houses of the streets he had to pass through +were hung with silk, all the windows were thronged with women +splendidly dressed, and every part of the city resounded with +music and the din of cannon, all the ships in the bay being +richly adorned with numerous flags and streamers. Don Juan +entered the city under a splendid canopy; and at the gates his +hat was taken off, and his brows adorned by a crown of laurel, of +which likewise a branch was put into his hand. Before him went +the priest, carrying the crucifix, as he had done in the late +battle, and next to him was the royal standard. Juzar Khan +followed with his eyes fixed on the ground, perhaps that he might +not see the standard of his sovereign trailing in the dust, while +those of the Portuguese floated triumphant in the air. After him +came 600 prisoners in chains. In the front were all the captured +cannon, and great quantities of arms of all sorts in carts +artificially disposed. The governor walked upon leaves of gold +and silver and rich silks, all the ladies as he passed sprinkling +him from their windows with odoriferous waters, and strewing him +with flowers. On hearing an account of this triumph, queen +Catharine said "That Don Juan had overcome like a Christian, but +had triumphed like a heathen."</p> + +<p>Scarcely was this triumph ended when the governor found it +necessary to send a force of 120 horse, 800 foot, and 1000 +Indians, to expel some troops sent by Adel Khan to possess the +districts of Salsete and Bardes, because the conditions on which +he had ceded these to the Portuguese had not been fulfilled. +Diego de Almeyda, who commanded these troops, easily executed his +commission, as 4000 men belonging to Adel Khan, who were +stationed at <i>Cowlii</i> fled at his approach. Adel Khan +however sent them back again, with 9000 additional men, together +with a company of renegado Portuguese, commanded by Gonzalo Vaz +Coutinno, who, to avoid the punishment due to his crimes, had +deserted to the enemy. As Almeyda found himself too weak to +resist this great force, he was forced to retire; on which the +governor marched in person against the enemy with 3000 men in +five battalions, and was soon afterwards joined by Francisco de +Melo with about 1500 more. On the approach of this force the +enemy retired to the fort of Ponda followed by the Portuguese +army, on which occasion Don Alvaro de Castro, who led the van, +gained possession of a ford defended by 2000 musqueteers. The +main body of the enemy, twelve or thirteen thousand strong, were +drawn up in good order about the fort, but fled at the first +fire, leaving the fort entirely empty.</p> + +<p>The victorious are sure to find friends. <i>Cidoza</i> king of +Canara sent to congratulate Don Juan de Castro upon this victory, +and to propose a new alliance with the Portuguese, which was +accordingly concluded upon advantageous terms, as always happens +upon such occasions. This kingdom of <i>Charnataca</i>, corruptly +named <i>Canara</i>, had no sovereign prince before the year +1200, when one <i>Boca</i>, a shepherd, assumed the government, +styling himself <i>Rao</i> which signifies emperor, a title that +has been continued by all his successors. This king, in memorial +of a victory gained by him over the king of Delhi, built the +famous city of Visajanagur, corruptly called Bisnagar. The crown +continued in his line till usurped by Narsinga, from whom the +kingdom took that name, having been formerly called Bisnagar from +that of the city. Afterwards king Malek sent also to confirm the +peace between him and the Portuguese, more through hatred to Adel +Khan who was defeated, than from love to the victorious +Portuguese.</p> + +<p>Hearing in 1546 that the king of Cambaya intended again to +besiege Diu with a larger army than ever, Don Juan de Castro +prepared with all diligence to relieve it, borrowing money from +the city of Goa for the expences of the expedition; and on this +occasion the women of Goa sent him their jewels by the hands of +their young daughters, complaining that he had not used them +before, and requesting him to do so now; but he sent all back +accompanied with presents. Having fitted out 160 sail of various +kinds of vessels with a large military force, Don Juan sailed for +<i>Basseen</i> and thence to Surat, where Don Alvaro had arrived +before the fleet, and had taken a work with several cannon from +the Moors. Sailing thence to Baroch, the army of the king of +Cambaya was seen covering the whole plain, to the amount of +150,000 men, with 80 large cannon in front. Don John was anxious +to land with his small army of 3000 men to give battle to the +king, but was dissuaded from the rash attempt by his most +experienced officers. He went on therefore to Diu, where he +appointed Luis Falcam to command the castle, as Mascarenhas was +then about to return to Portugal. After this he went along the +coast of the Guzerat dominions, landing in many places, and +destroying every thing with fire and sword. The strong and +beautiful cities of <i>Pate</i> and <i>Patane</i>, being +abandoned by the inhabitants, were utterly destroyed; two hundred +vessels were destroyed in their ports, and a prodigious booty was +obtained. Dabul also, though in the dominions of Adel Khan, was +treated in a similar manner, in revenge for the ravages committed +by the orders of that sovereign in the districts of Salsete and +Bardes, which were occupied by Calabate Khan at the head of +20,000 men.</p> + +<p>As Calabate Khan seemed disposed to retain possession of these +districts, Don Juan went against him with 1500 horse and 4000 +foot; but the enemy fled in all haste to the gauts, leaving their +tents and baggage behind. The Portuguese army pursued; and being +resisted by Calabate Khan in person, with 2000 horse at a ford or +pass, that general was unhorsed and slain by a Portuguese officer +named Almeyda, after which the enemy were defeated with great +slaughter. The cymeter, dagger, chain, and rings of the slain +general were estimated at the value of 80,000 crowns. After this +victory, Don Juan ravaged the whole country below the gauts +belonging to Adel Khan, destroying every thing before him, +burning all the towns and woods, and carrying off the cattle and +provisions. From this destructive expedition he returned to Goa, +which he again entered in triumph.</p> + +<p>About this time the king of Acheen in Sumatra, an +irreconcilable enemy to the Portuguese, sent a fleet of sixty +vessels against Malacca with 5000 soldiers, among whom were 500 +men called <i>Orobalones</i> or <i>the golden bracelets</i>, from +wearing that ornament in distinction of their bravery; but the +principal force consisted of a regiment of Turkish janisaries +commanded by a valiant Moor. This man landed in the night near +Malacca, and it is said that the garrison was alarmed and put on +their guard by a flock of geese, as the capitol was in ancient +times. The garrison of Malacca was then very weak, yet the enemy +were forced to reimbark, after burning two Portuguese ships then +ready to sail. On returning from their intended attack on +Malacca, the enemy took seven poor fishermen, whose noses, ears, +and feet they cut off and sent them in that mutilated condition +to the commander at Malacca, George de Melo, with a letter +written with their blood, challenging him to come out and fight +them at sea. Melo was by no means disposed to accept this +challenge, having a very inadequate force, and because he had +only eight small vessels which lay aground in a state unfit for +service. But the great St Francis Xavier, who was then in +Malacca, prevailed on some merchants to be at the expence of +fitting out these vessels, and upon Melo to go out against the +enemy, promising that two galliots would come by a certain time +to his aid. When the time was near expired, two galliots actually +made their appearance and came into the harbour, though intended +upon a different course. The saint went on board, and found that +they were commanded by Diego Suarez de Melo, commonly called the +<i>Gallego</i>, and his son Baltazar, whom he prevailed upon to +join in the attack of the Acheenese. The ten small vessels were +accordingly fitted out and manned by 230 men, and set sail in +search of the enemy under the command of Don Francisco Deza. +After ranging about for two months in search of the Acheen fleet, +when at length about to return to Malacca, Deza found them in the +river <i>Parles</i>, where he resolutely attacked them one Sunday +morning, and, after an obstinate engagement, gained a complete +victory, in which 4000 of the enemy were slain. Several of the +Acheen ships were sunk, and almost all the rest taken, of which +the Portuguese brought in twenty-five to Malacca, with 300 pieces +of cannon, and about 1000 firelocks, having only lost twenty-five +men according to one account, while some said only four. St +Francis was preaching at Malacca when this battle took place, and +suddenly pausing in the middle of his discourse, he distinctly +related all the particulars of the victory to his auditors, who +were in great anxiety for the fate of their ships, having +received no news of them during two months. His prophecy was +verified a few days afterwards by their triumphant arrival.</p> + +<p>Don Juan de Castro began his operations in January 1548, by +the entire destruction of all that part of the western coast of +India which belonged to Adel Khan. From the river <i>Charopa</i> +two leagues from Goa, to that of <i>Cifardam</i>, which divides +the dominions of Adel Khan from that of the Nizam, he spared +neither living creature, vegetable, nor dwelling of any kind.</p> + +<p>When the news of the glorious termination of the siege of Diu +was received at Lisbon, the king sent out a greater fleet than +usual to India, and honoured Don Juan with extraordinary favours +for his good services. Besides a present in money, he continued +him in the government, raising his rank from governor-general to +the dignity of viceroy, and appointed his son Don Alvaro admiral +of the Indian seas. But Don Juan was almost dead when these +honours reached him, being sick of a disease which now-a-days +kills no one, for even diseases die! He was heart-broken by the +cowardly behaviour of a Portuguese force that had been sent to +Aden, and the rash conduct of his son at Xael, in both of which +they had suffered severe losses. Finding himself dying, he +publicly asked pardon of many for having written against them to +the king; and being unable to manage the affairs of government, +he appointed a select council to supply his place. Calling the +members into his presence, he said "Though he neither hoped nor +wished to live, yet it behoved him to be at some expence while he +remained alive; and having no money, he entreated they would +order him a small supply from the royal revenues, that he might +not die for want." Then laying his hand on a missal, with his +eyes lifted up to heaven, he solemnly swore, "That he had on no +occasion converted the money belonging to the king, or to any +other person, to his own use; and that he had never engaged in +trade to increase his own fortune." He desired that this his +solemn declaration might be recorded. He soon afterwards expired +in the arms of St Francis Xavier, on the 6th of June 1548, in the +48th year of his age. All the treasure found in his private +cabinet was three <i>ryals</i> and a <i>bloody scourge</i>.</p> + +<p>Don Juan was an excellent scholar, being particularly skilled +in Latin and the mathematics. During his government of India he +did not allow himself to be actuated by pride, as others had done +before and after him, and always valued and promoted his officers +for their merits. He so much loved that every one should act +becomingly, that seeing one day a fine suit of clothes on passing +a tailors shop, and being told that it was intended for his son, +he cut it in pieces, desiring some one to tell the young man to +provide arms, not fine clothes.</p> + +<p>SECTION V.</p> + +<p><i>Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from 1548 to 1564, +under several Governors,[369]</i></p> + +<p>Immediately on the death of Don Juan the first patent of +succession was opened, in which Don Juan Mascarenhas was named; +but he had gone to Lisbon to seek the reward of his gallant +defence of Diu, which he now missed. The second named Don George +Telo, who was also absent. In the third, Gracia de Sa was +nominated to the succession, an officer of much experience in the +affairs of India. Soon afterwards, he received an embassy from +Adel Khan to solicit peace, which was concluded much to the +advantage of the Portuguese. The Zamorin, Nizam-al-mulk, +Kothb-al-mulk king of Golconda, the Rajah of Canara, and several +other princes of India sent splendid embassies to confirm the +peace; and at length, Sultan Mahmud king of Guzerat or Cambaya, +tired of the unfortunate war in which he had been long engaged +with the Portuguese, made pacific overtures, and a treaty was +concluded to the credit and advantage of the Portuguese.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 369: The transactions of this period are of +so little importance, and related in so desultory a manner, that +in the present section we have only thought it necessary to give +an abbreviated selection.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the course of this year, 1548, a bloody war broke out +between the kings of Siam and Pegu on the following occasion: The +king of Siam happened to possess <i>a white elephant</i>, a +singular curiosity, much coveted by all the princes of the east, +and the king of Pegu demanded that it should be given up to him +in token of superiority. This was refused by the king of Siam, +and the king of Pegu invaded Siam with a numerous army, reducing +the king of Siam to such straits that he was willing to make +peace on any conditions, except delivering up the white elephant, +even agreeing to give up one of his own daughters, and to send a +woman of noble birth yearly as an acknowledgement of vassalage. +But as the terms were not performed, the king of Pegu again +marched into the kingdom of Siam with a prodigious army of a +million and a half of men and 4000 elephants. Above 2000 workmen +preceded the king, and set up every night for his lodgment a +stately wooden palace, richly painted and adorned with gold. On +this march the king of Pegu constructed a prodigious bridge of +boats over the rapid river <i>Menam</i>, a full league in length, +for the passage of his army.</p> + +<p>In the course of this march, the army of Pegu was obstructed +by a strong entrenchment defended by 25,000 Siamese troops. Diego +Suarez de Melo, who served in the army of Pegu with 180 +Portuguese, went against this entrenchment with his own small +battalion and 30,000 Peguers; and carried the work with a +prodigious slaughter of the Siamese. The army of Pegu at length +besieged the city of <i>Odia</i>, in which the king of Siam +resided. Odia is eight leagues in circumference, and was +surrounded by a strong wall on which 4000 cannon were mounted, +and was farther defended by a wide and deep wet ditch, and by a +garrison of 60,000 combatants, among whom were 50 Portuguese +commanded by Diego Pereyra. After continuing the siege for some +time, being unable to prevail on the Portuguese under Pereyra to +desert the service of the king of Siam, the king of Pegu +abandoned Odia, and besieged the city of <i>Camambee</i>; in +which the treasures of Siam were deposited. That place was +strongly fortified, and defended by 20,000 men with so much +valour that the Peguers were again obliged to desist. At this +time Xemindoo rebelled against the king of Pegu, who sent Diego +Suarez against him with 200 Portuguese. Suarez pursued the rebel +to the city of <i>Cevadi</i>, but Xemindoo slipped past him and +took possession of the city of Pegu, where he was favoured by the +inhabitants. The queen fled into the castle, where she was +defended by twenty Portuguese, till the king came up with his +army and put the rebels to flight. The army then entered the +city, and put all to the sword, men, women, and children, and +every living thing, sparing those only who took refuge in the +house of Suarez, which the king had ordered to be exempted from +this military execution, and in which above 12,000 saved +themselves. The plunder on this occasion was immense, of which +three millions fell to the share of Suarez, who was so much in +favour with the king, that he pardoned a Portuguese at his +intercession who had supplied the rebels with ammunition.</p> + +<p>The king of Pegu was soon afterwards murdered in the beautiful +city of <i>Zatan</i> by the <i>Ximi</i> or governor of that +place, who immediately had himself proclaimed king; but was in +his turn taken and beheaded by the former rebel <i>Xemindoo</i>, +who usurped the crown. One <i>Mandaragri</i>, who had married a +sister of the former king, raised an army and claimed the crown +in right of his wife; and having defeated that first rebel in +battle, he fled to the mountains, where he married the daughter +of a peasant, to whom he revealed his name and rank. She +communicated this intelligence to her father, who delivered him +up to the new king by whom he was beheaded. Being much displeased +with the people of Pegu, Mandaragri built a new city near that +place. He soon afterwards raised an immense army, with which he +reduced many of the neighbouring provinces. But a new rebellion +broke out at Pegu in his absence, by which the queen was forced +to take refuge in the castle, where she chiefly owed her safety +to about forty Portuguese, who defended her till the king came up +and vanquished the rebels; after which he rewarded the brave +Portuguese with riches and honour.</p> + +<p>About this time likewise, the inhabitants of <i>Chincheo</i>, +the <i>second</i> Portuguese colony in China, being in a +flourishing condition, became forgetful of the sad fate of +<i>Liampo</i>, formerly mentioned, which had been destroyed +through their insolence and cupidity. Ayres Coello de Sousa, who +was judge of the orphans and <i>proveditar</i> for the dead, +committed many villanies to get hold of 12,000 ducats belonging +to an Armenian merchant who had died there, and of 8000 ducats +from some Chinese merchants, under pretence that this sum was due +by them to the deceased. By these and other insolencies, the +Chinese were so provoked that they destroyed <i>Chincheo</i>, as +they had formerly done Liampo, only 30 Portuguese escaping out of +500 who lived there. These and some other Portuguese went over to +the island of <i>Lampezau</i>; and they afterwards, in 1557, +obtained leave to settle in the island of <i>Goaxam</i>, where +they built the city of <i>Macao</i>.</p> + +<p>While endeavouring to devise means for the relief of the +soldiers, who were in great want, Gracia de Sa died suddenly in +July 1549, at 70 years of age, being much regretted for his +prudence, affability, and integrity. On the patents of succession +being opened, George Cabral was found first in nomination. This +officer was a man of good birth and known worth, and had gone a +short while before to assume the command at Basseen. He was very +unwilling to assume the government, as it deprived him of the +command which he was to have held for four years, and was afraid +that another would soon come from Portugal to supersede him in +the supreme authority; but his lady Donna Lucretia Fiallo, +prevailed upon him to accept the honour to which he seemed so +averse, and which she ardently desired; and he accordingly +returned to Goa to assume the high office. Cabral deserved to +have long enjoyed the post of governor-general, and Portuguese +India was indebted to his wife for the short period of his rule. +Soon after his installation, news was brought that the Turks were +fitting out an hundred sail at Suez to transport an army to +India; on which Cabral diligently prepared to meet the storm, by +collecting ships from the different ports.</p> + +<p>At this time the zamorin and the rajah of Pimienta entered +into a league against the rajah of Cochin. The rajah of Pimienta +took the field with 10,000 Nayres, and was opposed by the rajah +of Cochin with his men, assisted by 600 Portuguese troops under +Francisco de Sylva, who commanded in the fort at Cochin. Sylva +pressed for an accommodation, which was consented to by the rajah +on reasonable terms; but the treaty was broken off by the rash +and violent conduct of Sylva. The armies engaged in battle, in +which the rajah of Pimienta was mortally wounded and carried off +the field, upon which his troops fled and were pursued into their +city with great slaughter, and the royal palace set on fire. This +was considered as a heinous affront by the Nayres of Pimienta, +who rallied and fell with such fury on the victors that they were +forced to a disorderly retreat, in which Sylva and above fifty +Portuguese were slain. About 5000 of the Pimienta Nayres, who had +taken an oath to revenge the death of their rajah or to die in +the attempt, made an irruption into the territory of Cochin where +they did much damage; and while engaged with the Cochin troops, +Henry de Sousa marched against them with some Portuguese troops, +and defeated them with great slaughter. The joy occasioned by +this victory was soon damped by the approach of the zamorin at +the head of 140,000 men. The zamorin encamped with 100,000 of +these at <i>Chembe</i>, while the tributary or allied Malabar +princes with the other 40,000 took post in the island of +<i>Bardela</i>.</p> + +<p>Upon the first advice of this invasion, Cabral collected the +armament which had been destined against the Turks, consisting of +above 100 sail of different kinds, with 4000 soldiers. He sent on +Emanuel de Sousa with four ships, ordering him with these and the +force already at Cochin to use every effort to confine the +Malabar princes to the island of Bardela, till he should be able +to get there with the main army, which orders he effectually +executed. Having destroyed <i>Tiracole, Coulete</i>, and +<i>Paniane</i>, Cabral landed at Cochin, where his army was +increased to 6000 men, and where the Rajah, was ready with 40,000 +of his subjects. Being ready to attack the island, the Malabar +princes hung out a white flag for a parley, and even agreed to +put themselves into the hands of the governor on promise of their +lives; but they delayed, and Cabral resolved to attack them next +day. When next day came, he was again hindered by a violent +flood. And the next day after, when on the point of performing +one of the most brilliant actions that had ever been done in +India, he was stopt by the sudden arrival at Cochin of Don +Alfonso de Noronha as viceroy of India; who would neither allow +him to proceed, nor would he execute what was so well begun, but +allowed the Malabar princes to escape with their whole +army[370].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 370: We only learn incidentally from De +Faria that this happened in the year 1550.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>While Cabral remained at Cochin, waiting for an opportunity to +embark for Portugal in the homeward bound ships, there was a +report one night about the middle of February 1550, that 8000 +sworn Nayres were on their march to assault the city. He hastened +to the gates with Emanuel de Sousa, intending to march against +the enemy at day-break; but being hindered by the council of +Cochin, he remained with a competent force to defend the city, +and sent Emanuel with the native troops and 1500 Portuguese +against the invaders, who were doing every thing that rage and +malice could suggest in a neighbouring town. After a desperate +engagement, the <i>amoucos</i> or devoted Nayres were defeated +with great slaughter with the loss of 50 Portuguese. Cabral +embarked well-pleased with this successful exploit against the +sworn Nayres, and was well received in Portugal, as he justly +merited, though contrary to the usual custom of that court.</p> + +<p>This year there was born at Goa, of Canarin parents, a hairy +monster like a monkey, having a round head and only one eye in +the forehead, over which it had horns, and its ears were like +those of a kid. When received by the midwife, it cried with a +loud voice, and stood up on its feet. The father put it into a +hencoop, whence it got out and flew upon its mother; on which the +father killed it by pouring scalding water on its head, and could +scarcely cut off the head it was so hard. He burnt it. But when +the story came to be known, he was punished for the murder, and +the body was exposed to public view[371].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 371: This silly story has been retained, +perhaps very unnecessarily. It is perhaps an instance of +embellishment founded on the love of the marvellous, and the +whole truth may lie in a very narrow compass "<i>an infant coming +into the world covered with hair</i>," while all the rest is +fiction.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Don Alfonso de Noronha was promoted to the viceroyalty of +India from being governor of Ceuta, but was subjected to the +control of a council, by whose advice he was ordered to conduct +the government of India. He had orders from court to send back to +Portugal all the <i>new Christians or converted Jews</i>, many of +whom had gone out to India with their families. It had been +better to have banished them from both countries. The new viceroy +was received at Goa with universal joy, more owing perhaps to the +general dislike towards him who lays down authority than from +love for him who takes it up. The Arabs of <i>Catifa</i> in the +Persian Gulf had admitted the Turks to take possession of the +fort in that city, to the great displeasure of the King of Ormuz, +on whom it had been dependent, and who therefore applied for aid +to the viceroy to reduce the refractory or revolted vassals. The +king of Basrah had also been expelled from his kingdom by the +Turks, yet kept the field with an army of 30,000 men, and sent +for assistance from the viceroy, to whom he offered leave to +erect a fort at his capital, and to grant many valuable +privileges to the Portuguese. The viceroy accordingly sent his +nephew, Antonio de Norenha, to the assistance of these two kings +with 1200 men in nineteen vessels. Antonio was joined at Ormuz by +3000 native troops, in conjunction with whom he besieged Catifa, +which was defended by 400 Turks. After a brave but unavailing +resistance, the garrison fled by night, but were pursued and +routed. As the general of the troops of Ormuz was unwilling to +engage for the future defence of this fort, it was undermined for +the purpose of destroying it; but being unskilfully managed, the +mine exploded unexpectedly, and forty of the Portuguese were +buried under its ruins. Noronha then sailed to the mouth of the +Euphrates, on purpose to assist the king of Basrah; but he was +induced to believe, by a cunning Turkish pacha, that the king of +Basrah meant to betray him, on which he ingloriously returned to +Ormuz, where he learnt the deceit when too late.</p> + +<p>The sultan of the Turks was so much displeased with the +Portuguese for what they had done at Catifa and attempted at +Basrah, that he sent an expedition against Ormuz of 16,000 men, +commanded by an old pirate named <i>Pirbec</i>. The Turk in the +first place besieged Muscat for near a month, and at length +obliged the garrison to capitulate; but broke the articles and +chained the captain and sixty men to the oars. He afterwards +proceeded against Ormuz, where Don Alvaro de Noronha commanded +with nine-hundred men in the fort, where he had provided +ammunition and provisions for a long siege, and into which the +king with his wife and children and some of the chief people of +the court had gone for shelter. The Turk landed his men and +raised batteries against the fort, which he cannonaded +incessantly for a whole month; but finding that he lost many of +his men and had no prospect of success, he plundered the city, +and went over to the island of Kishom, to which many of the +principal people of Ormuz had withdrawn, where he got a +considerable booty and then retired to Basrah. The viceroy had +been informed of the danger to which Ormuz was exposed, and +fitted out a fleet in which he embarked in person for its relief; +but hearing at Diu, on his way to the Persian Gulf, that Ormuz +was out of danger, he sailed back to Goa. On his return +unsuccessful from Ormuz, <i>Pirbec</i> was beheaded for having +acted beyond his instructions, and <i>Morad-beg</i> was sent in +1553 with fifteen gallies to cruise in the Persian Gulf against +the Portuguese. An encounter took place between this Turkish +squadron and one belonging to the Portuguese under Don Diego de +Noronha, which ended without material loss on either side; but +the Turks were forced to take shelter in the Euphrates, where the +water was too shallow to admit the Portuguese galleons. In the +course of this year 1553, <i>Luis Camoens</i>, the admirable +Portuguese poet, went out to India, to endeavour to advance his +fortune by the sword, which had been so little favoured by his +pen.</p> + +<p>About this time new troubles took place at Diu in consequence +of the death of Sultan Mahmud, king of Guzerat or Cambaya. Like +Mithridates, he had accustomed himself to the use of poison, to +guard against being poisoned. When any of his women happened to +be near their delivery, he used to open them to take out their +children. Being one day out hunting accompanied by some of his +women, he fell from his horse and was dragged by the stirrup, +when one of his women boldly made up to his horse and cut the +girth with a cymeter; in requital for this service he killed her, +saying "that a woman of such courage had enough to kill him." He +was at length murdered by a page in whom he had great confidence. +For tyrants always die by the hands of those in whom they repose +most trust. He was succeeded by a child who was his reputed son; +but the nobility of the kingdom, offended by the insolence of +Madrem-al-mulk who acted as governor of the kingdom, rebelled in +several places. Abex Khan, who commanded in the city of Diu, was +one of these, and in consequence of some disagreement between his +soldiers and the Portuguese garrison, Don Diego de Almeyda made +an assault on the city with 500 men, in which many of the Moors +were slain and their houses plundered. Though late, Abex Khan saw +his error, and made proper concessions. Soon afterwards, when Don +Diego de Noronha succeeded Almeyda in the command of the castle +of Diu, fresh troubles broke out at Diu, which were not appeased, +till a good many men had been skin on both sides, chiefly owing +to the rashness and obstinacy of Diego de Noronha, for which he +was afterwards excluded from the appointment to the viceroyalty +of India.</p> + +<p>In 1554 Don Alfonso de Noronha was superseded in the +government of Portuguese India by Don Pedro de Mascarenhas, who +was 70 years of age when appointed viceroy. Soon after his +arrival at Goa, some of the great subjects of Adel Khan, king of +Visiapour, made proposals for raising Meale Khan, who had long +resided at Goa, to the musnud, and offered to cede the Concan to +the crown of Portugal, in reward for assistance in bringing about +that revolution. That province, which produced a million of +yearly revenue, was so great a bait, that the enterprise was +engaged in without consideration of its difficulties. Meale Khan +was immediately proclaimed king of Visiapour, and a force of 3000 +Portuguese infantry with 200 horse and a body of Malabars and +Canarins was immediately sent to reduce the fort of <i>Ponda</i>; +after which, leaving his family in Goa as hostages for the +faithful performance of the treaty, Meale Khan was conducted +thither by the viceroy and placed at the head of his new +subjects. Leaving Ponda under the charge of Don Antonio de +Noronha, with a garrison of 600 men, the viceroy returned to Goa, +where he soon afterwards died, having enjoyed the viceroyalty of +India only ten months.</p> + +<p>On the death of Mascarenhas, which happened some time in 1555, +Francisco de Barreto succeeded to the government by virtue of a +patent of succession. He immediately proceeded to Ponda to +support the cause of Meale Khan, who was soon afterwards taken +prisoner, and the Portuguese were utterly disappointed in the +hopes of profiting by this intended revolution.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of 1556, Juan Peixoto sailed with two gallies +for the Red Sea, to examine if the Turks were making any +preparations at Suez for attacking the Portuguese in India. +Finding every thing quiet, he landed unperceived during the night +in the island of Swakem, whence he carried off a considerable +booty and many prisoners, and returned to Goa with much +honour.</p> + +<p>About this time the king of <i>Sinde</i> sent an embassy to +the governor general, desiring assistance in a war against one of +his neighbours, and 700 men were dispatched for that purpose in +28 vessels under the command of Pedro Barreto, who arrived safe +at Tatta in the <i>delta</i> of the Indus, the residence of the +king of Sinde. The prince immediately visited the Portuguese +commander, and sent notice of his arrival to the king his father +who was absent in the field against the enemy. As the king made +peace with his enemy, Barreto desired leave to depart, and +required that the Portuguese should be reimbursed for the +expences of the expedition, as had been agreed upon, by the +ambassador who solicited it. Receiving an unsatisfactory answer, +Baretto landed his men and entered the city, where he slew above +8000 persons, destroyed to the value of above eight millions in +gold[372], and loaded his vessels with the richest booty that had +ever been made in India, without losing a single man. He +afterwards spent eight days destroying every thing within reach +on both sides of the river. On this occasion one Gaspar de +Monterroyo, going accidentally into a wood, killed a monstrous +serpent thirty feet in length and of prodigious bigness, which +had just devoured a bullock. Thus victorious over men and +monsters, Barreto returned to Chaul, whence he and Antonio +Pereyra Brandam went and destroyed Dabul in revenge for the +injury done by Adel Khan to the Portuguese possessions on the +coast.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 372: On many occasions, as here, De Faria, +or his translator, gives no intimation of the species of coin to +which he alludes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1557, Nazer-al-mulk, the general of Adel Khan, +invaded the districts of Salsete and Bardes with 2000 horse and +81,000 foot. Francisco Barreto, the governor-general, went +against him with 3000 Portuguese infantry, 1000 Canarins, and 200 +horse, and defeated him in the plain country near Ponda. In the +district of Bardes, Juan Peixoto was opposed to another general +of the enemy named Murad Khan, and being much incommoded by a +Portuguese renegado who had fortified himself, assaulted and +routed him twice with considerable slaughter. As the +governor-general had retired to Goa after his late victory, +Nazer-al-mulk returned to the flat country and intrenched his +army near Ponda. About the same time an officer of Adel Khan +waded the ford of <i>Zacorla</i> into the island of <i>Choram</i> +with 500 men, and did considerable damage; but on the arrival of +assistance from other parts was repulsed with considerable loss, +and Francisco de Mascarenhas was left for the defence of the +island with 300 men. Being desirous to secure the promontory of +Chaul, the governor asked leave to fortify that place from Nizam +Shah[373], who not only refused permission, but sent 30,000 of +his own men with orders to build there an impregnable fort. On +this the governor went there in person with 4000 Portuguese +troops besides natives, and a pacific arrangement was entered +into, but without liberty to build the fort. A miracle was seen +at this place, as the Moors had been utterly unable to cut down a +small wooden cross fixed upon a stone, or even to remove it by +the force of elephants. Likewise about this time a Portuguese +soldier bought for a trifle from a <i>jogue</i> in Ceylon, a +brown pebble about the size of an egg, on which the heavens where +represented in several colours, and in the midst of them the +image of the holy Virgin with the Saviour in her arms; this +precious jewel fell into the hands of Franciso Barreto, who +presented it to Queen Catharine, and through its virtues God +wrought many miracles both in India and Portugal.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 373: Named Nizamuxa in De Faria, and +perhaps the same prince called Nizamaluco on former occasions, +whom we have always designated Nizam al Mulk. The Indian officers +named in the text a little before Nazer al Mulk and Murad Khan, +are called Nazar Maluco and Moatecan by De Faria, whose +orthography of eastern names is continually +vicious.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About the end of the government of Franciso Barreto, Joam III, +king of Portugal died, in whom ended the good fortune of the +Portuguese. In 1558 the regency, during the minority of King +Sebastian, sent out Don Constantin de Braganza as viceroy to +India. Don Constantin was younger brother of Theodosius duke of +Braganza, and was only 30 years of age when appointed to that +high office. He arrived at Goa in the beginning of September +1558, with four ships and 2000 men, having performed the voyage +with unusually favourable weather; and, contrary to the usual +practice, he assumed the government without affronting in any way +the person whom he superseded. Soon after his arrival he went +upon an expedition against Daman, which had been ceded to the +former governor by the king of Guzerat, but which was still +retained by Side Bofata, who was in rebellion against his own +prince. On the arrival of the Portuguese armament, Bofata +abandoned the city and fort, which the viceroy took possession +of, as a post of importance to secure the district of Basseen, +and converted the mosque into a Christian church. Bofata encamped +at a place named <i>Parnel</i>, two leagues from Daman, whence +with 2000 horse he infested the Portuguese in their new +possession; but was driven from his encampment by Antonio Moniz +Barreto, leaving thirty-six pieces of cannon, several cart-loads +of copper money, and other plunder. The viceroy behaved with such +liberality and discretion, that he soon attracted abundance of +inhabitants to this new acquisition, and reduced the neighbouring +island of <i>Balzar</i>, which he deemed necessary for the +security of Daman, of which he gave the command to Don Diego de +Noronha with a garrison of 1200, appointing Alvaro Gonzales Pinto +to command in Balzar with 120 men and some cannon.</p> + +<p>In 1560, the viceroy went against Jafnapatam in the island of +Ceylon, because the king of that place, who was likewise lord of +the isle of Manar, persecuted the Christians, and had usurped the +throne from his brother, who fled to Goa, and was there baptised +by the name of Alfonso. After some considerable successes, and +having even forced the king of Jafnapatam to cede the island of +Manar, and to submit to the vassalage of Portugal, the viceroy +was obliged to desist from the enterprise with considerable loss, +but retained the island of Manar, where he built a fort. Among +the treasure belonging to the king of Jafnapatam, taken in this +expedition, was an idol, or relic rather, which was held in high +estimation by all the idolaters on the coast of India, and, in +particular, by the king of Pegu, who used to send ambassadors +yearly with rich presents, merely to get a <i>print</i> of the +precious relic. This holy relic was nothing more than the tooth +of a white monkey; and some say that the cause of its being so +much admired was owing to the rarity of the colour, like the +white elephant of Siam. Others say that the monkey was held in +such veneration for having discovered the wife of an ancient +Indian king who had eloped from her husband. Some again alleged +that it was the tooth of a man who had performed that service. +However this may have been, when the king of Pegu heard that this +tooth was in possession of the viceroy, he made an offer of +300,000 ducats for it, and it was believed his zeal would extend +to a million if the bargain was well managed. Most of the +Portuguese were for taking the money, and some wished to be +employed in carrying the tooth to Pegu, expecting to derive great +profit by shewing so precious a treasure by the way. But in a +meeting of the principal clergy and laity of Goa, held on +purpose, it was determined that the tooth should be destroyed; +and it was accordingly pounded in a mortar in presence of the +assembly, and reduced to ashes. All men applauded this act; but, +not long afterwards, <i>two teeth</i> were set up instead of +one.</p> + +<p>Madrem al Mulk, king of Cambaya, desirous of recovering Daman, +was ready to march against that place with a numerous army; but +Don Diego de Noronha, getting intelligence of the design, +contrived to persuade Cedeme Khan, lord of Surat, that the +expedition was intended against him. Cedeme Khan, giving credit +to this fiction, went to visit his brother-in-law, Madrem al +Mulk, and persuaded him, with the principal leaders of his army, +to visit him in the city of Surat, where he killed them all, and +falling upon the camp put the Guzerat army to the rout with great +slaughter. Zingis Khan, the son and successor of Madrem al Mulk, +marched with a numerous army to Surat to revenge the death of his +father. Cedeme Khan abandoned the city and retired into the fort, +where he was besieged by Zingis Khan, and reduced to great +extremity; but hearing that his dominions were invaded by a new +enemy, Zingis Khan patched up an agreement with Cedeme Khan, and +returned to defend his own country. Soon afterwards, Don Diego de +Noronha, commandant of Daman, died poor, having expended all his +substance in the service of his king and country. Don Antonio de +Noronha, who was afterwards viceroy, used to say "That a man must +be mad who practised that kind of liberality." Now-a-days all men +are very wise in that respect.</p> + +<p>Some time afterwards, Cedeme Khan sent notice to the viceroy, +that Zingis Khan was again marching against Surat, which he was +in no condition to defend, and offered to deliver up the fort at +that place to the Portuguese, on condition of being carried with +his family and treasure to such place as he should appoint. The +viceroy accordingly sent fourteen ships under the command of Don +Antonio de Noronha to Surat, accompanied by Luis de Melo, who was +appointed to succeed Diego de Noronha in the command of Daman. +Coming to Surat, they forced their way up the river through +showers of bullets, and landing with only 500 Portuguese troops, +defeated Zingis Khan, who had an army of 20,000 men, but were +unable to drive him from the city of Surat. Cedeme Khan however +refused to deliver up the fort of Surat according to agreement, +alledging that his own men would kill him if he did so. This is +very likely; for, on the retirement of Antonio to Goa, Cedeme +Khan was forced to make his escape from his own people, and, +being made prisoner by Zingis Khan, was put to death. +<i>Caracen</i>, who succeeded Cedeme Khan, contrived to patch up +an agreement with Zingis Zhan, who left him in possession of +Surat.</p> + +<p>The conduct of Don Constantin de Braganza gave so much +satisfaction to King Sebastian, that he offered to continue him +as viceroy of India for life; but on his refusal, Don Francisco +de Cotinho, count of Redondo, was appointed his successor. This +nobleman, who was no less distinguished for his witty sayings +than for his conduct in peace and war, arrived at Goa in the +beginning of September 1561. Nothing worth relating happened +during his government of India, which lasted two years and five +months, except the ordinary occurrences of petty wars on the +Malabar coast, in Ceylon, Malacca, and the Moluccas, not worth +relating. In his time, the famous poet <i>Camoens</i> was in Goa, +where he had been favoured by the two last viceroys. The former +governor, Francisco Barreto, had imprisoned and banished him for +getting into debt, and other youthful extravagancies; and, being +given up to the law by the count towards the end of his +government, he was thrown into prison. We shall afterwards see +him deceitfully carried to Sofala, and there sold as a slave. +About the end of February 1564, the viceroy died suddenly, much +lamented by all, being a great lover of justice, and so happy in +his witticisms that all pleasant sayings were fathered upon +him.</p> + +<p>SECTION VI.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, +from</i> 1564 <i>to the year</i> 1571.</p> + +<p>On the death of the count of Redondo, Juan de Mendoza late +governor of Malacca succeeded to the command in India with, the +title of governor. A short while before his accession, some +Malabar pirates had committed hostilities on the coast of Calicut +upon the Portuguese; and when complaints were carried to the +zamorin, he alleged that these had been done contrary to his +authority by rebels, and that the Portuguese were welcome to +punish them at their pleasure. The late viceroy had accordingly +sent Dominic de Mosquita to make reprisals, who took above twenty +sail of Malabar vessels, the crews of which he barbarously put to +death. Immediately after the accession of Mendoza to the +government an ambassador was sent to him from the zamorin, +complaining of the conduct of Mosquita; when the governor, in +imitation of the answer given on a similar occasion by the +zamorin, said that it had probably been done by Portuguese rebels +whom he might punish if taken. As Mosquita came to Goa while the +Calicut ambassadors were still there, the governor thought it +expedient to apprehend him in their presence; but as soon as they +were departed, he released Mosquita and rewarded him. His +conduct, however, soon afterwards occasioned a long war with the +zamorin. Mendoza only enjoyed the government for six months, as, +in the beginning of September 1564, Don Antonio de Noronha +arrived at Goa with the title of viceroy.</p> + +<p>It is the received opinion in India, that the apostle St. +Thomas was slain at <i>Antmodur</i>, a mountain about a league +and half from Meliapour, where were two caves into which he used +to retire for prayer and meditation. The nearest of these caves +now belongs to the Jesuits, and the other has been converted into +a church dedicated to our Lady of the Mount. According to the +legend, the apostle being one day at prayers in the former of +these caves, opposite to a cleft which let in the light, a bramin +thrust in a spear at the hole and gave the saint a mortal wound, +part of the spear breaking off and remaining in his body. The +saint had just strength enough remaining to go into the other +cave, where he died embracing a stone on which a representation +of the cross was engraved. His disciples removed his body, and +buried it in the church which he had built, where the body was +afterwards found by Emanuel de Faria and the priest Antonio +Penteado, who were sent thither on purpose by king Emanuel. When, +in the year 1547, the Portuguese were clearing out the cave or +oratory in which the apostle died, a stone was found which seems +to have been that he clung to at his death. This stone is about a +yard long and three quarters broad, of a grey colour with some +red spots. On its middle there is a carved porch, having letters +between two borders, and within two banisters, on which are two +twisted figures resembling dogs in a sitting posture. From their +heads springs a graceful arch of five borders, between every two +of which are knobs resembling heads. In the hollow of this arch +or portal is a pedestal of two steps, from the upper of which +rises a branch on each side, and over these, as if hung in the +air, is a cross, said to resemble that of the military order of +Alcantara; but in the print the ends resemble three crescents +with their convex sides outwards and their points meeting, like +those in many old churches in Europe. Over all is a dove on the +wing, as if descending to touch the cross with its beak.</p> + +<p>When, in the year 1551, this oratory was repaired and +beautified, this stone was solemnly set up and consecrated; and +when the priest was reading the gospel, it began to turn black +and shining, then sweated, and returned to its original colour, +and plainly discovered, the red spots of blood, which were before +obscure. The letters on this stone could not be understood till +the year 1561, when a learned bramin said they consisted of 36 +hieroglyphic characters, each containing a sentence, and +explained them to this effect: "In the time of the son of Sagad +the gentile, who reigned 30 years, the <i>one only</i> GOD came +upon earth, and was incarnate in the womb of a virgin. He +abolished the law of the Jews, <i>whom he punished for the sins +of men.</i>[374], after he had been thirty-three years in the +world, and had instructed <i>twelve</i> servants in the truth +which he preached. A king of three crowns <i>Cheraldcone, +Indalacone, Cuspindiad, and Alexander</i>; king of +<i>Ertinabarad</i>, with <i>Catharine</i> his daughter, and many +virgins, with six families, voluntarily followed the law of +<i>Thomas</i>, because the law of truth, and he gave them the +sign of the cross to adore. Going up to the place of +<i>Antenodur</i>, a bramin thrust him through with a lance, and +he died embracing this cross which was stained with his blood. +His disciples carried him to <i>Maiale</i>, where they buried him +in his own church with the lance still in his body. And as we, +the above mentioned kings, saw this, we carved these letters." +Hence it may be inferred, that <i>Maiale</i> was the ancient name +of <i>Meliapour</i>, now called <i>St Thomas</i>. This stone +afterwards sweated sometimes, which, till the year 1561, was a +good omen, but has since been a bad one.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 374: Probably Mr Stephens may have +mistranslated this passage, which might be more appropriately +read, <i>who put him to death for the sins of men</i>. This +clumsy legend of St Thomas may amuse our readers; but probably +derives its principal features from the contrivances of the +Jesuits.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>There were likewise found three brass plates, about a span +long and half a span broad, shaped like scutcheons, having rings +on the top. On one side was engraven a cross and peacock, the +ancient arms of Meliapour, and on the other side certain +characters which were explained by another learned bramin to the +following effect: "<i>Boca Rajah</i> son of <i>Campula Rajah</i>, +and grandson of <i>Atela Rajah</i>, who confesses one GOD without +beginning, creator of all things, who is greater than the beast +<i>Chigsan</i>, and one of five kings who has conquered ninety +and nine, who is strong as one of the eight elephants that +support the world, and hath conquered the kingdoms of Otia, +Tulcan, and Canara, cutting his enemies to pieces with his +sword." This is the Inscription on one of these plates. The +others contain grants of lands to St Thomas, directed by the king +to himself, and calling him <i>Abidarra Modeliar;</i> whence it +may be inferred, that these kings reigned at the time when Christ +was crucified. One of these grants begins thus: "After the year +1259, in the first year called <i>Icarana Rachan</i>, and on the +12th day of the new moon of the good year, I give in alms to the +saint <i>Abidarra Modeliar,"</i> &c. The other begins in this +manner: "This is a token of alms-deeds to purchase Paradise. All +kings that perform them shall obtain much more than they give; +and he who disannuls them shall remain 60,000 years with the +worms in hell," &c.</p> + +<p>It has been disputed by what road St Thomas came into India. +The heathen history says, that he and Thaddeus being in +Mesopotamia, they parted at the city of Edessa, whence St Thomas +sailed with certain merchants to the island of Socotora where he +converted the people, and then passed over to Mogodover Patana, a +city of Paru, in Malabar, where he built a church. When at this +place, a heathen, who had struck St Thomas in the king's +presence, going to fetch water had his hand bitten off by a +tiger; and running to the palace to tell his misfortune, a dog +followed him with the hand in his mouth, on which the saint set +on his hand again, so that no mark remained. He went afterwards +to Calicut, where he converted king <i>Perimal</i>. There is an +account that he went to the Moguls country, where Chesitrigal +then reigned, whence going into China, he returned through Thibet +into India, and went to Meliapour, where he ended his days.</p> + +<p>In the year 800, a rich Armenian Christian, named Thomas +Cananeus, arrived at Mogodover or Patana. Having acquired the +favour of the king by his presents, he received a grant of +Cranganor and the city of Patana, in which there were scarcely +any vestiges remaining of the church there established by St +Thomas. On these foundations the Armenian built a new church, and +another at Cranganor, which he dedicated to St Thomas, and which +is still standing on the outside of the Portuguese fort. He +likewise built two other churches, one dedicated to the Holy +Virgin, and the other to St Cyriacus. All of these have been +erroneously ascribed to St Thomas, when in fact they were the +works of Thomas Cananeus, the Armenian. It may reasonably be +believed that the temple or pagoda, into which Vasco de Gama +entered, as he went from Calicut to the palace of the zamorin, +may have been one of these churches, because the image of the +Virgin was there called Mary by the heathens. It is believed that +one of the three kings who went to Bethlem, at the nativity of +our Lord, was king of Malabar. The heathens celebrate yearly a +festival in honour of St Thomas, for the preservation of their +ships, because formerly, every year, many of them used to be lost +while sailing to Parvi.</p> + +<p>From this long digression we return to the government of the +viceroy Don Antonio de Noronha, who arrived in the beginning of +September 1564, as formerly mentioned. In consequence of the +cruelties exercised on the Moors of Malabar by Mesquita, as +formerly mentioned, those of Cananor had besieged the Portuguese +fort at that place, and had destroyed above thirty vessels which +were under its protection. After a siege of some endurance, the +Portuguese fleet destroyed many of the paraos belonging to the +enemy, while the besieged garrison of Cananor killed great +numbers of their assailants, besides cutting down above 40,000 +palm trees[375] to the infinite injury of the natives, who depend +upon these trees as their principal sustenance. The natives were +so exasperated at this that, collecting forces from all the +surrounding districts, to the amount of 90,000 men, they +assaulted and even scaled the walls of the fort and city; but +after fighting from day-break to sunset, during which time they +lost about 5000 men, they were forced to retire to their camp, +resolving to protract the siege, or rather to convert the siege +into a strict blockade. In the farther prosecution of this war, +the Portuguese utterly destroyed the city belonging to +Adderajao[376], who commanded the besieging enemy, and cut down a +large wood of palm trees, making great slaughter of the enemy, +without any loss on their own side, so that the natives were +constrained to raise the siege.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 375: Assuredly cocoa-nut trees. This +explains a circumstance repeatedly mentioned on former occasions, +of the Portuguese anxiously cutting down the woods in their war +with the natives on the coast of India.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 376: From the name of the commander of the +enemy, probably <i>Adde Rajah</i>, and other circumstances, they +were most likely <i>Nagres</i>, and other native Malabars, though +called Moors in the text of De Faria.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>About this time the fort of Daman, towards the frontier of +Guzerat, was threatened by a detachment of 3000 Mogul horse. Juan +de Sousa stood immediately on his defence, and sent advice to the +viceroy and the neighbouring commanders of his danger, trusting +however to the strength of his defences, and particularly to a +pallisade or <i>bound hedge</i>, which he had made of the plant +named <i>lechera</i> or the <i>milk plant</i>, which throws out +when cut a milky liquor which is sure to blind any one if it +touches their eyes. On receiving reinforcements, De Sousa marched +out against the Moguls, who were encamped about three leagues +from Daman; but they fled precipitately, leaving their camp and +baggage, in which the Portuguese found a rich booty.</p> + +<p>During the year 1566, the trade of India was reduced to a very +low ebb, owing to a desolating war in the rich and extensive +kingdom of Bisnagar, which then reached from the frontiers of +Bengal to that of Sinde. The kings of the Decan, Nizam al Mulk, +Adel Khan, and Cuttub Shah, envious of the power and grandeur of +the king of Bisnagar, entered into a league to partition his +dominions among themselves, and took the field with 50,000 horse +and 300,000 foot. To repel this formidable invasion, the king of +Bisnagar, who was then ninety-six years of age, met his enemies +with an army double their numbers. At first the confederates +seemed to have the worst of the war; but fortune favoured them in +the end, and the ancient king of Bisnagar was defeated and slain. +The confederates spent five months in plundering the capital of +Bisnagar, although the natives had previously carried off 1550 +elephants loaded with money and jewels to the value of above an +hundred millions of gold, besides the royal chair of state, which +was of inestimable value. Among his share of the plunder Adel +Khan got a diamond as large as an ordinary egg, with another of +extraordinary size though smaller, and other jewels of prodigious +value. The dominions of the old king were partitioned by the +victors among his sons and nephews.</p> + +<p>In the year 1567, the great poet Camoens being extremely poor +though he had served sixteen years in India, was prevailed upon +to go to Sofala along with Pedro Barreto, who was going there +with the command, and promised to do great things for him; but +after waiting long and receiving nothing, Camoens resolved to +return to Portugal in a ship which put in at Sofala, in which was +Hector de Silveyra and other gentlemen. Barreto, however, opposed +his departure, having promised him promotion without any +intentions of doing so, but only to procure his company for his +own gratification, and now detained him under pretence of a debt +of two hundred ducats. Silveyra and the other Portuguese +gentlemen paid this money and brought Camoens away, so that it +may be said, that the person of Camoens and the honour of Barreto +were both sold for that money. Camoens arrived at Lisbon in 1569, +at which time the plague raged in that city; so that in flying +from one plague our great and famous poet fell into another.</p> + +<p>In 1568, Don Antonio de Noronha was succeeded as viceroy of +India by Don Luis de Ataide, count of Atougaia, who arrived at +Goa in the October of that year. At this time Itimi Khan held the +administration of the Kingdom of Guzerat, having by great +artifice persuaded the chiefs that his own son was son of the +former king; but the kingdom was in great confusion. One Rustum +Khan had usurped Baroch, in which he was besieged by the Moguls, +and being in alliance with the Portuguese, a force was sent to +his assistance, which succeeded in obliging the Moguls to raise +the siege; but Rustum now forgot his promises, and refused to +become tributary. At Surat the government had been usurped by one +Agalu Khan, who was loading two large ships at that port without +licence from the Portuguese viceroy; on which the commander of +the Portuguese fort at Daman seized both ships, which were valued +at 100,000 ducats. Nunno Vello de Pereyra, who had gone from +Daman to clear the bay of Cambaya from pirates that infested the +Portuguese trade, burnt two villages and several vessels, and +carried away many prisoners. He then landed with 400 men, and +went against a body of Moguls who had taken post on the mountain +of Parnel, about three leagues from Daman, a place almost +impregnable by its situation and the strength of its works. +Although unacquainted with the strength of the place or the +number of its defenders, who exceeded 8000 men, Nunno immediately +began to climb up the steep ascent, whence the enemy rolled down +great stones upon the assailants. The soldiers however clambered +up on their hands and knees, and reached the first entrenchment +which they carried after a vigorous opposition; but were forced +to retire from the fort after a desperate assault, in which the +Portuguese lost seven men. In their retreat the Portuguese +carried off a considerable quantity of provisions, with fifty +horses and several camels and oxen, and were pursued on their +retreat by 500 of the enemy, 100 of whom were cavalry. From +Daman, to which he had retreated, Nunno marched again against the +enemy, having now 100 Portuguese and 50 native horse, with 650 +foot, half Portuguese, and half native, and three pieces of +cannon. In this new, attempt, they had to climb the mountain by +roads never trod before, and against considerable opposition from +the enemy, who had five pieces of cannon. After three days of +severe labour and almost continual fighting, in which he lost +eight men, six of whom were slain and two made prisoners, Nunno +at length gained the summit of the mountain, and planted his +cannon against the fort, which he battered with such fury, that +the enemy abandoned it on the sixth night, and the fort was +razed.</p> + +<p>In the year 1580, a dangerous war broke out in India against +the Portuguese, by a confederacy which had been negotiating for +five years with wonderful secrecy. The confederated princes were +Adel Khan, Nizam al Mulk, the Zamorin, and the king of Acheen, +and they flattered themselves in the hope of extirpating the +Portuguese from India, making themselves so sure of success, that +they agreed beforehand on the division of their expected +conquests. Adel Khan was to have Goa, Onor, and Barcalor; Nizam +al Mulk to have Chaul, Daman, and Basseen; and Cananor, Mangalor, +Cochin, and Chale were to become the share of the Zamorin. At the +same time, the king of Acheen was to attack Malacca, that the +Portuguese, assailed at once on every important point, might be +incapable of sending succours to the different places. Adel Khan +was so confident of success, that he had assigned the different +offices at Goa among his chiefs, and had even allotted among them +certain Portuguese ladies, who were celebrated for their +beauty.</p> + +<p>In pursuance of this league, Adel Khan took the field to +besiege Goa, and Nizam al Mulk marched against Chaul. In this +great emergency, it was recommended by many to abandon Chaul for +the greater security of Goa; but the viceroy undauntedly resolved +to defend both. Don Francisco Mascarenhas was sent with six +hundred men in four gallies and five small vessels for the relief +of Chaul, about the beginning of September, and the viceroy took +proper precautions for the defence of Goa. The pass of Benastarim +was committed to the care of Ferdinand de Sousa y Castellobranco +with 120 men. Paul de Lima had charge of Rachol with sixty, and +fifteen hundred native troops were distributed in different parts +of the island under approved commanders. At this time there were +only 700 Portuguese troops in Goa, which were kept as a body of +reserve, whenever their services might be most wanted. The +defence of the city was confided to the monks and clergy, to the +number of 300, assisted by 1000 slaves. Juan de Sousa with 50 +horse was ready to give assistance where wanted. Don George de +Menezes had the defence of the river with 25 vessels; and the +viceroy, having procured ammunition and provisions from all +quarters, took post about the middle of December on the bank of +the river.</p> + +<p>These measures of defence were hardly completed, when several +bodies of the enemy were seen descending from the <i>gauts</i>, +and taking up a camp at Ponda, under the command of Nori Khan, +general of the army of Adel Khan. About the end of December, Nori +Khan advanced from Ponda, and encamped, facing the pass of +Benastarim, where he pitched the royal tents of Adel Khan, who +spent eight days in descending the gauts, so vast was the army +which now came against Goa. At night, so many fires were lighted +up to illuminate the passes of the mountain, that, though at a +great distance, the multitudes of the enemy could be distinctly +seen from the island. The army of Adel Khan, on this occasion, +amounted to 100,000 fighting men, of whom 36,000 were horse, with +2140 war-elephants, and 350 pieces of cannon, most of which were +of an extraordinary size; and some barks were brought upon mules +to be launched into the river to assist in getting into the +island. The chief commanders of this vast army were Nori Khan, +Rumer Khan, and Coger Khan; the former of whom commanded in chief +under the king, and the other two had charge of advanced posts on +the side of the river. Their encampment was so extensive and +regularly arranged that it resembled a regularly built city. Adel +Khan took up his quarters at Ponda with 4000 horse, 6000 +musqueteers, 300 elephants, and 220 pieces of cannon. Rumer Khan, +Coger Khan, and Mortaz Khan were stationed near the mouth of the +<i>Ganja</i> channel, with 3000 horse, 130 elephants, and nine +cannon. Nori Khan commanded opposite the island of <i>Juan +Lopez</i> with 7000 horse, 130 elephants, and eight large cannon. +Camil Khan and Deliren Khan faced the pass of Benastarim with +9000 horse, 200 elephants, and 32 pieces of battering artillery. +Solyman Aga took post on a hill above Benastarim with 1500 horse +and two field-pieces. Anjoz Khan, opposite the island of <i>Juan +Rangel</i>, with 2500 horse, 50 elephants, and six cannon. +Xatiaryiatan in sight of <i>Sapal</i>, with 1500 horse, six +elephants, and six cannon. Daulate Khan, Xetiatimanaique, Chiti +Khan, and Codemena Khan faced the pass of Agazaim with 9000, 200 +elephants, and 26 cannon. The rest of the army, with innumerable +followers, covered the mountains to a vast extent, sufficient to +strike terror into the boldest spirits.</p> + +<p>Having carefully examined the dispositions of the enemy, and +naturally considering the means he possessed for defence, now +somewhat increased by the arrival of reinforcements from +different quarters, the viceroy made a new distribution of his +force to various posts, his force in all amounting to 1600 men; +besides several small armed vessels, which were directed to guard +the river, and to relieve the several posts as occasion offered +or required[377]. The enemy spent their first efforts against the +fort at the pass of Benastarim, where they did considerable +damage by the constant fire of their heavy guns; but whatever +injury they did during the day was repaired in the ensuing night. +Such was the extent of their cannonade, that only in one small +post, occupied by Alvaro de Mendoza with ten men, 600 bullets +were picked up, some of which were two spans diameter. The +Portuguese were unable to answer with any thing like a +correspondent fire, but, being well directed, their shot did +great execution, and the small armed vessels plied from place to +place with much diligence, doing great injury with their small +guns. One night an officer of the enemy was seen with a great +number of torches passing a height opposite the fort of +Benastarim, having a number of young women dancing before him. On +this occasion, Ferdinand de Sousa caused a cannon to be so +exactly pointed among them, that the officer, with several of his +torch-bearers and two couple of the dancers were seen to fly into +the air. As this was the time for dispatching the homeward-bound +trade to Portugal, the governor was anxiously advised to stop +that fleet, as it would deprive him of 400 men, who might be of +great use in defending Goa; but ambitions of acquiring greater +glory by conquering every difficulty, he ordered the ships to +sail at their usual time, alleging that their cargoes were much +wanted in Portugal, and that he trusted he should have a +sufficient force remaining to defend the seat of government.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 377: In the original, there is along +enumeration of twenty-four several posts, with the names of the +officers commanding each, and the numbers in their respective +detachments; all here omitted as uninteresting.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Portuguese had often the boldness to cross over and attack +the enemy in their posts in the main-land, whence they brought +away many prisoners and many heads of those they slew, with +various arms and standards. On one occasion, Don George de +Menezes who commanded the armed vessels, and Don Pedro de Castro +who landed with 200 Portuguese, made so great slaughter that the +viceroy sent two carts loaded with heads to the city, to animate +the inhabitants with this barbarous proof of the energy of the +defence. One night Gaspar and Lancelot Diaz penetrated four or +five miles up the country with eighty men, burnt two villages +with many detached houses, and brought away many prisoners, many +heads of the slain enemy, and much cattle. At another time these +two brothers, with one hundred and thirty men, attacked the +quarters of Coger Khan and Rumer Khan, where they made great +havock, and destroyed all the preparations they had made for +passing over into the island of Juan Lopez. The enemy were +astonished at the exploits performed by such small numbers, and +still more so when they learnt that the viceroy had sent off Don +Diego de Menezes with his squadron to the Malabar coast, and Don +Ferdinand de Vasconcellos with four gallies and two small +vessels, on an expedition to destroy Dabul.</p> + +<p>Don Ferdinand burnt two large ships belonging to Mecca at that +place, where he likewise landed and destroyed several villages, +and would even have done the same to Dabul if he had not been +opposed by his officers. On his return to Goa he attacked the +quarters of Anjoz Khan, which were three miles from the post of +the viceroy. He forced an entrance with great slaughter of the +enemy; but his men falling into confusion for the sake of +plunder, the enemy rallied and fell upon them, so that they were +constrained to seek their safety in flight, with some loss, while +Don Ferdinand was weakened with loss of blood and wearied by the +weight of his armour, so that he was surrounded and slain. On +this occasion 40 of the Portuguese were slain, and the ship of +Don Ferdinand was taken by the enemy; but the viceroy sent Don +George de Menezes with 100 men, who set the ship on fire, and +brought away her guns.</p> + +<p>At this time the zamorin made proposals for renewing the +peace, either in hopes of deriving some advantage during the +present state of affairs, or of covering his real designs of +hostility; but the viceroy replied, that he would not yield a +single point of difference, and even persisted in that +resolution, although the queen of <i>Quarcopa</i> declared war at +Onor. Even under all the difficulties of his situation, the +viceroy sent succours to Onor to oppose this new enemy, to the +great astonishment of Adel Khan, who thought the force in Goa had +been already too small for defence against his numerous army. At +this time likewise, the viceroy sent reinforcements to the +Moluccas and Mozambique, both of which places were much +straitened by the enemy. The grand object of the enemy was to get +across into the island of Goa, for which purpose the great +general Nori Khan began to construct a bridge, in which he +employed a vast number of workmen; but the viceroy fell upon them +and made great havock, destroying all their preparations and +materials. It was reported that Adel Khan designed to go over +into the island in person, and that he was extremely desirous to +get possession of a fine horse belonging to the viceroy, for +which he had formerly offered a large sum of money. On this being +made known to the viceroy, he sent the horse as a present to Adel +Khan, with a complimentary message, saying "that it would give +him much satisfaction to see his majesty on the island." Adel +Khan accepted the horse, and caused him to be bedded with silken +quilts, under a canopy of cloth of gold, to be covered with +embroidered damask, and all his caparisons to be ornamented with +massy gold, while his provender was mixed with preserves and +other dainties. But the horse was soon afterwards killed by a +cannon-ball.</p> + +<p>After the siege had continued above two months to the +beginning of March, during which time many of the buildings in +the island had been beaten down by the cannon of the enemy, who +had lost numbers of their men, Adel Khan began to despair of +success, especially as the Portuguese were now considerably +increased in strength by the arrival of several squadrons from +different places. He wished, therefore, for peace, yet was loath +to propose it himself; but the viceroy was acquainted with his +most secret councils, as he used all possible means to procure +intelligence from the hostile camp, where he had in his pay +several renegado Portuguese who served under Adel khan, and had +even corrupted the favourite wife of Adel Khan. He so converted +these secret advices to advantage, that he contrived to get a +treaty of pacification begun without its appearing who was its +author, and at length even Adel Khan stooped to make proposals. +Still, however, the siege was continued unto the month of April, +at which time considerable reinforcements arrived at Goa, under +Don George de Menezes, who brought back 1500 men from the +Moluccas, and Lorenzo de Barbuda from Cochin. At one time, 3000 +of the enemy began to enter the island of Juan Lopez, but were +repulsed with great slaughter by 120 men under two Portuguese +commanders. In many expeditions from the island, the Portuguese +attacked the various posts of the enemy on the main-land, mostly +by night, ruining the works they had thrown up, burning the +villages, and destroying great numbers of their men. Yet though +Adel Khan had hardly any hopes of ultimate success, he caused +gardens to be laid out at his quarters, and made such other +demonstrations as if he had resolved to dwell in his present camp +till Goa were reduced.</p> + +<p>Winter being near at hand, Adel Khan determined upon a great +effort to gain possession of the island; for which purpose 9000 +men were brought to the pass of <i>Mercantor</i>, which had not +been fortified by the Portuguese as the river was very wide at +that place. Fortunately the Portuguese heard the sound of a great +drum in that direction, which is never beat but when the king +marches in person; upon which they ran thither and saw Adel Khan +on the opposite side encouraging his men. Advice of this was +immediately conveyed to the viceroy, who sent several parties to +defend the pass, and marched thither himself, sending orders for +assistance to the various posts and quarters. In spite of every +opposition, five thousand of the enemy got over under the command +of Solyman Aga, a Turk who was captain of the guards of Adel +Khan. By the time the viceroy got to the place, he had collected +a force of 2000 men, with which he immediately attacked the +enemy. The battle continued the whole of the 13th of April from +morning to night, and from the morning of the 14th to that of the +following day. During all this time, Adel Khan surveyed the +engagement from the opposite side of the river, often cursing his +prophet and throwing his turban on the ground in his rage; and at +length had the mortification of seeing his troops entirely +defeated, with the loss of Solyman Aga and 4000 men, while the +Portuguese scarcely lost twenty. Though in public he vowed never +to stir from before Goa still it was taken, he privately made +overtures for peace, in which he even ridiculously demanded the +surrender of Goa. About this time, the viceroy secretly entered +into a treaty with Nori Khan, the grand general of Adel Khan, +whom he instigated to kill the king, offering to support him in +assuming the crown, or at least in acquiring a preponderating +influence in the government under the successor. Nori Khan agreed +to these proposals; but when the conspiracy was ripe for +execution it was detected, and Nori Khan, with all his adherents, +were secured.</p> + +<p>When the siege had continued to the middle of July, the +viceroy endeavoured to stir up other princes to invade the +dominions of Adel Khan, that he might be constrained to abandon +the siege. Both he and the king were desirous of peace, but both +endeavoured to conceal their wishes; the viceroy giving out that +he cared not how long the king continued the siege, and the king +pretending that he would persevere till he gained the place. At +length, towards the end of August 1571, when the summer or fine +weather had begun, and when the enemy might still better have +been able to keep the field, and to recommence active operations, +the number of the hostile tents could be seen plainly to +decrease, then the cannon were drawn off from the posts of the +enemy, and at last the men entirely disappeared; Adel Khan having +abandoned the siege without coming to any accommodation, after a +siege of ten months, in which he lost 12,000 men, 300 elephants, +4000 horses, and 6000 draught bullocks, partly by the sword and +partly by the weather.</p> + +<p>Exactly at the same time when Adel Khan invested Goa, Nizam al +Mulk sat down before Chaul. Being suspicious of each other, the +two sovereigns kept time exactly in their preparations, in the +commencement of their march, and in all their subsequent +operations. Farete Khan the general of Nizam al Mulk sat down +before Chaul with 8000 horse, 20 elephants and 20,000 foot, on +the last day of November 1570, breaking ground with a prodigious +noise of warlike instruments of music. At this time Chaul was +under the command of Luis Fereiyra de Andrada, an officer well +deserving of such a charge, who long laboured under great want of +almost every necessary for conducting the defence, supplying +these defects by his own genius and the valour of his men, till +reinforced by Don Francisco Mascarenhas, who brought him 500 men +in four gallies and provisions. Desirous of distinguishing +himself before the arrival of Nizam his sovereign, Farete Khan +resolved upon giving an assault, in which he employed his +elephants with castles on their backs, and with scythes tied to +their trunks. The fight lasted three hours; but the Moors were +repulsed with great slaughter, both by sea and land, and forced +to retire to the church of Madre de Dios. Nothing remarkable +happened after this till the commencement of the year 1571, when +some Moors were observed gathering fruit in an orchard at a short +distance from the garrison, on which Nuno Vello went out against +them with only five soldiers and killed one of the Moors. Both +parties were gradually increased till the enemy amounted to 6000 +men, and the Portuguese to 200; but notwithstanding this +disparity of force, the Portuguese drove that vast multitude to +flight and slew 180 of them, only losing two of their own +number.</p> + +<p>In the beginning of January 1571, Nizam al Mulk came before +Chaul with his whole army, now consisting of 34,000 horse, +100,000 infantry, 16,000 pioneers, 4000 smiths, masons, +carpenters, and other trades, and of sundry different nations, as +Turks, Chorassans, Persians, and Ethiopians, with 360 elephants, +an infinite number of buffaloes and bullocks, and 40 pieces of +cannon, mostly of prodigious size, some of which carried balls of +100, some of 200, and some even of 300 pounds weight. These +cannon had all appropriate names, as the cruel, the butcher, the +devourer, the furious, and the like[378]. Thus an army of 150,000 +men sat down to besiege a town that was defended merely by a +single wall, a fort not much larger than a house, and a handful +of men. Farete Khan took up his quarters near the church of Madre +de Dios with 7000 horse and 20 elephants; Agalas Khan in, the +house of Juan Lopez with 6000 horse; Ximiri Khan between that and +upper Chaul with 2000 horse; so that the city was beset from sea +to sea. The Nizam encamped with the main body, of the army at the +farther end of the town, where the ground was covered with tents +for the space of two leagues; and 5000 horse were detached to +ravage the district of Basseen.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 378: These names are of course to be +considered as translations of the native or Persian names. That +named <i>the furious</i> in the text, is called the <i>Orlando +furioso</i> in the translation of De Faria by Stevens; but it is +not easy to guess how the subjects of the Nizam should have known +any thing of that hero of Christian romance.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At the commencement of the siege the Portuguese garrison was a +mere handful of men, and the works being very slight no +particular posts were assigned, all acting wherever their +services were most wanted. Soon afterwards, the news of the siege +having spread abroad, many officers and gentlemen flocked thither +with reinforcements, so that in a short time the garrison was +augmented to 2000 men. It was then resolved to maintain +particular points besides the general circuit of the walls. The +monastery of St Francis was committed to the charge of Alexander +de Sousa; Nunno Alvarez Pereyra was entrusted to defend some +houses near the shore; those between the Misericordia and the +church of St Dominic were confided to Gonzalo de Menezes; others +in that neighbourhood to Nuno Vello Perreyra; and so in other +places. In the mean while it was generally recommended at Goa +that Chaul ought to be abandoned, but the viceroy thought +otherwise, in which opinion he was only seconded by Ferdinand de +Castellobranco, and he immediately sent succours under Ferdinand +Tellez and Duarte de Lima. Before their arrival, Zimiri Khan, who +had promised the Nizam that he would be the first person to enter +Chaul, vigorously assaulted the ports of Henry De Betancour and +Ferdinand de Miranda, who resisted him with great gallantry, and +on receiving reinforcements repulsed him with the slaughter of +300 of his men, losing seven on their side.</p> + +<p>The enemy erected a battery against the monastery of St +Francis where the Portuguese had some cannon; and as the gunners +on both sides used their utmost endeavour to burst or dismount +the opposite guns, the bullets were sometimes seen to meet by the +way. On the eve of St Sebastian, the Portuguese made a sally upon +some houses which were occupied by the Moors, and slew a great +number of them without the loss of one man. Enraged at this +affront and the late repulse, the enemy made that same night an +assault on the fort or monastery of St Francis with 5000 men, +expecting to surprise the Portuguese, but were soon undeceived by +losing many of their men. This assault lasted with great fury for +five hours; and as the Portuguese suspected the enemy were +undermining the wall, and could not see by reason of the +darkness, one Christopher Curvo thrust himself several times out +from a window, with a torch in one hand and a buckler in the +other to discover if possible what they were doing. During this +assault those in the town sent out assistance to the garrison in +the monastery, though with much hazard. When morning broke and +the assailants had retired, the monastery was all stuck full of +arrows, and the dead bodies of 300 Moors were seen around its +walls, while the defenders had not lost a single man. The enemy +renewed the assault on this post for five successive days, and +were every time repulsed by the Portuguese with vast slaughter, +the garrison often sallying out and strewing the field with slain +enemies. It was at length judged expedient to withdraw the men +from this place into the town, lest its loss might occasion +greater injury than its defence could do service. Seventeen of +the Portuguese were here slain. One of these used to stand on a +high place to notice when the enemy fired their cannon, and on +one occasion said to the men below; "If these fellows should now +fire <i>Raspadillo</i>, a cannon 18 feet long to which that name +was given, it will send me to sup with Christ, to whom I commend +my soul, for it points directly at me." He had hardly spoken +these words when he was torn in pieces by a ball from that very +gun. On getting possession of the monastery of St Francis, the +Moors fired a whole street in the town of Chaul, but on +attempting to take post in some houses, they were driven out with +the loss of 400 men. At this time Gonzalez de Camera went to Goa +for reinforcements, as the garrison was much pressed, and brought +a relief in two galleys.</p> + +<p>About this period the 5000 men that had been detached by the +Nizam to ravage the district of Basseen attempted to get +possession of some of the Portuguese garrisons. Being beaten off +at Azarim and Daman, they invested Caranja, a small work between +Chaul and Daman on the water-side, and almost an island, as it is +surrounded by several small brooks. It was at this time commanded +by Stephen Perestrello with a garrison of only 40 men, but was +reinforced on the reappearance of the enemy by Emanuel de Melo +with 30 more. With this small band of only 70 soldiers, +Perestrello sallied out against the enemy, and with such success, +that after covering the little island with dead bodies, the rest +fled leaving their cannon, and a considerable quantity of +ammunition and provisions.</p> + +<p>In the mean time the Moors continued to batter Chaul without +intermission for a whole month with 70 pieces of large cannon, +every day expending against its weak defences at least 160 balls. +This tremendous cannonade did much damage to the houses of the +town, in which many of the brave defenders were slain. On one +occasion six persons who were eating together were destroyed by a +single ball. This furious battery was commenced against the +bastion of the holy cross, and was carried on for a considerable +way along the defences of that front of the town, levelling every +thing with the ground. The besieged used every precaution to +shelter themselves by digging trenches; but the hostile gunners +were so expert[379] that they elevated their guns and made their +balls plunge among those who considered themselves in safety. +Observing that one of the enemies batteries beyond the church of +St Dominic never ceased its destructive fire, Perestrello +detached 120 men under Alexander de Sousa and Augustino Nunnez, +who drove the enemy after a vigorous resistance from the battery +with great slaughter, and set their works on fire, and levelled +them with the ground, without sustaining any loss. Among the arms +taken in this successful sortie was a cymeter inscribed, Jesus +save me.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 379: To expert modern gunners it would be +an easy matter so discharge as many balls in <i>one day</i>, as +were expended in this siege in a whole month. De Faria mentions +that an expedient was fallen upon by which the danger from the +plunging fire was avoided, but gives us no intimation of its +nature.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Having ruined the defences of the town, the enemy attacked +several large houses in which they endeavoured to establish +themselves, but were repulsed from some of these with +considerable loss, while the defenders lost but one man. On +attacking the house of Hector de Sampayio, which was undermined +by the Portuguese with the intention of blowing it up when +occupied by the enemy, some fire accidentally communicated to the +mine during the conflict, and blew it up while still occupied by +the Portuguese, by which 42 of their soldiers were destroyed, and +without injury to the Moors, who planted their colours on the +ruins. Ximiri Khan made an assault by night with 600 men upon the +bastion of the holy cross, in which Ferdinand Pereyra was posted +with 30 men, who was reinforced by Henry de Betancourt with a few +more. The assailants were beaten off and five of their colours +taken which they had planted on the work. In this action +Betancourt fought with his left hand, having previously lost the +right; and Dominic del Alama, being lame, caused himself to be +brought out in a chair. April 1571 was now begun, and the enemy +were employed in constructing new works as if determined to +continue the siege all winter. Alexander de Sousa and Gonzalo de +Menezes were appointed to head a sally upon these new works, but +their men ran out without orders to the number of 200, and made a +furious assault upon the enemy, whom they drove from the works +after killing fifty of them and losing a few of their own number. +The two commanders hastened to join their men, and then directed +them to destroy the works they had so gallantly won. Perplexed +with so many losses, the Nizam made a general assault under night +with his whole army, attacking all the posts at one time, every +one of which almost they penetrated; but the garrison exerted +themselves with so much vigour that they drove the Moors from +every point of attack, and in the morning above 500 of the enemy +were found slain in and about the ruined defences, while the +Portuguese had only lost four or five men. About this time the +defenders received a reinforcement of above 200 men from Goa, +Diu, and Basseen, with a large supply of ammunition and +provisions; but at this time they were much afflicted by a +troublesome though not mortal disease, by which they became +swelled all over so as to lose the use of their limbs.</p> + +<p>Having ineffectually endeavoured to stir up enemies against +the Portuguese in Cambaya on purpose to prevent relief being sent +to the brave defenders of Chaul, the Nizam used every effort to +bring his arduous enterprize to a favourable conclusion. The +house of Nuno Alvarez Pereyra being used as a strong-hold by the +Portuguese, was battered during forty-two days by the enemy, who +then assaulted it with 5000 men. At first the defenders of this +post were only forty in number, but twenty more came to their +assistance immediately, and several others afterwards. The Moors +were repulsed with the loss of 50 men, while the Portuguese only +lost one. The house of Nuno Vello was battered for thirty days +and assaulted with the same success, only the Portuguese lest ten +men in its defence. Judging it no longer expedient to defend this +house, it was undermined and evacuated, on which the enemy +hastened to take possession and it was blown up, doing +considerable execution among the enemy, but not so much as was +expected. The summer was now almost spent; above 6000 +cannon-balls had been thrown into the town, some of which were of +prodigious size, and the Nizam seemed determined to continue the +siege during the winter. About 200 Portuguese, appalled by the +dangers of the siege, had already, deserted; but instead of them +300 men had come from Goa, so that the garrison was even stronger +than before. On the 11th of April, Gonzalez de Camara made a +sortie upon 500 Moors in an orchard, only fifty of whom +escaped.</p> + +<p>Fortune could not be always favourable to the besieged. By a +chance ball from the enemy, one of the galleys which brought +relief was sunk downright with 40 men and goods to the value of +40,000 ducats. But, next day, Ferdinand Tellez made a sally with +400 men, and gained a victory equal to that of Gonzalez de +Camara, and brought away one piece of cannon with some +ammunition, arms, and other booty. This action was seen by the +Nizam in person, who mounted his horse and threatened to join in +it in person, for which purpose he seized a lance, which he soon +changed for a whip, with which he threatened to chastise his men, +and upbraided them as cowards. The Portuguese were now so inured +to danger that nothing could terrify them, and they seemed to +court death instead of shunning it on all occasions. Some of them +being employed to level some works from which the enemy had been +driven near the monastery of St Francis, and being more handy at +the sword than the spade, drew upon themselves a large party of +the enemy of whom they slew above 200, yet not without some loss +on their side. About this time Farete Khan, one of the Nizams +generals, made some overtures towards peace, but without any +apparent authority from his sovereign, who caused him to be +arrested on suspicion of being corrupted by the Portuguese, +though assuredly he had secret orders for what he had done. +Indeed it was not wonderful that the Nizam should be desirous of +peace, as he had now lain seven months before Chaul to no +purpose, and had lost many thousand men; neither was it strange +in the Portuguese to have the same wish, as they had lost 400 men +besides Indians.</p> + +<p>When the siege had continued to the beginning of June the +attacks and batteries were carried on by both sides with as much +obstinacy and vigour as if then only begun. The house of Nunno +Alvarez was at this time taken by the enemy through the +carelessness of the defenders, and on an attempt to recover it 20 +of the Portuguese lost their lives without doing much injury to +the enemy. The Moors in the next place got possession of the +monastery of St Dominic, but not without a heavy loss; and then +gained the house of Gonzalo de Menezes, in which the Portuguese +suffered severely. The hostile batteries kept up a constant fire +from the end of May to the end of June, as the Nizam had resolved +to make a breach fit for the whole army to try its fortune in a +general assault. On the 28th of June, every thing being in +readiness, the Nizams whole army was drawn out for the assault, +all his elephants appearing in the front with castles on their +backs full of armed men. While the whole army stood in +expectation of the signal of assault, an officer of note +belonging to the enemy was slain by a random shot from one of the +Portuguese cannon, which the Nizam considered as an evil omen, +and ordered the attack to be deferred till next day. On this +occasion six of the garrison ventured beyond the works and drew a +multitude of the enemy within reach of the Portuguese fire, which +was so well bestowed that 118 of the enemy were slain and 500 +wounded, without any loss on the side of the defenders.</p> + +<p>About noon on the 29th of June 1571, the Nizam gave the signal +of assault, when the whole of his men and elephants moved +forwards with horrible cries and a prodigious noise of warlike +instruments. The Portuguese were drawn up in their several posts +to defend the ruined works, and Don Francisco Mascarenhas, the +commander in chief[380], placed himself opposite the Nizam with a +body of reserve to relieve the posts wherever he might see +necessary. The day was darkened with smoke, and alternately +lighted up with flames. The slaughter and confusion was great on +both sides. Some of the colours of the enemy were planted on the +works, but were soon taken or thrown down along with those who +had set them up. The elephants were made drunk by the nayres who +conducted them that they might be the fiercer; but being burnt +and wounded, many of them ran madly about the field. One that was +much valued by the Nizam, having his housings all in flames, +plunged into the sea and swam over the bar, where he was killed +by a cannon ball from one of the Portuguese vessels. The Moors +continued the assault till night, unable to gain possession of +any of the works, and then drew off, after losing above 3000 men, +among whom were many officers of note. On the side of the +Portuguese eight gentleman were slain and a small number of +private soldiers.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 380: At the commencement of this siege, +according to De Faria, Luis Ferreyra de Andrada commanded in +Chaul; and Mascarenhas is said to have brought a reinforcement of +600 men; it would now appear that he had assumed the +command.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Next day the Moors asked leave to bury their dead, and a truce +was granted for that purpose. While employed in removing their +dead, some of the Moors asked the Portuguese, <i>What woman it +was that went before them in the fight, and if she were +alive?</i> One of the Portuguese answered, <i>Certainly she was +alive for she was immortal!</i> On this the Moors observed that +it must have been the <i>Lady Marian</i>, for so they call the +blessed Virgin. Many of them declared that they saw her at the +house of Lorenzo de Brito, and that she was so bright that she +blinded them. Some of them even went to see her image in the +churches of Chaul, where they were converted and remained in the +town. The Nizam was now seriously disposed for peace, and the +Portuguese commander equally so, yet neither wished to make the +first overture. At length however advances were made and a treaty +set on foot. Farete Khan and Azaf Khan were commissioners from +the Nizam, while Pedro de Silva and Antonio de Teyva were deputed +by the Portuguese commander in chief, and Francisco Mascarenhas +by the captain of the city. Accordingly a league offensive and +defensive was concluded in the name of the Nizam and the king of +Portugal, which was celebrated by great rejoicings on both sides +and the interchange of rich presents. This however might easily +have been accomplished without the effusion of so much blood. The +Nizam now raised his camp and returned to his own dominions.</p> + +<p>The zamorin of Calicut, who was one of the contracting parties +in this extensive confederacy for driving the Portuguese from +India, performed his part of the agreement very coldly. After Goa +and Chaul had been besieged for near a month, instead of sending +his fleet to sea according to his engagements, he sent to treat +with the viceroy for a separate peace, either on purpose to +mislead him, or in expectation of gaining some advantages for +himself in the present emergency. Few princes follow the dictates +of honour, when it interferes with their interest. When this +affair was laid before the council at Goa, it was their unanimous +opinion to agree to peace with the zamorin even on hard terms; +but the viceroy was determined to lose all or nothing, and +declared he would make no peace unless on such terms as he could +expect when in the most flourishing condition. Finding his +designs fail, the zamorin sent out a fleet about the end of +February under the command of <i>Catiproca</i>, who made his +appearance before Chaul with 21 sail, having on board a large +land force, of which above 1000 were armed with firelocks. Though +the harbour of Chaul was then occupied by a considerable number +of Portuguese galleys and galliots, Catiproca and his fleet +entered the harbour under night without opposition. The Nizam was +much pleased with the arrival of this naval force, and having +ordered a great number of his small vessels named +<i>calemutes</i> to join the Malabar fleet, he prevailed on +Catiproca to attack the Portuguese ships, which were commanded by +Lionel de Sousa. They accordingly made the attempt, but were so +warmly received by De Sousa and his gallies as to be beat off +with considerable loss. The Nizam, who had witnessed this naval +battle from an adjoining eminence, used every argument to prevail +upon Catiproca to make another attempt, but to no purpose; for +after remaining twenty days in the harbour, he stole away one +night, and got away as fortunately as he had got in.</p> + +<p>While on his return, Catiproca was applied to by the queen of +Mangalore to assist her in surprizing the Portuguese fort at that +place, which she alleged might be easily taken. Catiproca agreed +to this, in hopes of regaining the reputation he had lost at +Chaul. He accordingly landed his men secretly, and made an +attempt under night to scale the walls. While his men were +mounting the ladders some servants of Antonio Pereyra, who +commanded in that fort, were awakened by the noise, and seeing +the enemy on the ladders threw out of a window the first thing +that came to hand, which happened to be a chest of silver; with +which they beat down those who were on the ladder. Pereyra waking +with the noise, threw down those who had mounted, and the rest +fled carrying his chest of silver on board their ships. While +passing Cananor, Don Diego de Menezes fell upon the Malabar +squadron, which he totally routed and drove up the river +Tiracole, where every one of the ships were taken or destroyed, +the admiral Catiproca slain, his nephew Cutiale made prisoner, +and the chest of money belonging to Pereyra recovered.</p> + +<p>Even by the fitting out of this unfortunate fleet, the zamorin +did not fulfil the conditions of the confederacy against the +Portuguese, as each of the high contracting parties had engaged +to undertake some considerable enterprize against them in person; +but he had been hitherto deterred by the presence of Diego de +Menezes with a squadron in their seas, who burned several of his +maritime towns and took many of his ships. Towards the end of +June 1571, Diego de Menezes having withdrawn from the coast with +his squadron, and when Adel Khan and the Nizam were both about to +desist from their enterprises upon Goa and Chaul, the zamorin +took the field with an army of 100,000 men, most of them armed +with firelocks, with which he invested the fort of <i>Chale</i> +about two leagues from Calicut, which was then under the command +of Don George de Castro. Having planted forty pieces of brass +cannon against the fort and straitly invested it with his +numerous army so as to shut out all apparent hope of relief, a +small reinforcement under Noronha was unable to penetrate; but +soon afterwards Francisco Pereyra succeeded by an effort of +astonishing bravery to force his way into Chale with a few +men.</p> + +<p>Advice being sent to the viceroy of the dangerous situation of +Chale, Diego de Menezes was sent with 18 sail to carry supplies +and reinforcements to the besieged. De Menezes got to Chale with +great difficulty about the end of September, at which time the +besieged were reduced to great extremity, having not above 70 men +able to bear arms out of 600 persons then in the fort. The relief +of the fort seemed impracticable, as the mouth of the harbour was +very narrow, and was commanded on all sides by numbers of cannon +on surrounding eminences. Diego resolved however to surmount all +difficulties. A large ship was filled with sufficient provisions +to serve the garrison for two months, and carried likewise fifty +soldiers as a reinforcement. One galley preceded to clear the way +and two others followed the large ship to defend her against the +enemy. By this means, but with incredible difficulty and danger, +the relief was thrown in, but it was found impossible to bring +away the useless people from the fort as had been intended. Thus, +by the valour and good fortune of the viceroy, this formidable +confederacy was dissipated, which had threatened to subvert the +Portuguese power in India, and their reputation was restored +among the native princes.</p> + +<p>SECTION VII.</p> + +<p><i>Portuguese Transactions in India from 1571 to 1576.</i></p> + +<p>At this period Sebastian king of Portugal made a great +alteration in the government of the Portuguese possessions in the +east, which he deemed too extensive to be under the management of +one person. He divided them therefore into three separate +governments, which were designated respectively, India, +Monotmotapa, and Malacca. The first, or India, extended from Gape +Guardafu, or the north-east extremity of Africa on the Indian +ocean, to the island of Ceylon inclusive. The second, or +Monomotapa, from Cape Corrientes to Cape Guardafu; and the third, +or Malacca, from Pegu to China both inclusive. To the command of +the first, or India, Don Antonio de Noronha was sent with the +title of viceroy. Francisco de Barreto was appointed to +Monomotapa, and Antonio Moniz Barreto to Malacca, both stiled +governors. It will be necessary therefore to treat of these +governments separately, though by this we must necessarily in +some measure neglect the consideration of regular chronology in +the distribution of events. We begin therefore with the +viceroyalty of Noronha.</p> + +<p>Don Antonio de Noronha arrived at Goa in the beginning of +September 1571, having lost 2000 men by sickness out of 4000 with +whom he sailed from Lisbon. Don Luis de Ataine, who surrendered +to him the sword of command, was a nobleman of great valour and +military experience, and so free from avarice that instead of the +vast riches which others brought from India to Portugal, he +carried over four jars of water from the four famous rivers, the +Indus, Ganges, Tigris, and Euphrates, which were long preserved +in his castle of Peniche. After serving both in Europe and +Africa, he went out to India, where at twenty-two years of age he +was knighted on Mount Sinai by Don Stefano de Gama. Returning to +Portugal, he went ambassador to the Emperor Charles V. and was +present in the battle in which that emperor defeated the +Lutherans under the Landgrave and the Duke of Saxony. He behaved +so bravely in that battle, that the emperor offered to knight +him; but having already received that honour on Mount Sinai, he +could not again accept the offer, on which the emperor declared +in public that he envied that honour beyond the victory he had +just gained. On his return to Lisbon from administering the +government of India with such high reputation, he was received +with much honour by King Sebastian, yet was afterwards much +slighted, as Pacheco had been formerly by King Emanuel, as will +be seen afterwards, when appointed a second time to the +viceroyalty.</p> + +<p>The first attention of the new viceroy was bestowed for the +relief of Chale, to which Diego de Menezes was sent with 1500 +men; but he came too late, as the fort had been already +surrendered to the zamorin upon conditions. This surrender had +been made by the commander Don George de Castro, contrary to the +opinion of the majority of his officers, overcome by the tears +and entreaties of his wife and other ladies, forgetting that he +who was now eighty years of age ought to have preferred an +honourable death to a short and infamous addition to his life. +Neither was this his only fault, for the provisions had lasted +longer if he had not committed them to the care of his wife, who +dissipated them among her slaves. Owing to this unforeseen event, +Diego de Menezes could only conduct the people who had +surrendered at Chale to Cochin. He then divided his fleet with +Matthew de Albuquerque, and cleared the seas of pirates.</p> + +<p>When Norhonha accepted the viceroyalty of India, now so much +lessened by the division into three governments, his great aim +was to acquire riches, as he was poor, and had several children. +With this view he endeavoured to prevail on Antonio Moniz +Barreto, the newly appointed governor of Malacca, to be satisfied +with a smaller force than had been ordered for him on going to +assume that government, alleging that India was not then in a +condition to give what was promised; but Moniz refused to go +unless supplied with the force agreed on, as the posture of +Malacca was then too dangerous to admit of being governed by a +person who considered his reputation, unless supported by a +considerable force. Moniz therefore wrote home to Portugal, +complaining against the viceroy, and malicious whispers are for +the most part gratefully received by princes and ministers: and +the Portuguese ministry, on the sole information of Moniz, +committed the weakest act that ever was heard of, as will appear +in the sequel: <i>Unhappy is that kingdom whose sovereign is a +child.</i></p> + +<p>About this time Akbar Shah,[381] emperor of the Moguls had +acquired the sovereignty of Cambaya or Guzerat. Sultan Mahmud the +heir of the late king had been left under the tuition of three +great men, Ali Khan, Itimiti Khan, and Madrem-al-Mulk, each of +whom envious of the others endeavoured to acquire the entire +direction of the young king. He, considering himself in danger, +fled from Madrem-al-Mulk to the protection of Itimiti Khan, the +worst of all his guardians, who immediately offered to deliver up +the king and kingdom to the great Mogul, on condition of being +appointed viceroy or Soubah in reward of his treachery. Akbar +accordingly marched to <i>Amedabad</i>, where the traitor +delivered up to him the young king, and the Mogul was seated on +the musnud or throne of Guzerat without drawing a sword. Not +satisfied with this great acquisition, Akbar resolved to recover +the town and districts of Basseen and Daman, which had formerly +belonged to Cambaya, and were now possessed by the Portuguese; +and as this intention became known to Luis de Almeyda who +commanded at Daman, he sent notice to the viceroy, who +immediately sent him succours and prepared to follow there in +person, going accordingly from Goa about the end of December +1571, with nine gallies, five gallions, eight galliots, and +ninety smaller vessels. On his arrival with this large armament +in the river of Daman, the Mogul, who was encamped at the +distance of two leagues from that place, was so much dismayed by +the power and military reputation of the Portuguese, that he sent +an ambassador to the viceroy to treat of peace. The viceroy +received the Mogul ambassador in his gallery with great state, +and after listening to his proposals sent Antonio Cabral along +with him to Akbar, on which a peace was concluded to the +satisfaction of both parties. The viceroy then returned to Goa, +and the great Mogul settled the government of his new kingdom of +Guzerat, cutting off the head of the traitor Itimiti Khan, a just +reward of his villany.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 381: Named by DeFaria, Gelalde Mamet Hecbar +Taxa; probably a corruption of Gelal 'oddin Mahomet Akbar +Shah.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The king of Acheen was one of the Indian princes who had +entered into the grand confederacy against the Portuguese, and +had agreed to lay siege to Malacca, but did not execute his part +of the league till about the middle of October 1571, when he +appeared before Malacca with a fleet of near 100 sail, in which +he had 7000 soldiers with a large train of artillery and a vast +quantity of ammunition. Landing on the night of his arrival, he +set fire to the town of <i>Iller</i>, which was saved from total +destruction by a sudden and violent shower of rain. He next +endeavoured to burn the Portuguese ships in the harbour; but +failing in this and some minor enterprizes he sat down before the +city, intending to take it by a regular siege, having been +disappointed in his expectations of carrying it by a <i>coup de +main</i>. At this time Malacca was in a miserable condition, +excessively poor, having very few men and these unhealthy and +dispirited, having suffered much by shipwreck, sickness, and +scarcity of provisions, not without deserving, these calamities; +for Malacca was then <i>the Portuguese Nineveh in India</i>, I +know not if it be so now. In this deplorable situation, +incessantly battered by the enemy, cut off from all supplies of +provisions, Malacca had no adequate means and, hardly any hopes +of defence. In this extremity Tristan Vaz accidentally entered +the port with a single ship, in which he had been to Sunda for a +cargo of pepper. Being earnestly intreated by the besieged to +assist them, he agreed to do every thing in his power, though it +seemed a rash attempt to engage a fleet of 100 sail with only ten +vessels, nine of which were almost rotten and destitute of +rigging. Among these he distributed 300 naked and hungry +wretches; and though confident in his own valour, he trusted only +in the mercy of God, and caused all his men to prepare for battle +by confession, of which he set them the example.</p> + +<p>He sailed from Malacca with this armament about the end of +November 1571, and soon discovered the formidable fleet of the +enemy in the river <i>Fermoso</i>. Giving the command of his own +ship to Emanuel Ferreyra, Tristam Vaz de Vega went sword in hand +into a galliot, to encourage his men to behave valiantly by +exposing himself to the brunt of battle along with them. On the +signal being given by a furious discharge of cannon, Tristan +instantly boarded the admiral ship of the enemy, making great +havock in her crew of 200 men and even carried away her ensign. +Ferdinand Perez with only 13 men in a small vessel took a galley +of the enemy. Ferdinand de Lemos ran down and sunk one of the +enemies ships. Francisco de Lima having taken another set her on +fire, that he might be at liberty to continue the fight. Emanuel +Ferreyra sank three vessels, unrigged several others, and slew +great numbers of the enemy. In short, every one fought admirably, +and the whole hostile fleet fled, except four gallies and seven +smaller vessels that were burnt or sunk. Seven hundred of the +enemy were taken or slain, with the loss only of five men on the +side of the victors. The Portuguese ships waited three days in +the river to see if the enemy would return, and then carried the +joyful news to Malacca, where it could hardly be +believed[382].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 382: Though not mentioned by De Faria, the +king of Acheen appears to Jave raised the siege of Malacca after +this naval victory.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Sometime in the year 1578, four ships arrived at Goa from +Portugal, under the command of Francisco de Sousa, who +immediately on landing went to the archbishop Don Gaspar, to whom +he delivered a packet from the king. The royal orders contained +in this packet were read by a cryer in the archiepiscopal church, +and announced that Don Antonio de Noronha was deposed from the +dignity of viceroy, to whom Antonio Moniz Barreto was immediately +to succeed with the title of governor. By another order, Gonzalo +Pereyra was appointed to the government of Malacca, in default of +whom Don Leonis Pereyra was substituted, and accordingly +succeeded as the other was dead.</p> + +<p>Advice was now brought to Goa that Malacca was again in +danger, as the king of Acheen was before it a second time, +assisted by the queen of <i>Japara</i>. On this intelligence, +Moniz desired Leonis Pereyra to set out for his government, and +Leonis demanded of him to be supplied with the same force which +Moniz had formerly required from Noronha; yet Moniz, without +considering what he had himself wrote on that subject to the +king, and that India was now free from danger, refused his +request. Leonis, to leave the new governor no excuse for his +conduct, would even have been satisfied with a much smaller force +than that formerly required by Moniz, but even that was refused +him, and he went away to Portugal refusing to assume the +government of Malacca. About the end of this year 1573, orders +came from Portugal for the trial and execution of Don George de +Castro for surrendering Chale to the zamorin. He was accordingly +beheaded publicly: Yet in the year following a commission was +sent out from Portugal for employing him in another command.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had India begun to enjoy some respite after the late +troubles, when the queen of Japara sent her general Quiaidaman to +besiege Malacca with 15,000 chosen natives of Java, in a fleet of +80 large galleons and above 220 smaller vessels. Tristan Vaz de +Vega happened to be then at Malacca, and was chosen by common +consent to assume the command, Francisco Enriquez the former +commandant being dead. Tristan Vaz sent immediate notice to Goa +of his danger; on which Moniz issued orders to all the +neighbouring places to send succours, and began to fit out a +fleet for its relief. In the mean time the Javanese army landed +and besieged Malacca. Vaz sent Juan Pereyra and Martin Ferreyra +with 150 men to drive the enemy from a post. After killing 70 of +the enemy, they levelled the work and brought off seven pieces of +cannon. Pereyra afterwards burnt 50 of their galleons, and +destroyed some great engines which they had constructed for +attacking a bastion. Two other officers in a sortie burnt the +pallisades which the enemy had erected for straitening the +garrison and defending their own quarters. After this, Pereyra +going out of the river with the Portuguese vessels, besieged the +besiegers, and at <i>Jor</i> took a large quantity of provisions +that were going to the Javanese army. Upon these repeated +misfortunes, the Javanese embarked in great consternation, and +withdrew under night; but were pursued by Pereyra, who cut off +many of their vessels in the rear. Almost half of this great army +perished by the sword or sickness in this siege, which lasted +three months.</p> + +<p>Hardly was the army of the queen of Japara gone from Malacca +when the king of Acheen arrived before it with 40 gallies, and +several ships and smaller vessels, to the number of 100 in all, +with a great train of artillery. Tristan Vaz gave orders to Juan +Pereyra in a galley, Bernardin de Silva in a caravel, and +Ferdinand de Palares in a ship, having each 40 men, to go out of +the harbour on purpose to protect a convoy of provisions then in +its way to Malacca, of which the city was in great want. The +fleet of the enemy immediately attacked them, and soon battered +all three ships to pieces. Seventy-five of the Portuguese were +slain or drowned on this occasion, forty were made prisoners, and +only five saved themselves by swimming. Only 150 men now remained +in. Malacca, of whom 100 were sick or aged. Being in want both of +men and ammunition Tristan Vaz was under the necessity of +remaining very quiet; but the enemy fearing he was preparing some +stratagem against them, raised the siege in a panic of terror +when they might easily have carried the city, after remaining +before it from the beginning to the end of January 1575. The +priests, women and children of the distressed city had implored +the mercy of God with sighs and tears; and next to God, the city +owed its safety to the courage of Tristan Vaz, and to his +generosity likewise, as he spent above 20,000 ducats in its +defence.</p> + +<p>At this period Juan de Costa cruised upon the Malabar coast +with two gallies and twenty-four other vessels. The town of +Guipar near Bracalore being in rebellion, he landed there and set +the town on fire after killing 1500 of the inhabitants. He +likewise cut down the woods[383] in revenge for the rebellion of +the natives. After this he destroyed an island belonging to the +zamorin in the river of Chale, and ruined the city of +Parapangulem belonging to the same sovereign, where the heir of +the kingdom was slain with 200 of his followers. At +<i>Capocate</i> 300 of the natives were slain with the loss of +two only of the Portuguese. The town of <i>Nilacharim</i> near +mount Dely was destroyed by fire. In the intervals between these +exploits on the land, several vessels belonging to the enemy were +taken, by which the fleet was supplied with slaves and +provisions.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 383: Probably the groves of cocoa-nut trees +are here alluded to.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>At this period, after long petty wars occasioned by the +injustice and tyranny of the Portuguese, they were expelled from +the Molucca islands, and their fort in the island of Ternate was +forced to surrender to the king, who protested in presence of the +Portuguese that he took possession of it in trust for the king of +Portugal, and would deliver it up to any one having authority for +that purpose as soon as the murder of his father was +punished[384].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 384: A great number of trifling incidents +in the misgovernment and tyranny of the Portuguese in the +Moluccas, have been omitted at this and other parts the history +of Portuguese Asia in our version.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1576, Antonio Moniz Barreto was succeeded in the +government of India by Don Diego de Menezes; but it may be proper +to suspend for a time our account of the affairs of India, to +give some account of the transactions in Monomotapa under the +government of Francisco Barreto and his successor Vasco Fernandez +Homeiri.</p> + +<p>SECTION VIII.</p> + +<p><i>Transactions of the Portuguese in Monomotapa, from 1569 to +the end of that separate government[385].</i></p> + +<p>On the return of Francisco Barreto from the government of +India in 1558, as formerly mentioned, he was appointed admiral of +the gallies, in which employment he gained great honour in the +memorable action of <i>Pennon</i>; and on his return to Lisbon, +king Sebastian, who had determined upon making the division of +the Portuguese governments in the east already mentioned, +appointed Barreto to that of Monomotapa[386], with the additional +title of <i>Conqueror of the Mines</i>. The great inducement for +this enterprise was from the large quantities of gold said to be +found in that country, and particularly at <i>Manica</i> in the +kingdom of <i>Mocaranga</i>. Francisco Barreto sailed from Lisbon +in April 1569, with three ships and 1000 soldiers. He might +easily have had more men if the vessels could have contained +them, as the reports of gold banished all idea of danger, and +volunteers eagerly pressed forwards for the expedition, among +whom were many gentlemen and veterans who had served in +Africa.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 385: In De Faria no dates are given of +these transactions, except that Barreto sailed from Lisbon in +April 1569.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 386: In modern geography the country called +Monomotapa in the text is known by the name of Mocaranga, while +Monomotapa is understood to be the title of the sovereign. It is +sometimes called <i>Senna</i> by the Portuguese, from the name of +a fort possessed by them in the interior.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>On his arrival at Mozambique, Barreto went to subdue the king +of <i>Pate</i>, who had revolted against the Portuguese +authority. In his instructions, Barreto was ordered to undertake +nothing of importance without the advice and concurrence of +Francisco do Monclaros, a Jesuit, which was the cause of the +failure of this enterprise. It was a great error to subject a +soldier to the authority of a priest, and a most presumptuous +folly in the priest to undertake a commission so foreign to his +profession. There were two roads to the mines, one of which was +through the dominions of Monomotapa, and the other by way of +Sofala. Barreto was disposed to have taken the latter, but +Monclaros insisted upon the former, and carried his point against +the unanimous votes of the council of war; so that the first step +in this expedition led to its ruin. But before entering upon the +narrative of events, it may be proper to give some account of the +climate, quality, and extent of the country.</p> + +<p>From Cape Delgado in lat. 10° 1O' S. to Mozambique in +14° 50', the coast is somewhat bent in the form of a bow, in +which space are the islands of Pujaros, Amice, Mocoloe, Matembo, +Querimba, Cabras, and others, with the rivers Paudagi, Menluanc, +Mucutii, Mucululo, Situ, Habe, Xanga, Samoco, Veloso, Pinda, +Quisimaluco and Quintagone, with the bays of Xanga and Fuego, and +the sands of Pinda. From Mozambique in lat. 14° 5O' S. to the +port or bay of Asuca in 21° 8O', the coast falls off to the +westwards, opposite to the <i>Pracel de Sofala</i> or great bank +of <i>Pracel</i>, on the coast of Madagascar, the dangerous +<i>Scylla</i> and <i>Charibdis</i> of those seas. On this coast +are the rivers Mocambo, Angoxa, or Bayones, Mossige, Mojuncoale, +Sangage, and others, with many islands, and the ports of +Quilimane and Luabo; the rivers Tendanculo, Quiloe, Sabam, Bagoe, +Miaue, and Sofala, with the opposite islands of Inbausato, +Quiloane, Mambone, Molimon, and Quilamancohi. Between Cape +Bosiqua or St Sebastian in lat. 21° 40' S. and Cape Corientes +in 24° S. is the great bay of Sauca, into which falls the +river Inhamhane, where there is a great trade for ivory. From the +frequent recurrence of the soft letters <i>L</i> and <i>M</i> in +these names, it may be inferred that the language of that country +is by no means harsh. From the mouth of the Cuama or Zambeze in +the east, the empire of Monomotapa extends 250 leagues into the +interior of Africa, being divided by the great river Zambeze, +into which falls the <i>Chiri</i> or <i>Chireira</i>, running +through the country of <i>Bororo</i>[387], in which country are +many other large rivers, on the banks of which dwell many kings, +some of whom are independent, and others are subject to +Monomotapa. The most powerful of the independent kings is he of +Mongas, bordering on the Cuama or Zambeze, which falls into the +sea by four mouths between Mozambique and Sofala. The first or +most northerly of these mouths is that of <i>Quilimane</i>, +ninety leagues from Mozambique; the second or Cuama is five +leagues farther south; the third <i>Luabo</i> five leagues lower; +and the fourth named <i>Luabol</i> five leagues more to the +south. Between these mouths are three large and fertile islands; +the middle one, named <i>Chingoma</i>, is sixty leagues in +circumference. This great river is navigable for sixty leagues +upwards to the town of <i>Sena</i>, inhabited by the Portuguese, +and as much farther to <i>Tete</i>, another Portuguese colony +[388]. The richest mines are those of <i>Massapa</i>, called +<i>Anfur</i>[389], the <i>Ophir</i> whence the queen of Sheba had +the riches she carried to Jerusalem. In these mines it is said, +that one lump of gold has been found worth 12,000 ducats, and +another worth 40,000. The gold is not only found among the earth +and stones, but even grows up within the bark of several trees as +high as where the branches spread out to form the tops. The mines +of Manchica and Butica are not much inferior to those of Massapa +and Fura, and there are many others not so considerable. There +are three fairs or markets which the Portuguese frequent for this +trade of gold from the castle of <i>Tete</i> on the river +Zambeze. The first of these is <i>Luanze</i>, four days journey +inland from that place [390]. The second is Bacuto [391] farther +off; and the third <i>Massapa</i> still farther [392]. At these +fairs the gold is procured in exchange for coarse cloth, glass +beads, and other articles of small value among us. A Portuguese +officer, appointed by the commander of Mozambique, resides at +Massapa with the permission of the emperor of Monomotapa, but +under the express condition of not going into the country, under +pain of death. He acts as judge of the differences that arise +there. There are churches belonging to the Dominicans at Massapa, +Bacuto, and Luanze. The origin, number, and chronology of the +kings of Mohomotapa are not known, though it is believed there +were kings here in the time of the queen of Sheba, and that they +were subject to her, as she got her gold from thence. In the +mountain of Anfur or Fura, near Massapa, there are the ruins of +stately buildings, supposed to be those of palaces and castles. +In process of time this great empire was divided into three +kingdoms, called <i>Quiteve</i>, <i>Sabanda</i>, and +<i>Chicanga</i>[393], which last is the most powerful, as +possessing the mines of Manica, Butua, and others. It is believed +that the negroes of Butua, in the kingdom of Chicanga, are those +who bring gold to Angola, as these two countries are supposed to +be only one hundred leagues distance from each other [394]. The +country of Monomotapa produces rice and maize, and has plenty of +cattle and poultry, the inhabitants addicting themselves to +pasturage and tillage, and even cultivating gardens. It is +divided into 25 kingdoms or provinces named Mongas, Baroe, +Manica, Boese, Macingo, Remo, Chique, Chiria, Chidima, Boquizo, +Inhanzo, Chiruvia, Condesaca, Daburia, Macurumbe, Mungussi, +Antiovaza, Chove, Chungue, Dvia, Romba, Rassini, Chirao, +Mocaranga and Remo-de-Beza.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 387: According to modern maps, the Zambeze +divides the empire of Mocaranga, the sovereign of which is called +Monomotapa, from the empire of the Bororos; and the river +Chireira or Manzara on the south of the Zambeze, which it joins, +is entirely confined to the country of +Mocaranga.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 388: Sena is 220 English miles from the +sea; Tete is 260 miles higher up: so that this great river is +navigable for 480 miles, probably for small vessels +only.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 389: Massapa is the name of a Portuguese +fort or settlement on the river <i>Mocaras</i>, a branch of the +<i>Chireira</i>, in the interior of Mocaranga. Anfur or Fura is a +mountain about 100 miles from Massapa, said to contain rich gold +mines.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 390: Luanze is about 100 miles south from +Tete, on one of the branches of the Chireira.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 391: Bacuto is 40 miles south of +Luanze.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 392: Massapa is about 45 miles S.S.W. from +Buento or Bacuto, or 170 miles in that direction from +Tete.--E]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 393: Quiteve is that kingdom or province of +Mocaranga, now named Sofala from the river of that name by which +it is pervaded. Sabanda is probably the kingdom or province of +Sabia, on the river of that name, the southern province of +Mocaranga. Chicanga is what is now called Manica, the south-west +province of Mocaranga, the king or chief of which province is +named Chicanga.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 394: The Butua of the text is probably the +kingdom of Abutua of modern maps, in the interior of Africa, +directly west from the northern part of Mocaranga. The distance +between Abutua and the eastern confines of Benguela, one of the +provinces of Angola or Congo, is about 800 or 900 +miles.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The emperor [395] has a large wooden palace, the three chief +apartments of which are, one for himself, another for his wife, +and the third for his menial servants. It has three doors opening +into a large court, one appropriated for the queen and her +attendants, one for the king and the servants attached to his +person, and the third for the two head cooks, who are great men +and relations of the king, and for the under-cooks who are all +men of quality below twenty years of age, as none so young are +supposed to have any commerce with women, or otherwise they are +severely punished. After serving in the palace, these young men +are preferred to high employments.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 395: The chief of Mocaranga is named +Monomotapa, which latter is often used as the name of the +country. His residence is said to be at Zimbao near the northern +frontiers, between the Portuguese forts of Sena and +Tete.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The servants within the palace, and those without, are +commanded by two captains or high officers, resembling the +<i>Alcalde de los Douzeles</i>, or governor of the noble youths, +formerly at the court of Spain. The principal officers of the +crown are, the <i>Ningomoaxa</i> or governor of the kingdom, +<i>Mocomoaxa</i> or captain-general, <i>Ambuya</i> or high +steward, whose office it is to procure a successor, when the +<i>Mazarira</i> or principal wife of the king dies, who must +always be chosen from among the sisters or nearest relations of +the king. The next great officer is the <i>Inbantovo</i> or chief +musician, who has many musicians under his charge; the +<i>Nurucao</i>, or captain, of the vanguard; <i>Bucurumo</i>, +which signifies the king's right hand; <i>Magande</i>, or the +chief conjurer; <i>Netambe</i>, or chief apothecary, who has +charge of the ointments and utensils for sorcery; and lastly, the +<i>Nehono</i> or chief porter. All these offices are discharged +by great lords. They use no delicacy in cookery, having all their +meats roasted or boiled; and they eat of such articles as are +used by the Europeans, with the addition of rats and mice, which +they reckon delicacies, as we do partridges and rabbits.</p> + +<p>The king has many wives, nine of whom only are reckoned +queens, and are all his sisters or near relations; the rest being +the daughters of noblemen. The chief wife is called +<i>Mazarira</i>, or the mother of the Portuguese, who frequently +make presents to her, as she solicits their affairs with the +king, and he sends no messengers to them but accompanied by some +of her servants. The second queen is called <i>Inahanda</i>, who +solicits for the Moors. The others <i>Nabuiza</i>, +<i>Nemangore</i>, <i>Nizingoapangi</i>, <i>Navembo</i>, +<i>Nemongoro</i>, <i>Nessani</i>, and <i>Necarunda</i>. Every one +of these lives apart in as great state as the king, having +certain revenues and districts appointed for their expenses. When +any of these die, another is appointed to her place and name, and +they have all the power of rewards and punishments, as well as +the king. Sometimes he goes to them, and, at other times they +come to him; all of them having many female attendants, whom the +king makes use of when he thinks proper.</p> + +<p>The principal nation of Monomotapa is called the +<i>Moearangi</i>, and of which the emperor is a native. They are +by no means warlike, and their only weapons are bows, arrows, and +javelins. In regard to religion, they acknowledge one only God, +and believe in a devil or evil spirit, called <i>Muzuco</i>, but +they have no idols. They believe that their deceased kings go to +heaven, and invoke these under the appellation of <i>Musimos</i>, +as the saints are invoked by the catholics. Having no letters, +their only knowledge of past events is preserved by tradition. +The lame and blind are called the king's poor, because they are +charitably maintained by him; and when any of these travel, the +towns through which they pass are obliged to maintain them and +furnish them with guides from place to place, an excellent +example for Christians. The months are divided into three weeks +of ten days each, and have several festivals. The first day of +each month is the festival of the new moon; and the fourth and +fifth day of every week are kept as festivals. On these days all +the natives dress in their best apparel, and the king gives +public audience to all who present themselves, on which occasion +he holds a truncheon about three quarters of a yard long in each +hand, using them to lean upon. Those who speak to him prostrate +themselves on the ground, and his audience lasts from morning +till evening. When the king is indisposed, the <i>Ningomoaxa</i>, +or governor of the kingdom, stands in his place. No one must +speak to the king, or even go to the palace, on the eighth day of +the moon, as that day is reckoned unlucky. On the day of the new +moon, the king runs about the palace with two javelins in his +hand, as if fighting, all the great men being present at this +pastime. When this is ended, a pot full of maize, boiled whole, +is brought in, which the king scatters about, desiring the nobles +to eat, and every one strives to gather most to please him, and +eat it greedily as if it were the most savoury dainty. Their +greatest festival is held on the new moon in May, which they call +<i>Chuavo</i>. On this day all the great men of the empire, who +are very numerous, resort to court, where they run about with +javelins in their hand, as in a mock fight. This sport lasts the +whole day, at the end of which the king withdraws, and is not +seen for eight days afterwards, during all which time the drums +beat incessantly. He then reappears on the ninth day, and orders +the noble for whom he has least affection to be slain, as a +sacrifice to his ancestors, or the <i>Muzimos</i>. When this is +done, the drums cease, and every one goes home. The +<i>Mumbos</i>[396] eat human flesh, which is publicly sold in the +shambles. This may suffice for the customs of the natives in the +empire of Monomotapa, as it would be endless to recount the +whole.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 396: This savage race are said to inhabit +on the north western frontiers of Mocaranga.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After some stay at Mozambique, Barreto set out on his +expedition for the mines of Monomotapa, with men, horses, camels, +and other necessaries for war, and with proper tools for working +the mines which he expected to conquer. He sailed up the river +<i>Cuama</i>, called <i>Rio de los buenos Sennales</i>, or river +of Good Signs; by the first discoverers, and came to <i>Sena</i> +or the fort of <i>St Marzalis</i>, according to the desire of +father Monclaros; whence he proceeded to the town of +<i>Inaparapala</i>, near which is another town belonging to the +Moors, who, being always professed enemies to the Christians, +began to thwart the designs of the Portuguese as they had +formerly done in India. They even attempted to poison the +Portuguese army, and some of the men and horses actually died in +consequence; but the cause being discovered by one of the Moors, +they were all put to the sword, their chiefs being blown from the +mouths of cannon, the informer only being pardoned. After this +Barreto sent an embassy to the king, desiring permission to march +against the chief of the <i>Mongas</i>, who was then in +rebellion, and from thence to continue his march to the mines of +<i>Butua</i> and <i>Mancica</i>. The first of these requests was +a piece of flattery to obtain leave for the other, as the +province of the Mongas lay between Sena and the mines, and it was +necessary to march thither by force of arms. The king gave his +consent to both requests, and even offered to send 100,000 of his +own men along with the Portuguese; but Barreto declined any +assistance, wishing to have the whole honour of the war to +himself, and thinking by that means to gain favour with the king. +He accordingly marched with 23 horse and 560 foot armed with +muskets; and after a march of ten days, mostly along the rapid +river Zambeze, in which the troops suffered excessively from +hunger and thirst, the enemy were descried covering the hills and +vallies with armed men. Though the multitude of the enemy was so +great that the extremity of their army could not be seen, Barreto +marched on giving the command of the van to Vasco Fernandez +Homem, while he led the rear in person, the baggage and a few +field pieces being in the centre. On coming up to engage the +cannon were removed to the front and flanks.</p> + +<p>The enemy were drawn up in the form of a crescent; and as the +Portuguese marched to the charge, an old woman came forward to +meet them scattering some powder towards them, having persuaded +the enemy that she alone would gain the victory by virtue of that +powder. Barreto understood the meaning of this superstitious act, +having seen similar things in India, and gave orders to level a +field piece at the notorious witch, which was so well pointed +that she was blown to atoms, at which the <i>Kafrs</i> were +astonished, as they believed her immortal. The enemy however +advanced, but without any order, either from ignorance or because +they relied on their immense numbers, and discharged clouds of +arrows and darts against the Portuguese; but finding that the +musqueteers slew them by hundreds at every discharge, they took +to flight, and great numbers of them were slain in the pursuit. +Barreto continued his march for the city of the Mongas, and was +opposed by another multitude similar to the former which was put +to flight with equal facility, above 6000 of the Kafrs being +slain with the loss of only two Portuguese soldiers. The city was +abandoned by the enemy and taken possession of by Barreto without +opposition, at which he entrenched his small army. Next morning a +multitude of Kafrs as large as either of the former appeared to +assail the Portuguese; but being again routed with prodigious +slaughter, a messenger arrived to beg for peace. Barreto answered +that he would wait upon the king, when all matters might be +adjusted. He accordingly marched next day, and having encamped in +a convenient place, a new embassy came from the king to solicit +peace. While the Kafr ambassadors were conferring with Barreto, +one of the camels belonging to the Portuguese happened to break +loose and came up to where Barreto was, who stopped it till those +who were seeking for it came up. The Kafr ambassadors had never +before seen a camel, and were astonished to see it come up to the +governor, at whom they asked many questions concerning the +strange animal. Taking advantage of their ignorance and +credulity, Barreto told them that those animals fed only on human +flesh, devouring all that were slain in battle; and that this +camel had come to him from the rest to desire that he would not +make peace as they would then have no food. Astonished at this +intelligence, they intreated him to desire the camels to be +satisfied with good beef, and they would immediately supply him +with great numbers of cattle. He granted their request and +marched on, still in much distress for provisions.</p> + +<p>At this time news was brought of some transactions at +Mozambique which rendered his presence there necessary, on which +he assigned the command of the army to Vasco Fermandez Homem, and +departed for Mozambique. Antonio Pereyra Brandam had committed +certain crimes at the Moluccas, for which on his return to +Portugal he was banished into Africa, on which he requested +Barreto to take him to Mozambique, which he did accordingly, and +even gave him the command of the fort at that place. Though +eighty years of age, Brandam wished to secure himself in the +command of the fort by sending false informations to the king +against Barreto his benefactor. By some means these papers were +intercepted and sent to Barreto, who on his arrival at Mozambique +immediately shewed them to Brandam, who fell on his knees and +asked pardon in the most humble manner. Barreto forgave him, but +deprived him of the command over the fort at Mozambique, which he +committed to the charge of Lorenzo Godino, and returned to +prosecute the expedition in Monomotapa.</p> + +<p>On his arrival at Sena, where Homem had halted with the army, +Monclaros accosted him in a violent manner commanding him to +desist from that wild enterprise of conquering the mines, in +which he had imposed on the king, declaring that he should be +held responsible for all who had died or might die in future in +this wild and impracticable design. It is certain that Barreto +was not the promoter of this intended conquest, and that +Manclaros was actually to blame for the miscarriage; yet Barreto +took the insolence of this proud priest so much to heart that he +died in two days without any other sickness. Assuredly the Jesuit +had more to answer for on account of the death of the governor, +than he for the unfortunate result of the expedition, which was +all owing to the arrogant ignorance of the Jesuit in forcing it +into a wrong direction. Thus fell, by the angry words of a +priest, a great man who had escaped from many bullets among the +Indians, from numerous darts and arrows of the Mongas, and from +the malice of a villain. King Sebastian greatly lamented his +untimely end, which he expressed by giving an honourable +reception to his body when brought to Lisbon.</p> + +<p>After the death of Barreto, a royal order was found among his +papers by which Vasco Fernandez Homem was appointed his +successor. By the persuasions of Monclaros, who was now disgusted +with the expedition of Monomotapa, Homem returned with the troops +to Mozambique, abandoning the projected conquest of the mines. At +that place some judicious persons, and particularly Francisco +Pinto Pimentel, urged him to resume the execution of the orders +which had been given by the king to Barreto, and he determined +upon resuming the enterprise for the conquest of Monomotapa; but +as Monclaros was now gone back to Portugal, he found himself at +liberty to take the route for the mines through Sofala, as +Barreto wished to have done originally. Landing therefore at +Sofala, he marched directly inland towards the mines of +<i>Manica</i> in the kingdom of <i>Chicanga</i>, bordering <i>by +the inland</i> with the kingdom of <i>Quiteve</i> which is next +in power to Monomotapa[397]. To conciliate the king of +<i>Quiteve</i>, Homem sent messengers with presents to request +the liberty of passing through his dominions, but being jealous +of his intentions, that king received his propositions very +coldly. Homem advanced however, having nearly a similar force +with that which accompanied Barreto on the former expedition into +the kingdom of Monomotapa, and several bodies of Kafrs that +attempted to stop his progress were easily routed with great +slaughter. Finding himself unable to defend himself against the +invaders by force of arms, the king of Quiteve had recourse to +policy, and caused all the people and provisions to be removed +from the towns, so that the Portuguese suffered extreme distress +till they arrived at <i>Zimbao</i>[398], the residence of the +king, whence he had fled and taken refuge in inaccessible +mountains. Homem burnt the city, and marched on to the kingdom of +<i>Chicanga</i>, where he was received by the king rather through +fear than love, was supplied with provisions, and allowed a free +passage to the mines. At these the Portuguese vainly expected +that they would be able to gather gold in great abundance; but +seeing that the natives procured only very small quantities in a +long time and with much difficulty, and being themselves very +inexpert in that labour, they soon abandoned the place which they +had so long and anxiously sought for, and returned towards the +coast, parting from the king of Chicanga in much friendship. +Thus, though disappointed in their main design of acquiring rich +gold mines, the ease with which they had penetrated to the place +evinced how great an error had been formerly committed by +subjecting Barreto to the direction of Monclaros, who had led him +by a tedious and dangerous way merely to gratify his own +extravagant humour.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 397: In modern geography, which indeed is +mainly ignorant of the foreign possessions of the Portuguese, the +dominion of Sofala on both sides of the river of that name, +extend about 520 miles from east to west, in lat. 20° S. from +the Mozambique channel, by about 100 miles in breadth. The +commercial station of Sofala belonging to the Portuguese is at +the mouth of the river; and about 220 miles from the sea is a +town called Zimbao of Quiteve. Manica the kingdom of Chicanga is +an inland district to the west of the kingdoms of Sofala and +Sabia; all three dependent upon Monomotapa.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 398: This Zimbao of Quiteve is to be +carefully distinguished from a town of the same name in +Monomotapa. The former is nearly in lat. 20° S. on the river +of Sofala, the latter is about 16° 20' S. near the river +Zambezi or Cuama.--E]</blockquote> + +<p>Homem returned to the kingdom of Quiteve, and the king of that +country now permitted him to march for the mines of +<i>Maninnas</i>[399], on condition that the Portuguese should pay +him twenty crowns yearly. Homem accordingly marched for the +kingdom of <i>Chicova</i>[400], which borders upon the inland +frontier of Monomotapa towards the north, having heard that there +were rich mines of silver in that country. Having penetrated to +Chicova, he inquired among the natives for the way to the mines; +and as they saw that it was in vain for them to resist, while +they feared the discovery of the mines would prove their ruin, +they scattered some ore at a place far distant from the mines, +and shewing this to the Portuguese told them that this was the +place of which they were in search. By this contrivance the Kafrs +gained time to escape, as the Portuguese permitted them to go +away, perhaps because they were unwilling the natives should see +what treasure they procured. Homem accordingly caused all the +environs to be carefully dug up, and after a vast deal of +fruitless labour was obliged to desist, as provisions grew +scarce. Thus finding no advantage after all his fatigues and +dangers, Homem marched away towards the coast with part of his +troops, intending to return to his government at Mozambique, and +left Antonio Cardoso de Almeyda with 200 men to continue the +researches for some time for the treasures that were said to +abound in that country. Cardoso suffered himself to be again +deceived by the Kafrs who had before imposed upon Homem, as they +now offered to conduct him to where he might find a vein of +silver. But they led him the way of death rather than of the +mines, and killed him and all his men after defending themselves +with incredible bravery.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 399: No such place is laid down in modern +maps, but rich gold mines are mentioned in Mocaranga near mount +<i>Fura</i>, which is nearly in the route indicated in the text, +between Sofala or Quiteve and Chicoya.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 400: Chicova is a territory and town of +Mocaranga or Monomotapa, in lat. 19° N. at the north-west +boundary of that empire on the Zambeze; and is said to abound in +mines of silver.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Thus ended the government and conquest of Monomotapa shortly +after its commencement, under two successive governors, who lost +their object almost as soon as it was seen. The first killed by a +few rash words, and the second expelled by a prudent stratagem. +Yet peace and trade continued between the Portuguese and the +empire of Monomotapa. These actions of Barreto and Homem took +place during the time when Luis de Ataide, Antonio de Noronha, +and Antonio Moniz Barreto[401], were governors of India; but we +have never been able to ascertain when the former died and the +latter abandoned the projected conquest of the mines.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 401: The commencement of the government of +Barreto has been already stated as having taken place in 1569. +Antonio Moniz Barreto governed India from 1573 to 1576: Hence the +consecutive governments of Francisco Barreto and Vasco Fernandez +Homem in Monomotapa could not be less than <i>four</i> or more +than <i>seven</i> years.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION IX.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, from +1576 to 1581; when the Crown of Portugal was usurped by Philip +II. of Spain, on the Death of the Cardinal King Henry.</i></p> + +<p>In 1576 Ruy Lorenzo de Tavora went out as viceroy of +Portuguese India; but dying on the voyage, at Mozambique, Don +Diego de Menezes assumed the government in virtue of a royal +patent of succession. Nothing extraordinary happened during his +government of nearly two years, when he was superseded by the +arrival of Don Luis de Ataide count of Atougaia as viceroy of +India for the second time. Ataide had been appointed general in +chief of the Portuguese forces by king Sebastian, who had +resolved to bury the glory of his kingdom in the burning sands of +Africa; and finding his own youthful impetuosity unable to +conform with the prudent councils of the count, he constituted +him viceroy of India as a plausible means of removing him. The +count arrived at Goa about the end of August 1577, where he +immediately fitted out a mighty fleet which struck terror into +all the neighbouring princes. After continuing the war for some +time against Adel Khan, a peace was concluded with that +prince.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards news was brought to India of the melancholy +catastrophe which had befallen king Sebastian in Africa, and that +the Cardinal Don Henry had succeeded to the throne; but he soon +afterwards died, and the kingdom of Portugal came under the +direction of a council of regency consisting of five members. The +viceroy Don Luis died soon afterwards at Goa in the beginning of +the year 1580, after governing India this second time for two +years and seven months. He seemed to have had a presentiment of +his death; for being applied to for leave to bury his cousin +Antonio Borello beside his brother Don Juan de Ataide, he refused +it, saying that he had long designed that situation for himself. +He was a man of most undaunted courage, of which the following +instance may be adduced. At the attack of <i>Onore</i>, he sailed +in a brigantine sitting in a chair, having a famous musician +beside him playing on the harp. When the balls from the enemy +began to whistle past the ears of the musician he stopt playing, +on which the count desired him to proceed as the tune was +excellent. One of the gentlemen near him, seeing his +unconcernedness, requested him to expose himself less to the +danger, as if he were slain all would be lost; "No such thing," +answered he, "for if I am killed there are men enough who are fit +to succeed me."</p> + +<p>On his death, which appears to have happened in March 1580, he +was succeeded as governor by Ferdinand Tellez de Menezes, +pursuant to a patent of succession sent out by the regency in the +year before. On this occasion the new governor was installed with +as much demonstration of joy as if there had been no cause of +sorrow among the subjects of Portugal for the melancholy state of +their country. While the affairs of Portugal were in a miserable +state of distraction, those of Visiapour were in no better +condition, in consequence of the death of Adel Khan without +heirs, in the 23d year of his reign and 50th of his age. Being +adicted to unnatural practices, a youth of eighteen years of age +who had too much honour to submit to his base desires, stabbed +him as he was endeavouring to allure him to comply with his +brutal purposes. Ibrahim Khan, the son of Shah Tamas, one of two +brothers whom Adel Khan had put to death, succeeded to the +sovereignty; but was soon afterwards seized by a powerful Omrah, +named Quisbale Khan, who made himself master of the city of +Visiapour. Soon afterwards the Ethiopian guards revolted under +three leaders of their own choice, Acala Khan, Armi Khan, and +Delarna Khan, the last of whom secured the other two and usurped +the whole power.</p> + +<p>About this time new instructions came from the regency of +Portugal, announcing that Philip II. of Spain had been admitted +as king of Portugal, and enjoining the governor and all the +Portuguese in India to take the oath of allegiance to the new +sovereign.</p> + +<p>At this period <i>Mirazenam Pacha</i>, a native of Otranto, +and born of Christian parents, was governor of all that part of +Arabia which is called <i>Yemen</i> by the natives, and resided +in <i>Sanaa</i> or <i>Zenan</i>, a city in the inland part of +Yeman or Arabia Felix, 60 leagues north of Mokha[402]. Sanaa +stands upon a hill encompassed with a good wall, and is thought +to have been founded by Ham the son of Noah, and to have been the +residence of the famous queen of Sheba. The fruitful province in +which it stands was called by the ancients <i>Siria +Muinifera</i>, because it produces frankincense, myrrh, and +storax. Being desirous to plunder <i>Maskat</i> near Cape +Ras-al-gat, Mirazenam sent three Turkish gallies on that errand +under Ali Beg, who took possession of Maskat, whence most of the +Portuguese residents saved themselves by flight, leaving their +goods to be plundered by Ali Beg. The fugitives took refuge in +<i>Mataro</i>, a town only a league distant, whence they went to +<i>Bruxel</i>, a fort about four leagues inland, belonging to +<i>Catani</i> the sheikh or chief of a horde or tribe of Arabs. +The Arab officer who commanded there received the Portuguese with +much kindness and hospitality, and protected them till the +departure of Ali Beg, when they returned to Maskat. On learning +the ruin of Maskat, Gonzalo de Menezes, who then commanded at +Ormuz, sent Luis de Almeyda with a squadron consisting of a +galleon, a galley, and six other vessels, with 400 good men, to +attack Ali Beg. But Almeyda neglected the orders of his superior, +and sailed to the coast of the <i>Naytaques</i>, intending to +surprise and plunder the beautiful and rich city of +<i>Pesani</i>[403]. But the inhabitants got notice of their +danger and fled, after which Almeyda dishonourably plundered the +city, to which he set fire, together with near fifty sail of +vessels which were in the bay. He did the same thing to +<i>Guadel</i> or <i>Gader</i>, a city not inferior to Pesani, and +to <i>Teis</i> or <i>Tesse</i> belonging to the barbarous tribe +of the <i>Abindos</i> who dwell on the river <i>Calamen</i> in +<i>Gedrosia</i>[404], and who join with the <i>Naytagites</i> in +their piracies.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 402: Sanaa is about 80 marine leagues, or +278 English miles N.E. from Mokha, and 30 leagues, or about 100 +miles nearly north from Makulla, the nearest port of Arabia on +the Indian ocean.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 403: Perhaps Posino on the oceanic coast of +Makran, one of the provinces of Persia, is here meant, nearly +north from Maskat, on the opposite coast of the entrance towards +the Persian Gulf.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 404: Gedrosia the ancient name of that +province of Persia on the Indian Ocean between the mouth of the +Persian Gulf and the Indus, now called Mekran or +Makran.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION X.</p> + +<p><i>Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from 1581 to +1597</i> [405].</p> + +<p>Don Francisco Mascarenhas, count of Santa Cruz, was the first +viceroy sent out to India after the revolution by which Philip II +of Spain acquired the sovereignty of Portugal. The honour and +advantages conferred upon him on receiving this important office +were greater than had ever been enjoyed by any of his +predecessors. He well deserved all rewards of honour and profit, +having served with great reputation in India, particularly in the +brave defence of Chaul, with an incompetent garrison, and hardly +any fortifications, against the power of the Nizam, who besieged +it with 150,000 men. Yet his advancement on this occasion +proceeded more from the policy of the king of Spain than the +merit of Mascarenhas, to endeavour to gain the hearts of the +Portuguese in India by his bounty. On his arrival at Goa in 1581, +the new viceroy found that all the Portuguese had already +submitted to the government of the king of Spain, so that he had +only to attend to the usual affairs of his viceroyalty.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 405: We have here omitted from de Faria +several long and confused dissertations on subjects that will be +treated of more satisfactorily in the sequel of this work, from +better sources of information. These are, 1. Of the religion of +Hindostan. 2. Of the empire of Ethiopia, or Abyssinia. 3. Of +Japan. 4. Of China. 5. Of the traditions respecting the preaching +of Christianity in India by St Thomas. Likewise, in the sequel of +the Portuguese transactions in India from de Faria, we have +omitted a vast deal of uninteresting events, confining our +attention only to such as are of some relative +importance.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Sultan Amodifar, the lawful king of Guzerat, after being long +kept prisoner by the Mogul who had usurped his kingdom, made his +escape by the assistance of some women and came in disguise to a +Banian at Cambaya, by whom he was conveyed to <i>Jambo</i>, a +person who had secured himself in a portion of the kingdom of +Guzerat in the late revolution. Jambo not only acknowledged +Amodifar as his legitimate sovereign, but procured the submission +of many other chiefs and great men, so that he was soon at the +head of a large army, in which there were above 30,000 horse, and +in a short time Amodifar recovered possession of almost all +Guzerat, either by force or consent. In hopes of profiting by +these confusions, and in particular expecting to acquire +possession of Surat, the viceroy went with 40 sail to Chaul, +whence he sent some intelligent agents to Baroach, which was then +besieged by Amodifar, the wife and children of Cotub oddin Khan +having taken refuge in that place. These agents had instructions +to treat secretly both with Amodifar and the wife of Cotub, +without letting either of them know the correspondence with the +other, that the Portuguese interest might be secured with the +party that ultimately prevailed. But a large Mogul army invaded +Guzerat and recovered possession of the whole country, so that +the negociations of the viceroy fell to nothing, and be returned +to Goa. While absent from that city, the subjects of the new king +of Visiapour, provoked by the insolences of Larva Khan the +favourite minister, wished to set up Cufo Khan the son of Meale +Khan, who had been long kept prisoner at Goa; but on this coming +to the knowledge of Larva Khan, he contrived, by means of an +infamous Portuguese, named Diego Lopez Bayam, to inveigle Cufo +Khan into his power, who thinking to gain a crown was made +prisoner by Larva Khan and deprived of his eyes.</p> + +<p>After Don Francisco de Mascarenhas had enjoyed the viceroyalty +for three years, Don Duarte de Menezes came out in 1581 as his +successor. His first measure was to restore peace at Cochin, +where a revolt was threatened by the natives in consequence of +the Portuguese having usurped the management of the custom-house +to the prejudice of the Rajah; but an accommodation was now +entered into, and the people appeased by restoring matters to +their ancient footing. The <i>naik</i> of Sanguicer, a place +dependent upon the king of Visiapour, having converted his place +of residence into a nest of pirates, to the great injury of the +Portuguese trade on the coast of Canara, an agreement was entered +into with the king of Visiapour for his punishment; the governor +of Ponda named Kosti Khan being to march against him by land with +40,000 men, while the Portuguese were to attack the naik by sea. +This was accordingly executed, and the naik being driven to take +refuge is the woods, implored mercy, and was restored to his +ruined district.</p> + +<p>Some years before the present period a prodigious inundation +of Kafrs or Negro barbarians from the interior of Africa invaded +the country of Monomotapa, in multitudes that were utterly +innumerable. They came from that part of the interior in which +the great lake of <i>Maravi</i> is situated, out of which springs +the great rivers whose source was formerly unknown. Along with +this innumerable multitude, a part of whom were of the tribes +called <i>Macabires</i> and <i>Ambei</i>, bordering upon +Abyssinia, came their wives, children, and old people, as if +emigrating bodily in search of new habitations, from their own +being unable to contain them. They were a rude and savage people, +whose chosen food was human flesh, only using that of beasts in +defect of the other; and such was the direful effect of their +passage through any part of the country, that they marked their +way by the utter ruin of the habitations, leaving nothing behind +but the bones of the inhabitants. When these failed them, they +supplied their craving hunger by feeding on their own people, +beginning with the sick and aged. Even their women, though ugly +and deformed, were as hardy and warlike as their husbands, +carrying their children and household goods on their backs, and +going armed with bows and arrows, which they used with as much +courage and dexterity as the men. These barbarians used defensive +armour, and even employed the precaution of fortifying their camp +wherever they happened to halt. While passing the castle of +<i>Tete</i> upon the Zambeze in the interior of Mocaranga, Jerome +de Andrada who commanded the Portuguese garrison sent out against +them a party of musketeers, and in two encounters killed above +5000 of them, while the multitude fled in the utmost dismay, +having never, before experienced the effects of fire arms. +Passing onwards from thence, the barbarous multitude came to the +neighbourhood of Mozambique, destroying every thing in their +course like an inundation of fire; and as the situation appeared +inviting to one of their chiefs named <i>Mambea</i>, who +commanded about 6000 warriors, he built a fort and some towns on +the main, about two leagues from Mozambique. As the fort of +Cuama, where Nuno Vello Pereyra commanded, was much incommoded by +the neighbourhood of these barbarians, he sent out Antonio +Pimentel against them with 400 men, four only of whom were +Portuguese, who falling unexpectedly on the barbarians slew many +of them and burnt the fort; but retiring in disorder, the enemy +fell upon Pimentel and his men, all of whom they slew except +three Portuguese and a small number of negroes. All the slain +were devoured by the victorious Kafrs, except their heads, hands, +and feet.</p> + +<p>The country about Mozambique is full of orchards and fruit +trees, especially citrons, lemons, and oranges, and has all kinds +of wild and tame beasts like those in Europe, together with +prodigious numbers of elephants. The principal food of the people +is maize. The woods mostly consist of ebony, being a very lofty +tree with leaves like those of our apple trees, and fruit +resembling medlars, but not eatable, the whole stem and branches +being thickly covered with thorns. The bark is as susceptible of +fire as tinder, and when one of these trees is cut down it never +springs up again. There is another sort of a yellowish colour, +which is reckoned valuable. The best manna is produced in this +country. Among the fish of this river is one equally voracious +with the crocodile, from which no man escapes that gets within +their reach, but they never injure women. One of these of a +prodigious size was caught having gold rings in its ears, which +was supposed to have been done as some species of witchcraft or +incantation by the Kafrs to clear the river from these dangerous +animals. In confirmation of this opinion, we read in an Arabian +author named <i>Matude</i>, giving an account of prodigies, that +about the year 863 a brazen crocodile was found under the ruins +of an Egyptian temple, on which certain characters or symbolical +letters were impressed, and when this image was broken in pieces +the crocodiles of the Nile began again to devour men.</p> + +<p>During the viceroyalty of Don Duarte de Menezes fresh troubles +broke out in the kingdom of Visiapour, in consequence of which +the Moguls invaded the country, and after laying it waste to a +great extent possessed themselves of many of its towns cities and +districts. The occasions of these troubles was this: The king +being ill of a contagious distemper, his two favourite ministers, +Acede Khan and Calabate Khan, kept him concealed in the palace, +so that no person was allowed to see him. The prince and the +people had recourse to arms, in order to force these tyrants to +admit them into the kings presence; on which they persuaded the +infirm king that the prince wished to depose him, so that the +king went to war against the prince, and defeated him with great +slaughter, upon which the Moguls were called in to their +assistance, and used the opportunity to plunder the country and +appropriate it to themselves.</p> + +<p>Towards the close of the viceroyalty of Don Duarte de Menezes, +Raju who had usurped the sovereignty of Ceylon, determined upon +making a conquest of the Portuguese fortress of Columbo, with a +view of expelling them from that island. For this purpose he +collected an immense army, in which were 50,000 soldiers, 60,000 +pioneers, and nearly as many artificers of various descriptions, +with 2200 elephants, 40,000 oxen, 150 pieces of cannon, and +50,000 intrenching tools, axes, shovels, spades, and mattocks, +with an innumerable quantity of spare arms and ammunition; among +which were two wooden castles built upon enormous carriages, each +of which had nine wheels. Added to all which he had nearly 500 +craft of different kinds. Before proceeding upon this expedition, +he deemed it proper to consult the idols respecting its success; +and on this occasion he secretly placed men behind the idols, who +answered to his supplications for a favourable termination to his +great design, <i>If you, would take Columbo you must shed +innocent blood!</i> The people were astonished at this familiar +and direct intercourse between their idols and their prince; and +he, pretending obedience to the divine commands which they had +all heard, caused 500 children to be taken from the arms of their +mothers, all of whom were sacrificed, and the idols sprinkled +with their blood.</p> + +<p>After all his preparations were completed, he marched with his +prodigious army and invested Columbo, choosing the ground which +he deemed most advantageous, as the garrison was not sufficiently +strong to contend with him in the field. Joam de Britto, who then +commanded in Columbo, had sent intimation of his danger to the +other Portuguese possessions, and had arranged every thing for +defence as well as he could. To defend the place against the vast +army by which he was now assailed, he had only 300 Portuguese, a +third of whom were useless, as being old men or children; besides +whom he had 700 armed natives and slaves. This incompetent force +he posted to the best advantage around the walls, which were far +too extensive, reserving 50 picked men to attend upon himself to +give relief wherever it was most needed. After the commencement +of the siege, Raju spent a whole month in draining a lake which +secured one side of Columbo from being assailed, and as the +Portuguese had several boats on the lake, there were frequent +skirmishes in which the enemy suffered considerable loss. The +side of the fort which had been covered by the lake was much +weakened by the drawing off its water, which had been its chief +defence on that side. In consequence of the advices sent by Brito +to the commanders of the neighbouring forts, reinforcements were +prepared at different quarters. The first relief, consisting of +40 men, was sent by Juan de Melo the commander of Manaar, under +the command of his nephew Ferdinand de Melo, who likewise brought +a supply of ammunition; and Ferdinand was posted with his men to +strengthen the defence upon the side towards the drained +lake.</p> + +<p>On the 4th of August before day-light [406], Raju advanced in +silence to give the first assault, but was discovered by the +lighted matches of his musqueteers. The enemy applied their +scaling ladders at the same time to the three bastions of St +Michael, St Gonzalo, and St Francisco, while 2000 pioneers fell +to work below to undermine the works. Many of the assailants were +thrown down from their ladders on the heads of the workmen +employed below, while numbers of the enemy who were drawn up in +the field before the town were destroyed by the cannons from the +walls. Everywhere both within and without, the fort resounded +with the cries of women and children, and the groans of the +wounded, joined to the noise of the cannon and musquetry and the +shrill cries of elephants, which, forced to the walls by their +conductors, were driven back smarting with many wounds, and did +vast injury in the ranks of the besiegers. Such was the multitude +of the enemy that they did not seem lessened by slaughter, fresh +men still pressing on to supply the places of the killed and +wounded. Brito was present in every place of danger, giving +orders and conveying relief, and after a long and arduous +contest, the enemy at length gave way, leaving 400 men dead or +dying at the foot of the walls. During this assault, some +Chingalese who had retired into the fort to escape the tyranny of +Raju, fought with as much bravery as the Portuguese. Twice +afterwards, Raju made repeated attempts to carry the place by +escalade, but was both times repulsed with much slaughter. After +which he repaired his entrenchments, and prepared to renew the +assaults.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 406: The date of the year is omitted by +DeTaria, who, always rather negligent of dates, now; hardly ever +gives any more light on this subject than the years in which the +respective viceroys and governors assumed and laid down their +authorities. The siege therefore must have happened between 1584 +and 1588, during the government of Duarte de +Menezes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After the commencement of the siege Diego Fernandez Pessoa +came from Negapatnam with a ship of his own, and Antonio de +Aguilar brought another ship, by means of which the besieged were +much encouraged. Don Joam de Austria the <i>Modeliar</i> of +Candea[407], and the <i>Arache</i> Don Alfonzo, did at this time +eminent service against the enemy; and a soldier of vast +strength, named Jose Fernandez, having broken his spear, threw +several of the enemy behind him to be slain by those in his rear. +On learning the danger of Colombo, the city of Cochin fitted out +six ships for its relief, with a supply of men and ammunition, +which were placed under the command of Nuno Alvarez de Atouguia. +Before their arrival, Raju gave another general assault by sea +and land, in which the danger was so pressing that even the +religious were forced to act as officers and soldiers to defend +the walls, and the enemy were again repulsed with great +slaughter. Immediately after this the relief arrived under +Atouguia from Cochin, and nearly at the same time arrived from St +Thomases and other places several ships brought by private +individuals of their own accord; and in September six ships and a +galley arrived with reinforcements from Goa under Bernardin de +Carvallo. On the arrival of such numerous reinforcements, Raju, +giving up all hopes of carrying the place by assault, endeavoured +to undermine the walls; but this attempt was effectually +counteracted by Thomas de Sousa, who found out a way of +destroying the miners while engaged in the work.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 407: It will be afterwards seen in the +particular history and travels in Ceylon, that this person was +the native sovereign of the central region or kingdom of Ceylon, +called Candy or Candea from the name of the capital, who had +acquired the same in the text in baptism.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Foiled in all his attempts to gain possession of Columbo, Raju +now endeavoured to attain his end by treachery, and prevailed on +some of his wizards to pretend discontent, and desert to the +town, that they might poison the water in the garrison and +<i>bewitch</i> the defenders. Being suspected, these men were put +to the torture; on which they confessed their intentions, and +were put to death. "While one of the wizards was on the rack, he +uttered certain mysterious words which deprived the executioners +of their senses, and left them struggling under convulsions for +twenty-four hours." Treachery failing, Raju had again recourse to +open force, and ordered his fleet to attack that of the +Portuguese commanded by Thomas de Sousa; but two of the Ceylon +ships were sunk and two taken, in which most of the men were +slain, and those who survived were hanged at the yard-arms. In +this naval battle 300 of the enemy were slain, with the loss of +two men only on the side of the Portuguese. Raju was so enraged +at the bad success of the naval attack, that he ordered two of +his principal sea-officers to be beheaded. Soon after this a ship +arrived with ammunition sent by the viceroy, and the enemy made +another assault by night on the works, in which, as in all the +others, they were beat off with great slaughter. After this, Juan +de Gamboa arrived in a galley with a reinforcement of 150 men; +and De Brito finding himself now confident in the strength of his +garrison, sent out Pedro Alfonzo with a squadron to destroy the +towns on the coast belonging to the enemy. In this expedition, +the towns of Belicot, Berberii, and Beligao were plundered and +burnt, and the Portuguese in their haste to get possession of the +pendents and bracelets of the women barbarously cut off their +hands and ears. After making prodigious havock in many other +places, Alfonzo returned to Columbo with mach spoil and many +prisoners.</p> + +<p>At this time sickness attacked the garrison of Columbo, and +threatened to do more for Raju than all his force had been able +to effect. The disease, which began in the neighbouring towns and +spread to Columbo, baffled every attempt of the physicians for +its cure. On opening some who died of it, the entrails were found +impostumated, which was supposed owing to uncommon heat and +drought, which had prevailed that year beyond any other in +remembrance of the people. By the application of <i>cold and +dry</i> remedies the disease decreased. By the beginning of +January[408] Raju made two other attempts to gain Columbo by +assault, in the last of which the bastions of St Sebastian, St +Gonzalo, and St Jago were in great danger, but the enemy were +repulsed in both with great slaughter. In the meanwhile the fleet +was again sent out under the command of Thomas de Sousa, who +ravaged the coast of Ceylon, and destroyed the villages of +Coscore, Madania, Guinderem, Gale, Beligao, Mature, and Tanavar. +To this last place the idolaters had imagined the Portuguese arms +could never penetrate, as protected by the supposed sanctity of a +pagoda in its neighbourhood. This pagoda was situated on a hill +near the town, and appeared from sea like a city. It was above a +league in circumference, ornamented with numerous domes, all of +which were covered with copper splendidly gilt. In this pagoda +there were above 1000 idols in the several chapels or large +cloisters; the temple being surrounded with streets full of shops +for the supply of the pilgrims and votaries who resorted thither +from all quarters. Taking possession of this temple, Sousa cast +down and destroyed all the idols, demolished all the curious +workmanship of the pagoda, and carried away every thing that +could be removed, after which he killed some cows in its most +sacred recesses, which is the greatest possible profanation in +the opinion of the idolaters.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 408: Probably of the year 1588; as the +death of the viceroy, who died in that year, is soon afterwards +mentioned by De Faria.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Among the prisoners taken at Cascore was a young woman who +happened to be a bride. When the ships were about to weigh +anchor, a young man came hastily to the place where the young +woman was, and embraced her with much affection. By means of an +interpreter, it was learned that this man was her destined +husband, who had been absent when the town was attacked, and came +now to offer himself for a slave rather than live free in +separation from the woman of his affections. When this was told +to Sousa, he determined not to part such true lovers, and ordered +them to be both set at liberty; but they were so much affected by +this act of generosity, that they requested to remain in his +service. They lived afterwards in Columbo, where the man +faithfully served the Portuguese on many occasions.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had Sousa returned to Columbo from this last +expedition, when Raju decamped, and began to march away, but the +Portuguese fell upon the rear of his army, and cut off many of +his men. In the course of this siege, some say that Raju lost +10,000 men, while others restrict the loss to half of that +number. Besides the destruction of many towns, villages, and +ships, burnt, plundered, and destroyed, the cannon, prisoners, +and booty taken during this siege from the enemy were of +considerable value. By these losses, and his inability to gain +possession of Columbo with so large an army, Raju lost much +reputation among the neighbouring princes, who waited the success +of his preparations to declare for either side. The loss on the +side of the Portuguese during this siege, consisted of 140 men +slain, 50 only of whom were Portuguese; but 500 died of the +sickness formerly mentioned.</p> + +<p>On the day after the siege was raised, Don Paul de Lima came +to Columbo with a powerful reinforcement from the viceroy. Eight +days were spent in levelling the works which Raju had thrown up, +after which the damage done to the fort was repaired, and it was +furnished with a garrison of 600 men, plentifully supplied with +arms and ammunition. Soon after receiving the joyful news of the +glorious and successful defence of Columbo, the viceroy, Duarte +de Menezes, died of a violent sickness in the beginning of May +1588, to whom succeeded Emanuel de Sousa Coutinno, in virtue of a +patent of succession, being every way well qualified for the +office by his singular bravery and thorough experience in the +affairs of India.</p> + +<p>In the homeward fleet of this season Don Paul de Lima embarked +for Portugal in the ship called the St Thome, of which Stefano de +Vega was captain. While off the coast of Natal the ship sprung a +leak in the stern during a storm, and though all the rich +commodities with which she was freighted were thrown overboard, +it was found impossible to keep her afloat. In this extremity 120 +persons took to the boat, and had hardly put off when the ship +was swallowed up by the waves. Finding the boat overloaded, it +was found necessary to throw some of the people into the sea. At +length the boat reached the shore, on which <i>ninety-eight</i> +persons landed, several of whom were men of note with their +wives, and some friars, one of whom after confessing the people +who remained in the ship wished to have staid with them that he +might aid their devotions to the last. After landing, the women +put themselves into mens habits, after the Indian manner, for the +greater ease in travelling, and the whole company set off on +their march in good order, a friar going before carrying a +crucifix on high. The place where they landed was on that part of +the coast of <i>Natal</i> called by the Portuguese the country of +the <i>Fumos</i>, but by the natives the country of +<i>Macomates</i>, being inhabited by Kafirs of that name. It is +in the latitude of 27° 20' S. beyond the river of <i>Semin +Dote</i>, 50 leagues south of the bay of <i>Lorenzo +Marquez</i>[409]. All the lands of the Fumos belongs to the king +of <i>Virangune</i>[410], and extends 30 leagues into the +interior, bordering on the south with the country of +<i>Mocalapata</i>, which again extends to the river <i>St +Lucia</i>, in lat. 28° 15' S. and to the kingdom of +<i>Vambe</i>, which contains a great part of the <i>Terra de +Natal</i>[411]. From thence to the Cape of Good Hope, the natives +have no king, being ruled only by <i>ancozes</i> or chiefs of +villages. Next to the kingdom of <i>Virangune</i> to the north is +that of <i>Innaca</i>, towards the N.E. to the point of the bay +of <i>St Laurence</i>, in lat. 25° 45' S. opposite to which +are two islands, named <i>Choambone</i> and <i>Setimuro</i>, the +latter of which is uninhabited, and is the station of the +Portuguese who resort to this bay to purchase ivory. About this +bay many great rivers fall into the sea, as those named +<i>Beligane</i>, <i>Mannica</i>, <i>Spiritu Santo</i>, +<i>Vumo</i>, <i>Anzate</i>, and <i>Angomane</i>[412]. +<i>Anzate</i> runs long the edge of vast inaccessible mountains, +covered with herds of elephants, and inhabited by a gigantic race +of people[413]. In the latitude of 25° S. the river <i>De los +Reyes</i>, or <i>Del Ouro</i>, likewise named the river +<i>Inhampura</i> falls into the sea, to the west of which in the +interior are the kingdoms of <i>Innapola</i> and <i>Mannuco</i>. +From this place to Cape Corientes, the sea makes a great bay, +along which inhabit the <i>Mocaranges</i>, a nation much addicted +to thieving[414]. Opposite to Cape St Sebastian are the islands +of <i>Bazaruto</i> or <i>Bocica</i>, and not far from it the +kingdom of <i>Innabuze</i> which reaches to the river +<i>Innarigue</i>[415]. After which is the country of +<i>Pande</i>, bordering on <i>Monnibe</i>, which last extends to +<i>Zavara</i> in the interior. Near these are the kingdoms of +<i>Gamba</i> and <i>Mocuraba</i>, which last is near Cape +Corientes[416].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 409: If the latitude in the text could be +depended on, this shipwreck seems to have taken place on the +coast now occupied by the <i>Hambonaas</i>, near the small river +<i>Bagasie</i>, 85 miles south from the entrance into +<i>Delagoa</i> bay. The river of Semin Dote is probably that now +called <i>Mafumo</i>, which agrees with the country of +<i>Fumos</i> in the text; and the bay of Lorenzo Marquez may +possibly be <i>Delagoa</i>, though only 28 leagues north from the +latitude of the text, but there is no other bay of any importance +for 400 miles farther along this coast.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 410: In modern maps, the country along the +south side of the river <i>Mafumo</i>, is said to be the +dominions of <i>Capellah</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 411: To the south of the <i>Hambonaas</i> +at Delagoa bay, the coast of Natal is inhabited by the +<i>Tambookies</i> and <i>Koussis</i>. The river St Lucia still +remains in our maps in the latitude indicated, but the other +names in the text are unknown in modern +geography.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 412: Of these rivers only that of +<i>Manica</i>, called likewise <i>Spiritu Santo</i>, retains the +name in the text. That circumstance and the latitude indicated, +point out Delagoa bay as that called St Lawrence by De Faria; +unless we may suppose St Lawrence bay includes the whole bend +inwards of the coast from Cape Corientes to point St Lucia on the +coast of Natal, and that Delagoa bay, in the bottom of this large +sweep, is that formerly called the bay of Lorenzo +Marquez.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 413: No trace of Anzate can be found in +modern maps.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 414: The text in this place is assuredly +erroneous, as the Mocaranges have been formerly described by De +Faria as the ruling nation in Monomotapa, which runs along the +great bay of Sofala to <i>the north</i> of Cape +Corientes.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 415: Probably the country and river now +called Inhambane.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 416: These five last mentioned kingdoms, +probably named from the barbarous chiefs of roving savage tribes, +are now unknown to geography.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>After suffering much from hunger thirst and fatigue, the +survivors from the San Thome arrived at the town of +<i>Manica</i>, where they were courteously received by the king, +who offered them permission either to live in his town or in the +island where we have formerly said the Portuguese used to reside +during their trade for ivory on this coast, at which place they +might remain till the arrival of the Portuguese merchants[417]. +They preferred the island, where some of them died; and as they +were ill accommodated here, they passed over in boats to the +continent and renewed their weary pilgrimage to the northward, +but separated. Some got to the fort of <i>Sofala</i>, and others +to the town of the king of <i>Innaca</i>, where they found some +Portuguese traders who like themselves had suffered shipwreck. +After enduring great hardships, many of them died, and among +these was Don Paul de Lima. Those who survived, returned after a +long time to Goa, among whom were three ladies. Two of these, +Donna Mariana and Donna Joanna Mendoza dedicated themselves to a +religious life; but Donna Beatrix, the widow of Don Paul de Lima, +having conveyed her husbands remains to Goa, returned into +Portugal, and was afterwards married at Oporto.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 417: Manica is far inland, but the place +indicated in the text was probably near the mouth of the river of +that name, on the north, side of Delagoa bay.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In May 1591, Matthew de Albuquerque arrived in India as +viceroy. About this time the Portuguese met with a heavy loss in +Monomotapa in a war with the <i>Muzimbas</i>, a savage nation of +Kafrs. <i>Tete</i>, a fort belonging to the Portuguese high up +the river Zambeze, has the command of all the neighbouring +district for three leagues round, which is divided among eleven +native chiefs, who are all obliged to repair with their armed +followers to the fort when ordered by the Portuguese commandant, +to the number of 2000 men. Pedro Fernandez de Chaves, who +commanded in Tete, with these Kafrs and some Portuguese marched +against <i>Quisura</i> chief of the <i>Mumbos</i> at +<i>Chicaronga</i>, a town on the north of the Zambeze about 30 +miles from Tete. He defeated these Mumbos in battle and relieved +many prisoners who would otherwise have been slaughtered like +cattle for the shambles, as the Mumbos feed on human flesh. The +chief <i>Quisara</i> was slain, who used to pave the way to his +dwelling with the skulls of those be had overcome. About the same +time Andrew de Santiago, who commanded in <i>Sena</i>, another +Portuguese fort lower down the Zambeze, marched against the +<i>Muzimbas</i> a barbarous race of Kafrs on the river +<i>Suabo</i> which runs into the northern side of the Zambeze; +but found them so strongly fortified that he sent to Chaves for +aid. Chaves accordingly marched from <i>Tete</i> with some +Portuguese and the Kafrs under his command; but the Muzimbas fell +upon him unexpectedly and slew him and all his Portuguese, being +advanced a considerable way before the Kafrs, who got time to +escape. The victorious Muzimbas quartered the slain for food, and +returned to their fortified post. Next day the Muzimbas marched +out against Santiago, carrying the head of Chaves on a spear. +Santiago was so astonished at this sight that he endeavoured to +retire in the night, but was attacked by the Muzimbas in his +retreat, and he and most of his men slain. In these two +unfortunate actions, above 130 of the Portuguese were cut in +pieces and buried in the bellies of these savage cannibals.</p> + +<p>Don Pedro de Sousa commanded at this time in Mozambique; and +as Tete and Sena were under his jurisdiction, he set out with 200 +Portuguese soldiers and 1500 armed Kafrs to take revenge upon the +Muzimbas and succour the two forts on the Zambeze. He battered +the entrenchments of the barbarians to no purpose, and was +repulsed in an attempt to take them by assault. Having nearly +succeeded by raising a mount of fascines as high as the works of +the enemy, he was induced to desist by some cowards among his +men, who pretended that the fort of Sena was in danger of being +taken. He drew off therefore to its relief, and was attacked by +the Muzimbas who slew many of his men, and took all his cannon +and baggage. Yet the enemy offered peace, which was concluded. +Soon afterwards one of the chiefs of the Muzimbas, having +gathered about 15,000 men, marched to the southwards destroying +every thing in the way that had life, and invested <i>Quiloa</i>, +which he gained possession of through the treachery of one of the +inhabitants, and put all to the sword. After this he caused the +traitor and all his family to be thrown into the river, saying +that those who had betrayed their country deserved to die, yet +were unfit to be eaten, as they were venomous, and therefore fit +food for the fishes. The Mozimba chief endeavoured to destroy +Melinda in the same manner, but the sheikh was assisted by 30 +Portuguese, which enabled him to hold out till 3000 +<i>Mosseguejo</i> Kafrs came to his relief, when the Mozimbas +were defeated with such slaughter that only 100 of them escaped +along with their chief, after they had ravaged 300 leagues of +country.</p> + +<p>We now return to the affairs of India, where Chaul was again +besieged. <i>Malek</i>[418] had erected a new city opposite to +Chaul and bearing the same name, well peopled with Moors who +carried on an extensive trade, as it had an excellent port and +the inhabitants were famous silk-weavers. The commander of this +new city was an eunuch, who had been formerly a slave to the +Portuguese and now to Malek. Immediately to the north of the +Portuguese fortress of Chaul, from which it was divided by the +river of that name, is a noted promontory called <i>Morro</i>, on +which the eunuch took post with 4000 horse and 7000 foot, and +cannonaded the Portuguese fort of Chaul from that commanding +ground with 65 pieces of large cannon. These hostilities were +countenanced by the Nizam, though contrary to the peace which had +been established when Francisco Barreto was governor, but were +now justified by some complaints against the conduct of +Albuquerque the present viceroy, and in addition to, the siege of +Chaul several military parties belonging to the Nizam infested +the districts, dependent upon the Portuguese forts of Basseen and +Chaul. As the Moors considered the capture of Chaul to be near at +hand, seeing that their cannon had made considerable impression +on its walls, <i>fourteen</i> Mogul chiefs came to be present at +its reduction; but in a sortie made by the Portuguese, +<i>nine</i> of these were slain and <i>two</i> taken. Talador the +eunuch commander of the besiegers was wounded, and died soon +afterwards, as did a Turk who was next in command, on which +Farete Khan succeeded in the conduct of the siege, and gave the +Portuguese no respite by day or night, continually battering +their works with his powerful artillery. The garrison in Chaul +consisted of 1000 men, to which place Alvaro de Abranches brought +300 from Basseen and 200 from Salcete; and being now at the head +of 1500 Portuguese troops and an equal number of natives, so +brave and faithful that they often voluntarily interposed their +own bodies to protect their masters, Abranches appointed a day +for making an attack upon the enemy. Having all confessed, the +Portuguese embarked in a number of small vessels and crossed the +river after which they forced their way to the plain of Morro on +the top of the promontary, where the battle was renewed. Ten +elephants were turned loose by the Moors, in expectation that +they would force the Portuguese troops into disorder; but one of +these being severely wounded by a Portuguese soldier, turned back +and trampled down the enemy, till falling into the ditch he made +a way like a bridge for passing over. Another of the elephants +forcing his way in at a wicket in the works of the enemy, enabled +the Portuguese to enter likewise, where they slaughtered the +enemy almost without opposition. Some accounts say that 10,000 +men were slain on this occasion, and others say no less than +60,000. Farate Khan with his wife and daughter were made +prisoners, and only 21 Portuguese were slain in this decisive +action. The principal booty consisted of 75 pieces of cannon of +extraordinary size, a vast quantity of ammunition, many horses, +and five elephants. Farate Khan became a Christian before he +died, as did his daughter, who was sent to Portugal, but his wife +was ransomed.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 418: This unusual name seems from the +context to be here given to the Nizam-al-mulk or sovereign of the +Decan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>SECTION XI.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, from +1597 to 1612</i>.</p> + +<p>In May 1597, Don Francisco de Gama, count of Vidugueyra, +grandson to the discoverer, arrived at Goa as viceroy of India, +but carried himself with so much haughty state that he gained the +dislike of all men. During his government the scourge of the +pride and covetousness of the Portuguese came first into India, +as in the month of September news was brought to Goa that the two +first ships of the <i>Hollanders</i> that had ventured to +navigate the Indian seas had been in the port of <i>Titangone</i> +and were bound for the island of <i>Sunda</i>. In a grand council +held upon this important event, it was ordered to fit out a +squadron of two galleons, three gallies, and nine other vessels +to attack the intruders, and the command was given on this +occasion to Lorenzo de Brito, an ancient and experienced officer. +The two Holland ships did some small damage on the coast of +Malabar and other places, and when off Malacca fell in with six +ships bound from that place for India, commanded by Francisco de +Silva. They immediately engaged and fought the whole of that +afternoon and part of the night. Next morning the engagement was +renewed, and was repeated for eight successive days; till finding +themselves too weak, the Hollanders drew off and made for the +port of Queda, many of their men being slain and most of the rest +wounded. At that place they quitted the smallest of their ships +for want of men, and the other was afterwards cast away on the +coast of Pegu.</p> + +<p>In this same year 1597 the Hollanders fitted out a squadron of +eight ships at Amsterdam for India, with 800 men and provisions +for three years, under the command of the admiral Jacob Cornelius +van Nec. The object of this expedition, besides hostility to the +king of Spain, was that they might purchase the spices and other +commodities of Asia at a cheaper rate than they had hitherto been +accustomed to in Portugal. The fleet sailed from Amsterdam on the +13th of May 1598; arrived at Madeira on the 15th, and at the +Canaries on the 17th, where they both took in wine. On the 29th +they were in the latitude of 6° S. and passed the line on the +8th of June; <i>a wonderful swiftness, to me incredible</i>! On +the 24th July they saw the Cape of Good Hope, where three of the +ships were separated in a violent storm and arrived at the island +of <i>Banda</i> in <i>April</i>[419]. The other four ships under +the admiral discovered the island of Madagascar on the 24th of +August, coming to Cape St Julian on the 30th of that month. On +the 20th of September they came to the island of <i>Cerne</i> or +<i>Cisne</i>, in lat. 21° S. to which they gave the name of +<i>Mauritius</i>. Here they found tortoises of such magnitude +that one of them carried two men on its back, and birds which +were so tame as to allow themselves to be killed with sticks, +whence they concluded that the island was not inhabited. At Banda +they joined the other three ships, and having laded four with +spices they were sent away to Holland, while the other three went +on to the Moluccas. On the 21st January 1598, they discovered the +<i>Great Java</i>[420], and touched at the port of <i>Tuban</i>, +after which they came to <i>Madura</i> an island in lat. 2° +30' S. on the 27th of that month. At this place they endeavoured +to ransom some of their countrymen who had been cast away in +their former ships, and some others who had been made prisoners +for endeavouring to pass false money; but as the natives demanded +too high a ransom, they attempted to rescue them by force; but +two boats full of armed men being sunk in the attempt, they were +forced to comply with the terms demanded. They settled a trade at +Amboina, and two of the ships opened a factory at Banda, where +they loaded with spice and returned into Holland on the 20th of +April 1600. Those who were left in the remaining ship at Amboina +went to Ternate in the Moluccas where they were well received by +the king, and after procuring a lading of cloves returned +home.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 419: We have no means of correcting the +strange chronology of this voyage, <i>wonderful</i> even in the +opinion of De Faria. He names the Dutch Admiral <i>Neque</i>; but +as <i>qu</i> in Portuguese is used to mark the sound of <i>k</i> +or hard <i>c</i>, we have ventured to give this first successful +rival of the Portuguese trade in India the name of <i>Van +Nec</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 420: Borneo is probably here meant, as they +could not have been in Banda without seeing both Sumatra and +Java.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Don Alexius de Menezes archbishop of Goa went about this time +to visit the Christians of St Thomas, who lived dispersedly in +the mountains of Malabar, in <i>Muli</i>, <i>Turubuli</i>, +<i>Maota</i>, <i>Batimena</i>, <i>Diamper</i>, <i>Pimienta</i>, +<i>Tetemute</i>, <i>Porca</i>, <i>Paru</i>, and <i>Cartuti</i>. +These Christians continued stedfast at the faith till about the +year 750, yet with some tincture of error. About the year 810 the +second <i>Thomas</i>, formerly mentioned, came to this country, +where he repaired the churches that had been erected by the +apostle and restored the true doctrine; but about the year 900 +this church was overrun by the <i>Nestorian</i> heresy. In the +year 890 two <i>Chaldeans</i> came here from <i>Babylon</i>, +named <i>Mar Xarsio</i> and <i>Mar Prod</i>, who divided the +district into two bishoprics, and were ever afterwards prayed to +as saints, till our archbishop ordered this to be discontinued, +as he much suspected they had not been legitimately canonized. +After these Chaldeans came one <i>Mar Joanne</i>, who was sent by +the Greek Patriarch, and resided at <i>Cranganor</i> where he +introduced the <i>Chaldean</i> ritual. His successor was <i>Mar +Jacob</i>, who died in 1500, and was succeeded by <i>Mar +Joannato</i>. Thus the bishops and heresies continued among the +<i>Thomists</i> till 1536, when Pope Paul IV. appointed Juan +Bermudez patriarch of <i>Ethiopia</i>, Simin Sulacca bishop of +<i>Caheremit</i> the metropolis of <i>Mesopotamia</i>, <i>Mar +Elias</i> as patriarch of <i>Mosul</i>, and <i>Mar Joseph</i> +bishop of Nineveh, whom he ordered to govern the Christians of +Malabar, with the bishop <i>Ambrose Montecelli</i> for his +coadjutor. By this interference of the Pope there were two +patriarchs of the East, one <i>orthodox</i> at <i>Mosul</i>, and +the other <i>heretical</i> at Antioch. Joseph and Ambrose went +over to the mountains of Malabar, to assume the pastoral charge +of the Thomists; but the latter separated from the former and +went to Goa, where after reading divinity for some time he died +at Cochin in the year 1557. As Don George Temudo bishop of Cochin +perceived that Joseph <i>spread the poison of Nestorius</i> among +his flock in Malabar, he contrived to have him apprehended and +sent in chains to Portugal, were he was permitted to return to +his bishopric on promise of amendment[421]. On his return he +found <i>Mar Abraham</i> officiating as bishop of the Thomists, +who had chosen him in the absence of Joseph; and as Abraham found +himself persecuted, or disturbed in the exercise of his functions +by Joseph, he went to Rome where he got a brief from Paul IV. +appointing him bishop of the Thomists, having engaged to reduce +that people to the orthodox faith. Yet neither he nor Joseph +adhered to their engagements, but continued in their heresies. +After this one <i>Mar Simon</i> came to Malabar, saying that he +was sent by the patriarch of Babylon to officiate as bishop of +Malabar. He was received by the queen of Pimienta and placed at +<i>Cartuse</i>, where he exercised episcopal functions; till +<i>being carried</i> to Lisbon he was sent thence to Rome, where +he was condemned by Pope <i>Sixtus Quintus</i> as a mere +Nestorian and not even a priest. After the death of <i>Mar +Abraham</i> his archdeacon governed the diocese, <i>as no +Babylonian prelates dared to come to Malabar</i>, Don Alexius, +the archbishop of Goa, using his utmost endeavours to keep out +all such heretical prelates, which was the particular occasion of +his present visitation.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 421: Under this story we may presume +without any lack of Christian charity, that these promises were +extorted by means best known to the inquisition, that diabolical +instrument of the pretended disciples of the Prince of Peace, and +eternal opprobrium of the Peninsula. With regard to Joseph there +was some shadow of excuse, as he seems to have accepted his +appointment from the <i>orthodox</i> pope, though secretly +attached to the <i>heretical</i> Nestorian +patriarch.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>This prelate found that, among other errors, the Thomists +denied the virginity of our blessed lady[422]: They rejected the +use of images: they believed the souls of the just did not enjoy +the beatific presence of God till after the general judgment: +they allowed only of three sacraments, baptism, ordination and +the eucharist: instead of confession they used perfuming in their +churches: the wine employed in the sacrament was made from +cocoas: their host was a cake made with oil and salt: their +priests were ordained at seventeen years of age, and were +permitted to marry after ordination: fathers, sons, and grandsons +administered the sacrament in the same church: the +<i>Catatorias</i> or <i>Caffaneras</i>, so they called the wives +of priests, wore a distinguishing mark to be known by: in +matrimony, they used no other formalities except the consent of +parties and consummation: the women observed the time prescribed +by the law of Moses in regard to churching: no sacraments were +administered gratuitously: holy water was mixed with some powder +of frankincense, and some of the soil on which St Thomas was +supposed to have trodden: they used sorcery and witchcraft: In +fine, that all was error, confusion, and heresy.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 422: This probably refers to her supposed +immaculate purity even after the birth of the +Saviour.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Don Alexius with much labour and toil convinced them of their +errors and converted them to the true faith, so that whole towns +were baptised and reconciled to the Roman see. He even held a +provincial synod at <i>Diamper</i>, all the decrees of which were +confirmed by the Pope; and Francisco Rodriguez, a Jesuit who had +assisted the archbishop on this important visitation, was made +bishop of that diocese. On the breaking up of the synod, Don +Alexius visited all the churches in these parts. While in the +country of the queen of <i>Changanate</i>, visiting the church of +<i>Talavecare</i>, one of the most ancient in those parts, they +shewed him three plates on which were engraven certain privileges +and revenues granted by the king of Ceylon, at the time when the +Babylonians <i>Zabro</i> and <i>Proo</i>[423], were in that +country. At this place likewise Don Alexius met <i>Topamuta +Pandara</i>, king of <i>Gundara</i>[424] in the neighbourhood of +<i>Changanate</i>, to whom he presented a letter from king Philip +giving him the <i>title of brother</i>, for having allowed +liberty for the exercise of the Christian religion in his +dominions[425].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 423: Only a few pages before these men are +named <i>Xanio</i> and <i>Prod</i>; but we have no means of +ascertaining which are the right names.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 424: These petty kings of small districts +in the South of India are now known by the titles of Polygars; +and the hereditary female chiefs are stiled <i>Rana</i>. It is +prostituting the dignity of king to give that denomination to the +chiefs of small villages and trifling districts, often not so +large as parishes in Europe. They are mere temporary chiefs, +occasionally hereditary by sufferance; indeed such could not +possibly be otherwise, when all the larger dominions and even +empires have been in perpetual fluctuation from revolution and +conquest for at least 3000 years.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 425: The history of this ancient Christian +church of Malabar has been lately illustrated by the Christian +Researches of Dr Buchannan, who seems to have opened a door for +the propagation of the gospel in India infinitely promising, if +judiciously taken advantage of.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1596, a Moor, named <i>Pate Marcar</i> obtained +leave from the zamorin to build a fort in the peninsula of +Pudepatam, 77 leagues from Goa and 33 from Cochin, where was a +most convenient station for piratical paraos, to annoy the trade +of the Malabar coast; and having built a square fort at this +place, he went thither with all his kinsmen and followers, and +did much injury to the Portuguese and their allies, even making +incursions upon their maritime possessions, whence, on several +occasions, he carried off much spoil. Pate Marcar soon died, and +was succeeded in the sovereignty of the fort by his nephew +Mahomet Cuneale Marcar, who added greatly to the strength of the +fort; and foreseeing that the Portuguese might seek to be +revenged for the injuries they had sustained, he fortified the +town both by sea, and land, which he named <i>Cuneale</i> after +himself. On the land side he made a deep ditch with a double wall +above seven feet thick, flanked at regular distances with towers +called <i>zarames</i>, all of which were mounted with small +cannon. Between the two creeks forming the peninsula, he built a +strong wall with two towers to secure the town, and lined the +sea-shore with strong palisades; flanked by two bastions, one of +which considerably larger than the other, was mounted with heavy +cannon to defend the entrance of the harbour, which was farther +secured by a boom of masts strongly chained together. Having +thus, as he thought, provided a secure retreat, he continued his +uncle's enterprises against the Portuguese with much success, +assisting all their enemies against them, even robbing the +Malabar traders on the coast, and filled his residence with rich +plunder. The viceroy Albuquerque had endeavoured to destroy this +nest of pirates, so prejudicial to the Portuguese trade, and had +even prevailed on the zamorin to concur in the destruction of +Cuneale, so that a treaty had been entered into, by which the +zamorin engaged to besiege Cuneale by land, while the Portuguese +fleet attacked him by sea. Both parties provided according to +stipulation for this joint expedition; but it was postponed for +some time, in consequence of the change in the government by the +arrival of the Count of Vidigueyra as viceroy, and even by the +secret concurrence of the zamorin in the piracies of Cuneale, who +communicated to him a share of the plunder.</p> + +<p>At length, however, the zamorin became incensed against +Cuneale, who assumed the title of king of the Malabar Moors, and +lord of the Indian Sea; but chiefly because he had caused the +tail of one of his elephants to be cut off, and had used one of +his Nayres in a cruel and scandalous manner. Laying hold of this +favourable opportunity, the viceroy, De Gama, probably in 1598, +renewed the league with the zamorin against Cuneale, and sent +some light vessels under Ferdinand de Noronha to blockade the +entrance into the port of Cuneale, till a larger force could be +provided to co-operate with the zamorin, who was marching to +besiege it by land with 20,000 men and some cannon.</p> + +<p>That part of the western coast of India, which is properly +called the coast of Malabar, extends from Cananor to Cochin for +the space of 42 leagues. From Cananor it is two leagues to the +small island of <i>Tremapatan</i>, within which is a good river; +thence half a league to the river of <i>Sal</i>, thence one and a +half to the river <i>Maim</i>; one to the town of <i>Comena</i>, +a small distance beyond which are the towns of <i>Motangue, +Curiare</i>, and <i>Baregare</i>: thence to the river +<i>Pudepatan</i>; two leagues farther the town of +<i>Tiracole</i>; other two leagues the town of <i>Cotulete</i>; +one league from this the river <i>Capocate</i>; one league +farther <i>Calicut</i>; two more to the river <i>Chale</i>; two +to the city <i>Pananor</i>; two thence to <i>Tanor</i>; two more +to <i>Paranora</i>; one more to the famous river <i>Paniane</i>; +thence nine to <i>Paliporto</i>; four to the river of +<i>Cranganor</i>; and five more to <i>Cochin</i>. At the mouth of +the river <i>Pudepatan</i> the fort of <i>Cuneale</i> is seated +in a square peninsula formed by several creeks, and joined to the +land on the south side, the length of the four sides being about +a cannon shot each. Just within the bar there is sufficient water +for ships of some size, which may go about half way up the port; +beyond that it is only fit for <i>almadias</i> or boats. The +river runs first towards the north-east, then turning to the +south forms the peninsula in which the fort is built, the isthmus +being secured by a strong wall about a musket-shot in length, +reaching between the creek and the river, at the mouth of which +is the small island Pinale. The fort was large, strongly built, +well manned, and had abundance of cannon, ammunition, and +provisions.</p> + +<p>In this emergency, Cuneale was well provided for defence, +having a force of 1500 choice Moors, well armed, whom he +distributed to the different posts. The small vessels under +Noronha cannonaded the fort, principally on purpose to draw off +the attention of the Moors, that they might not interrupt the +zamorin on the land side, who was establishing his camp for the +purpose of the siege. At the same time, Noronha scoured the +coast, taking some of the piratical vessels belonging to Cuneale, +and preventing the introduction of provisions into the fort. +After some time, Don Luis de Gama, brother to the viceroy, +arrived with four gallies and 35 smaller vessels, ten more being +brought by private gentlemen at their own charge, and three full +of men and ammunition sent by the city of Cochin. Besides these, +there were two large barks mounted with heavy cannon to batter +the fort.</p> + +<p>The rajah of Cochin, being apprehensive that the great power +which was now employed against Cuneale might prove his ruin, by +uniting the zamorin his ancient enemy with the Portuguese, +circulated a report that the zamorin had entered into a secret +agreement with Cuneale to cut off the whole Portuguese when +engaged in the assault on the fort. The archbishop of Goa, who +was then at Cochin on his way to the Malabar mountains to visit +the Thomist churches, was at first much alarmed by this report, +fearing it might be true; but on mature consideration was +satisfied that it was only a political contrivance of the rajah, +and prudently advised the rajah to desist from the propagation of +any such false reports. He then assured the principal persons of +Cochin that their ships might safely proceed against Cuneale, yet +recommended that they should conduct themselves with much +caution. All the fleet being now united before the fort, it was +found that Cuneale had drawn up a line of armed galliots on the +edge of the water under the wall of his fort, in case of being +attacked that way. It was resolved in a council of war to force +an entrance into the river, after which to draw up the Portuguese +vessels in a line with their bows to the shore, that they might +cover the debarkation of the troops for the purpose of assaulting +the fort. This proposition was transmitted to Goa and approved by +the viceroy, yet Don Luis was persuaded by some gentlemen who +wished to disgrace him, to attack on the side of <i>Ariole</i>, +under pretence that the passage of the bar might prove fatal. At +this time the zamorin was battering the walls of the town or +<i>petah</i>, and desired that some Portuguese might be sent to +his assistance. Don Luis being suspicious, demanded hostages for +their safety, and accordingly six principal nayres were sent, +among whom were the rajahs of <i>Tanor, Chale</i>, and +<i>Carnere</i>, and the chief judge of Calicut. Don Luis then +sent 300 Portuguese under the command of Belchior Ferreyra.</p> + +<p>By previous concert, a combined assault was to be made on the +night of the 3d of May, the troops of the zamorin attacking on +the land side, and the Portuguese on the sea front, at the same +time, the signal for both to commence at once being by means of a +flaming lance. But Belchior Calaca, who was appointed to give the +signal, mistook the hour, and gave it too soon, so that every +thing fell into confusion. Immediately on seeing the signal, +Ferreyra, who commanded the Portuguese troops along with the +zamorin, fell on with his men and 5000 Nayres, but lost 28 of his +men at the first onset. Luis de Silva, who was appointed to lead +the van of the Portuguese sea attack with 600 men, though ready +and observing the concerted signal, did not move till past +midnight, which was the appointed hour, by which the enemy were +left free to resist the land attack with their forces undivided. +At length when it was towards morning, de Silva passed the creek +of <i>Balyzupe</i> with 500 men in 60 almadias or native boats. +But immediately on landing de Silva was slain, and his ensign +Antonio Diaz concealed his death by covering his body with the +colours, which he stripped for that purpose from the staff. Thus +landing without commander or colours, the Portuguese fell into +contusion, and the two next in command were both slain. Don Luis +de Gama, leaving his fleet under the next officer, had landed +with a reserve on the other side of the river opposite the fort, +but for want of boats was unable either to cross to assume the +command, or to send assistance. The Portuguese troops were forced +to retreat disgracefully with the loss of 300 men, most of whom +were drowned; though even in this confusion a part of them forced +their way into the fort and burnt the mosque and part of the +town, where, they slew 500 Moors and Malabars, above 20 of whom +were men of note. After this discomfiture, Don Luis de Gamu +retired to Cochin with the greater part of the fleet, leaving +Francisco de Sousa to continue the blockade, who persuaded the +zamorin to assault the town, as he believed the defenders had +been so much weakened by the late slaughter that it might be +easily carried. But though the zamorin gave the assault with 2000 +men, he was repulsed.</p> + +<p>On the receipt of these bad tidings at Goa, Don Luis de Gama +was ordered back to Cuneale, to settle a treaty with the zamorin, +and to continue the siege during the winter, till the Portuguese +fleet could return at the commencement of the next fine season. A +treaty to this effect was accordingly concluded, by one of the +articles of which the zamorin consented that the Christian +religion might be preached in his dominions, and churches +erected. After this Don Luis returned to Goa, whence he went to +command at Ormuz, and Ferdinand de Noronha remained before +Cuneale with twelve ships to prevent the introduction of +provisions or other supplies.</p> + +<p>Cuneale was so much elated by his success in repelling the +Portuguese, that, in addition to his former title, he stiled +himself <i>Defender of the Mahometan Faith and Conqueror of the +Portuguese</i>; but when the season returned for maritime +operations on the coast, the viceroy sent Andrew Furtado against +him with three gallies, 54 other vessels, and a powerful military +force. In the mean time Antonio de Noronha continued to blockade +the port all winter, taking several vessels laden with +provisions, and on different occasions slew above 100 Moors who +opposed him in taking fresh water for his ships. While on his way +from Goa, Furtado dissuaded the rajah of <i>Banguel</i> and the +queen or <i>rana</i> of <i>Olala</i> from sending aid to Cuneale +as they intended, and cut off five ships from Mecca that were +going with relief to the enemy. When Furtado came to anchor in +the port of Cuneale, he sent to treat with the zamorin, who had +continued the siege on the land side all winter according to his +engagement, and an interview took place between them on the shore +where the zamorin came to meet him. The zamorin was naked from +the waist upwards. Round his middle a piece of cloth of gold was +wrapped, hanging to his knees and fastened by a girdle of +inestimable value, about the breadth of a hand. His arms were +covered from the elbows to the wrists with golden bracelets +adorned with rich jewels, and so heavily laden that two men +supported his arms. He wore an extraordinarily rich chain about +his neck, and so many diamonds and rubies hung from his ears that +they were stretched down almost to his shoulders by their weight. +He seemed about 30 years of age, and had a majestic presence. A +little on one side stood the prince, carrying a naked sword. +Behind him were many of his nobles; among whom was father +Francisco Rodriquez, the new bishop of the Thomists in Malabar. +The zamorin and Furtado embraced in token of friendship, on which +all the cannon in the fleet fired a salvo. After this friendly +meeting they retired into the tent of the zamorin, where they had +a long conference about their future operations; and on taking +leave, Furtado put a rich collar about the neck of the zamorin, +and they parted in a most amicable manner.</p> + +<p>The rajah of Tanor and other great men were sent by the +zamorin on board the admiral ship, having full powers from their +sovereign to treat and conclude on all things concerning the +joint interests of both parties, and every thing was settled to +mutual satisfaction. There now arrived from Goa and other places, +a galley and galleon, with 11 ships and 21 smaller vessels, +bringing ammunition and 790 soldiers, upon which Furtado +commenced the active operations of the siege, raising +entrenchments and batteries, and taking absolute possession of +every avenue leading to the fort and peninsula by water. He +likewise caused some advanced works belonging to the enemy to be +assaulted, on which Cuneale came in person to assist in their +defence, and for a time repulsed the assailants, till Furtado +landed with a reinforcement, on which the Portuguese remained +victorious, slaying 600 of the Moors, with the loss of two +officers and nine privates on their side. Fort <i>Blanco</i> or +the white tower was next assaulted, but with more bravery than +success. Yet Cuneale seeing that he could not much longer hold +out, offered rich presents to the zamarin to admit him to +surrender upon security of his own life and the safety of his +garrison. But on this secret negociation coming to the knowledge +of Furtado, he made a furious assault on the works, which were at +the same time assailed on the land side by 6000 Nayres, by which +joint attack the lower town or petah was taken, plundered, and +burnt. Batteries were immediately erected against the upper town +and fort, and as their fire soon ruined the defences, Cuneale was +constrained to surrender at discretion, merely bargaining that +his life should be saved. He accordingly marched out having a +black veil on his head, and carrying his sword with the point +downwards, which he surrendered to the zamorin, who immediately +delivered it to Furtado. According to one of the articles of +agreement the spoil was to have been equally divided; but Furtado +dealt generously by the zamorin, alleging that this was to be +understood only in respect to the artillery, and appeased his own +soldiers who expected that reward of their labour. The fort and +all other works were levelled with the ground, and Furtado +returned with the fleet and army to Goa.</p> + +<p>Cuneale was about 50 years of age, of a low stature, but +strong and well made. He and his nephew <i>Cinale</i>, with other +forty Moors of note, were sent as prisoners on board the fleet, +where they well treated; but as soon as some of them were set on +shore at Goa, they were torn in pieces by the rabble; and Cuneale +and his nephew were both publicly beheaded by order of the +viceroy, so that the government and the mob went hand and hand to +commit murder and a flagrant breach of faith. How can those who +are guilty of such enormities give the name of barbarians to the +much more honourable Indians!</p> + +<p>In the year 1600, Ayres de Saldanna arrived at Goa as viceroy +to supersede the Count de Vidugueira, who was universally +disliked by the Portuguese inhabitants. The marble statue of the +great Vasco de Gama, his grandfather, stood over the principal +gate of the city, fastened to the wall by a strong bar of iron. +At the instigation of some enemies to the count, a <i>French</i> +engineer named Sebastian Tibao applied to the iron bar during the +night <i>a certain herb</i> that has the quality of eating iron, +so that the statue fell down next night, and its quarters were +hung up in different parts of the city. On the day when the count +was to embark for his return to Portugal, a party of armed men +went on board before him, and hung up his effigy at the yard arm, +made exactly like him both in face and habit. Just as he was +going on board they returned; and on seeing the effigy he asked +what it was, when someone answered, "It is your lordship, whom +these men have hung up." He made no reply, but ordered the figure +to be thrown into the sea and immediately set sail; but two days +afterwards had to return to port for a new stock of fowls, as all +these he took with him were poisoned. He was better beloved by +the elements than by those whom he had governed; for he went all +the way from India to Lisbon without once needing to furl a sail. +By the constant chafing of the yards on the masts, it was found +impossible to lower the yards in the usual way when the ship +arrived at Lisbon, insomuch that they had to be cut down. Sailing +from Goa on the 25th December 1600, he arrived at Lisbon on the +27th May 1601, having spent only five months on the voyage.</p> + +<p>During the administration of Ayres de Saldana, <i>Xilimixa</i> +king of Aracan, who had possessed himself of the kingdom of Pegu, +gave the port of <i>Siriam</i> to the Portuguese in grateful +acknowledgment of their services. That town and port is at the +mouth of the river Siriam which flows within a league of the city +of <i>Bagou</i>, the capital of Pegu. This grant was obtained by +Philip Brito de Nicote, who proved false and ungrateful to the +king of Aracan, who had raised him from the lowest rank to his +favour and esteem. By his persuasion, Xilimixa erected a +custom-house at the entry to the river Siriam to increase his +revenues; which Brito meant afterwards to seize, and to build a +fort there, on purpose to give a footing for the Portuguese to +conquer the kingdom. Xilimixa accordingly built the custom-house, +which he gave in charge to one <i>Bannadala</i> who fortified +himself and suffered no Portugeuse to enter there, except a +Dominican named Belchior de Luz. Nicote, seeing his purposes +likely to be defeated by Bannadala, determined to gain possession +by force before the works were completed. He had along with him +at this time three Portuguese officers and fifty men, whom he +ordered to surprize the fort and turn out Bannadala, trusting to +his great credit with Xilimixa to bear him out in this procedure. +The Portuguese officers accordingly executed their orders so +effectually, that they used to be called the Founders of the +Portuguese dominion in Pegu, and Salvador Ribeyro their commander +was like to have got the whole credit of the exploit, as some +even affirmed that he was its author, though in reality all was +due to Nicote. Bannadala being expelled from his fort, fortified +himself with 1000 men in a neighbouring island of the river +Siriam, and seized the treasures of the pagoda of Digan to +maintain his troops. Xilimixa was much offended by the conduct of +the Portuguese in this affair, and resolved to support Bannadala, +but was dissuaded by the contrivances of Nicote, who represented +that he was about to favour a sacrilegious robber, and offered to +arrange matters with the Portuguese to his entire satisfaction. +He accordingly went to Siriam, where he ordered every thing to +his own mind; and when the fort was nearly finished, he went to +Goa, where he offered to deliver up the fort to the viceroy, +whence the Portuguese might easily conquer the kingdom of his +master, to whom he represented his voyage to Goa as intended to +procure an auxiliary force which would enable him to make a +conquest of Bengal. At the same time Nicote negociated with all +the princes in the provinces adjoining the dominions of Xilimixa, +persuading them to confederate with the Portuguese viceroy, by +which means they might easily conquer the kingdom of Pegu; and +several of them sent ambassadors along with him to Goa for this +purpose.</p> + +<p>Hardly had Nicote set sail for Goa, when Xilimixa became +sensible of his error in confiding in him, and sent a fleet of +war boats down the river Siriam with 6000 men under Bannadala to +expell the Portuguese from their fort. Salvador Ribeyra met this +great armament with only three small vessels and thirty men, and, +without the loss of one man, took forty vessels of the enemy and +put the rest to flight. Then calling in the aid of the king of +<i>Pram</i>, Xilimixa beset the fort with 1200 vessels by water, +while 40,000 men surrounded it by land; but as Ribeyra learnt +that the enemy observed no order or discipline, he boldly fell +upon them with his handful of men, and having slain their general +put that army to flight. Bannadala rallied 8000 of the fugitives, +with which be again besieged the fort, lodging his men in good +order, and having battered the place for some days, he ventured +to make a fierce assault in the dead of night; but he was bravely +repelled by the Portuguese, and above 1000 of his men were found +dead next morning in the ditch. The enemy continued the siege +however for eight months, and though some of the garrison +deserted, Ribeyra defended the place with great resolution; and +to take away all hopes of escape from his men, burnt all the +vessels that were in the port. Hearing of these proceedings, +Ayres de Saldanna the viceroy, sent a considerable reinforcement, +along with which came so many volunteers, ambitions either of +honour or profit, that Ribeyra found himself at the head of 800 +men. With these he attacked the enemy, whom he drove from their +works with great slaughter, and Bannadala had the mortification +to see the works which he had been constructing for almost a year +destroyed in a day. After this success, the Portuguese volunteers +withdrew, only 200 that had been sent by the viceroy remaining in +the fort with Ribeyra.</p> + +<p>The enemy returned a fourth time against the fort, which they +now assailed with many moving castles and various kinds of fire +works, and soon reduced the fort to great extremity; but were so +terrified by a fiery meteor, that they fled leaving their castles +behind, which were soon reduced to ashes by the garrison. Soon +afterwards the Portuguese obtained a great victory over king +<i>Massinga</i> in the province of <i>Camelan</i>; after which +the natives flocked to their standard to the number of above +20,000 men, and proclaimed Nicote king of Pegu, calling him +<i>Changa</i>, which signifies good man. Nicote was at this time +absent, but Ribeyra accepted the proffered crown in his name, on +which account it was reported in Spain that Ribeyra had been +proclaimed king. Nicote afterwards, as a loyal subject, received +the kingdom in the name of his sovereign, and was the first of +the Portuguese that rose to such high fortune in Asia. Rodrigo +Alvarez de Sequeyra succeeded Ribeyra in command of the fort of +Siriam, and defended it bravely till it took fire by accident, +only the bare walls being left standing.</p> + +<p>In the mean time Nicote solicited succours at Goa, where the +viceroy married him to a niece he had born in Goa of a woman of +Java; after which he gave him powerful succours, and sent him to +Siriam with six ships, with the title of Commander of Siriam, and +General for the conquest of Pegu. On his arrival at Siriam, +Nicote repaired the fort, built a church, and sent a splendid +present to the king of Aracan who had sent a complimentary +message on his arrival. At Siriam Nicote regulated the +custom-house pursuant to the instructions of the viceroy, +obliging all vessels that traded on the coast of Pegu to make +entry at Siriam, and pay certain duties. As some of the +Coromandel traders refused obedience to these orders, Nicote sent +Francisco de Moura against them with six vessels, who took two +ships of Acheen on the coast of Tanacerim richly laden. As the +king of Aracan was desirous of recovering possession of the fort +and custom-house of Siriam, he sent an ambassador to the king of +<i>Tangu</i> with twenty <i>jalias</i> or small ships, to prevail +upon him to join in that enterprize. But Nicote sent Bartholomew +Ferreyra, who command the small craft, who put them to flight, +and they were forced to take refuge in the dominions of the king +of Jangona. Upon this, the enemy collected 700 small vessels and +40,000 men, under the command of the son of the king of Aracan, +accompanied by Ximicalia and Marquetam, sons to the reigning +emperor of Pegu. Paul del Rego went against them with seven ships +and a number of war boats, and defeated the prince with great +loss, taking all his vessels, and obliging him to make his escape +by land. After this Paul took the fort of <i>Chinim</i> with a +great number of prisoners, among whom was the wife of +Bannadala.</p> + +<p>At this time Nicote was abroad with fourteen small vessels, in +which were 60 Portuguese, and 200 Peguers; and learning that the +prince was on shore with 4000 men, 900 of whom were armed with +firelocks, he landed and attacked him, gaining a complete +victory, and even taking the prince. When the Peguers saw their +prince carried off, they were all eager to have accompanied him +into captivity, and entreated to be received into the Portuguese +vessels, such as were refused bewailing that they could not +follow, as prisoners, him whom they had served faithfully while +at liberty. On this occasion Nicote gave a notable example how +brave men ought to use their victories. Remembering that he had +formerly been slave to the prince who was now his prisoner, he +served him with as much respect as he had done formerly; watching +him while asleep, and holding his baskins in his hands with his +arms across, as is done by the meanest servants of princes in +that country, and continually attended him on all occasions.</p> + +<p>While these transactions were going on in Pegu, Don Martin +Alfonzo de Castro came to Goa as viceroy, to replace Ayres de +Saldanna, in 1604. Ximilixa, king of Aracan, sent to treat with +Nicote for the ransom of the prince, his son, and accordingly +paid 50,000 crowns on that account, although Nicote was ordered +by the viceroy to set the prince free without any ransom. +Ximilixa afterwards besieged Siriam in conjunction with the king +of Tangu, who brought a great army against the town by land, +while Ximilixa shut it up by sea with 800 sail, in which he had +10,000 men. Paul del Rego went against him with 80 small vessels; +and failing of his former success, set fire to the powder and +blew up his ship, rather than fall into the hands of the enemy. +The siege continued so long, that the garrison was reduced to +extremity, and on the point of surrendering, when the king of +Tangu retired one night with his army upon some sudden suspicion, +on which Ximilixa was likewise obliged to draw off with his +fleet. Several of the neighbouring princes were now so much +alarmed by the success of Nicote, that they solicited his +friendship, and to be admitted into alliance with the king of +Portugal. The first of these was the king of Tangu, and +afterwards the king of Martavan, who gave one of his daughters as +a wife to Simon the son of Nicote. Soon after, the king of Tangu +being overcome in battle by the king of <i>Ova</i>, and rendered +tributary, Nicote united with the king of Martavan, and invaded +the dominions of Tangu, though in alliance with that prince, took +him prisoner and plundered him of above a million in gold, +although he protested that he was a faithful vassal to the king +of Portugal.</p> + +<p>About this time another low adventurer, Sebastian Gonzalez +Tibao, raised himself by similar arts to great power in Aracan. +In the year 1605, Gonzalez embarked from Portugal for India, and +going to Bengal, listed as a soldier. By dealing in salt, which +is an important article of trade in that country, he soon gained +a sufficient sum to purchase a <i>Jalia</i>, or small vessel, in +which he went with salt to Dianga, a great port in Aracan. At +this period, Nicote, who had possessed himself of Siriam, as +before related, wishing to acquire Dianga likewise, sent his son +with several small vessels thither on an embassy to the king of +Aracan, to endeavour to procure a grant of that port. Some +Portuguese who then resided at the court of Aracan, persuaded the +king that the object of Nicote in this demand; was to enable him +to usurp the kingdom; upon which insinuation the son of Nicote; +and all his attendants were slain, after which the same was done +with the crews of his vessels, and all the Portuguese inhabitants +at Dianga, to the number of about 600 were put to death, except a +few who escaped on board nine or ten small vessels and put out to +sea. Among these was the vessel belonging to Sebastian Gonzalez, +who assumed the command; and as the fugitives were reduced to +great distress, they subsisted by plunder on the coasts of +Aracan, carrying their booty to the ports of the king of Bacala, +who was in friendship with the Portuguese.</p> + +<p>Not long before this had died Emanuel de Mattos, who had been +commander of <i>Bandel</i> of <i>Dianga</i>, and lord of +<i>Sundiva</i>[426], an island about 70 leagues in compass, the +subordinate command of which he had confided to a valiant Moor +named Fate Khan. On learning the death of Mattos, Fatecan +murdered all the Portuguese on the island of Sundiva, with their +wives and children, and all the Christian natives; and gathering +a considerable force of Moors and Patans, fitted out a fleet of +40 small vessels, which he maintained by means of the ample +revenue of the island he had now usurped. Understanding that +Sebastian Gonzalez and his small squadron was cruizing near +Sundiva, Fatecan went out to seek them with such assurance of +success, that he inscribed upon his colours, "Fate Khan, by the +grace of God, Lord of Sundiva, Shedder of Christian Blood, and +Destroyer of the Portuguese Nation." Sebastian and his companions +had put, into a river called <i>Xavaspur</i>, where they +quarrelled about the division of their spoil, and one Pinto +sailed away from the rest in disquiet; but meeting the fleet of +Fatecan, who had hoped to surprize the Christians he returned and +gave his companions notice of their danger. After a severe +conflict, the 10 small vessels in which were only 80 Portuguese, +proved victorious over the 40 vessels belonging to Fatecan, +though manned with 600 Moors, not a single vessel or man +escaping. After this great victory, the Portuguese agreed to +appoint Sebastian Gonzalez to command over the rest. Sebastian +entered into a treaty with the king of Bacala for his assistance +to reduce the island of Sundiva, engaging to pay him half the +revenues of that island, and accordingly procured from him some +vessels, and 200 auxiliary horse. Having likewise gathered a +number of Portuguese from Bengal and other parts, he saw himself, +in March 1609, at the head of 400 Portuguese troops, and had +mustered a fleet of 40 small ships. In consequence of the delay +necessary for making these preparations, the island of Sundiva +was provided for defence, under a brother of the late Fatecan, +who had raised a respectable force of Moors. Sebastian, however, +attempted its conquest, and had nearly been forced to desist for +want of provisions and ammunition, when he was reinforced by a +Spaniard named Gaspar de Pina, who brought 50 men to his aid, +after which they carried the fort by assault, and put all its +garrison to the sword. Having formerly been subject to the +Portuguese under de Mattos, the islanders immediately submitted +to Gonzalez, to whom they delivered upwards of 1000 Moors who +were scattered about the country, all of whom he put to death. +Thus Gonzalez became absolute master of the island, and was +obeyed by the natives and Portuguese like an independent +prince.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 426: It is highly probable, though not +mentioned by De Faria, that this Portuguese was in the service of +the king of Aracan, under whom he had held these offices. Sundiva +or Sundeep is a considerable island to the south-east of the +mouth of the Burrampooter, near the coast of Chittagong, and to +the east of the Sunderbunds or Delta of the +Ganges.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Gonzalez having now a considerable revenue at his command, +raised a respectable military force of 1000 Portuguese, 2000 well +armed natives, and 200 horse, with above 80 sail of small vessels +well provided with cannon. He erected a custom-house, and +encouraged the resort of merchants to his dominions, and became +so formidable that the neighbouring princes courted his alliance. +Insolent and ungrateful in the progress of his power, he not only +refused to give half the revenue of the island to the king of +Bacala according to agreement, but made war upon his benefactor, +from whom he conquered the islands of <i>Xavaspur</i>[427] and +<i>Patelabanga</i>, and other lands from other neighbouring +princes; so that he became suddenly possessed of vast riches and +great power, and acted as an independent sovereign, having many +brave men at his command. But such monsters are like comets that +threaten extensive ruin, yet last only for a short time, or like +the lightning, which no sooner expends its flash but it is gone +for ever.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 427: Shabapour is an island to the west of +Sundeep, at the principal mouth of the +Barrampooter.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>Soon after the elevation of Gonzalez to the sovereignty of +Sundiva, a civil war broke out between the king of Aracan and his +brother Anaporam, because the latter refused to resign a +remarkable elephant, to which all the other elephants of the +country were said to allow a kind of superiority. Being +unsuccessful in the contest, Anaporam fled to Gonzalez for +assistance and protection, who demanded his sister as an hostage. +Gonzalez and Anaporam endeavoured, in conjunction, to fight the +king of Aracan, who had an army of 80,000 men, and 700 war +elephants; but being unsuccessful, were obliged to retreat to +Sundiva, into which Anaporam brought his wife and family, with +all his treasure, and became a subject of Gonzalez, who soon +afterwards had the sister of Anaporam baptized, and took her to +wife. Anaporam soon died, not without suspicion of poison; and +Gonzalez immediately seized all his treasures and effects, though +he had left a wife and son. To stop the mouths of the people on +this violent and unjust procedure, he wished to have married the +widow of Anaporam to his brother Antonio Tibao, who was admiral +of his fleet, but she refused to become a Christian. Sebastian +continued the war against the king of Aracan with considerable +success; insomuch that on one occasion his brother Antonio, with +only five sail, defeated and captured 100 sail belonging to +Aracan. At length the king of Aracan concluded peace, and +procured the restoration of his brother's widow, whom he married +to the rajah of Chittigong.</p> + +<p>At this time, the Moguls undertook the conquest of the kingdom +of <i>Balua</i>[428], and as Gonzalez considered this conquest +might prove dangerous to his ill-got power, Balua being adjoining +to his own territories, he entered into a league with the king of +Aracan for the defence of that country. Accordingly, the king of +Aracan took the field with an immense army, having 80,000 of his +own native subjects, mostly armed with firelocks, 10,000 Peguers +who fought with sword and bucklers, and 700 elephants with +castles carrying armed men. Besides these, he sent 200 sail of +vessels to sea, carrying 4000 men, ordering this fleet to join +that of Gonzalez, and to be under his command. According to the +treaty, Gonzalez, with the combined fleet, was to prevent the +Moguls from passing to the kingdom of Balua, till the king of +Aracan could march there with his army for its protection; +besides which it was agreed, when the Moguls were expelled from +Balua, that half the kingdom was to be given up to Gonzalez; who, +on this occasion, gave as hostages, for the safety of the Aracan +fleet, and the faithful performance of his part of the treaty, a +nephew of his own, and the sons of some of the Portuguese +inhabitants of Sundiva.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 428: There still is a town named +<i>Bulloah</i>, to the east of the Barrampooter and directly +north of Sundeep, which may then have given name to a province or +small principality, of which Comillah is now the chief +town.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>According to treaty, the king of Aracan entered the kingdom of +Balua with his army, and expelled the Moguls; but Gonzalez did +not perform his part of the agreement in preventing the Moguls +from penetrating into that kingdom, some alleging that he had +been bribed by the Moguls to allow them a free passage, while, +according to others, he did so from revenge against the king of +Aracan, for the Portuguese who had been slain by that king in +<i>Bangael</i> of <i>Dianga</i>[429]. However this may have been, +Gonzalez was guilty of a most execrable treachery, as, by leaving +open the mouth of the river <i>Dangatiar</i>, he left a free +passage to the Moguls. After this he went with his fleet into a +creek of the island <i>Desierta</i>[430], and assembling all the +captains of the Aracan vessels on board his ship, he murdered +them all, seized all their vessels, and killed or made slaves of +all their men, after which he returned to Sundiva. Soon +afterwards the Moguls returned in great force to the kingdom of +Balua, where they reduced the king of Aracan to such straits that +he made his escape with great difficulty on an elephant, and came +almost alone to Chittigong. Immediately upon this discomfiture of +the Aracan army, which was utterly destroyed by the Moguls in +Balua, Gonzalez plundered and destroyed all the forts on the +coast of Aracan, which were then unprovided for defence, as +depending on the peace and alliance between their king and +Gonzalez; he even went against the city of Aracan, where he burnt +many merchant vessels, and acquired great plunder, and destroyed +a vessel of great size, richly adorned, and containing several +splendid apartments like a palace, all covered with gold and +ivory, which the king kept as a pleasure-yacht for his own use. +Exasperated against Gonzalez for his treachery, the king ordered +the nephew of that lawless ruffian, who was in his power as a +hostage, to be be impaled. But Gonzalez, being a person utterly +devoid of honour, cared not at whose cost he advanced his own +interests; yet the guilt of so many villanies began to prey upon +his conscience, and he became apprehensive of some heavy +punishment falling upon him, which he had little means to avert, +as all men considered him a traitor unworthy of favour; those of +Aracan, because he had betrayed them to the Moguls; and the +Moguls, because he had been false to those that trusted him. He +afterwards met his just reward under the government of Don Jerom +de Azevedo[431].</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 429: Perhaps the island now called Balonga +on the coast of Aracan.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 430: Probably a desert or uninhabited +island among the Sunderbunds, in the Delta of the Ganges. Indeed +the whole geography of this singular story is obscure, owing to +the prodigious change in dominion and names that have since taken +place in this part of India.--E.]</blockquote> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 431: Owing to the want of interest in the +transactions of these times, as related in the Portuguese Asia, +and the confused arrangement of De Faria, we have in this place +thrown together the principal incidents in the extraordinary rise +of these two successful adventurers, Nicote and Gonzalez, leaving +their fate to be mentioned in the succeeding +section.--E.]</blockquote> + +<p>The Hollanders, becoming powerful at the Molucca islands, and +forming an alliance with these islanders, who were weary of the +avarice and tyranny of the Portuguese, expelled them from Amboyna +and established themselves at Ternate, whence the Portuguese had +been formerly expelled by the natives. By the aid of the king of +Ternate, the Hollanders likewise, about 1604, got possession of +the fort of Tidore, whence about 400 Portuguese were permitted to +retire by sea to the Phillipine islands, where they were +hospitably received by Don Pedro de Cunna, who commanded there +for the Spaniards. In February 1605, Cunna sailed from the +Philippines with 1000 Spanish and 400 native troops, and +recovered the fort of Ternate, chiefly owing to the bravery of +Joam Rodriguez Camelo, who commanded a company of Portuguese in +this expedition. De Cunna thence proceeded for Tidore, which he +likewise reduced, by which conquest the Molucca islands became +subject to Spain.</p> + +<p>The viceroy, Don Alfonso de Castro, dying in 1607, was +succeeded as governor by Alexias de Menezes, archbishop of Goa, +pursuant to a patent of succession. Next year, 1608, Don Joam +Pereyra Frojas, count de Feyra, was sent out from Portugal as +viceroy of India, but died on the voyage. After administering the +government for two years and a half, the archbishop was succeeded +as governor by Andrew Furtado de Mendoza in 1609, who was soon +afterwards superseded in the same year by Ruy Lorenzo de Tavora, +who came out from Portugal as viceroy. At this time, Don Jerome +de Azevedo commanded in Ceylon, who, with an army of 700 +Portuguese troops and 25,000 Cingalese took and burnt the city of +Candy, on which the sovereign of that central dominion made peace +with the Portuguese, consenting to the ministry of the +Franciscans in his dominions, and even placed two of his sons in +their hands, to be instructed in the Christian religion.</p> + +<p>About this time, a large <i>English</i> ship and a ketch had +an engagement with two Portuguese ships beyond the Cape of Good +Hope, which escaped after suffering a severe loss. These English +ships went afterwards to Surat, where they were found by Nunno de +Cunna, who had four well-manned galleons, but ill provided with +gunners, who were ignorant and cowardly. On descrying these large +ships, though the English had reason to be afraid of their +number, they undervalued them as heavy sailors, and immediately +engaged and fought them till evening, killing 30 of the +Portuguese. The engagement recommenced at day-light next morning, +and two of the Portuguese galleons, endeavouring to run on board +the large English ship, got aground, on which the pink or ketch, +belonging to the enemy, kept firing its cannon upon one of the +grounded galleons, till it floated off with the evening tide. The +other two galleons fought the large English ship all day. On the +third day, all the four galleons being afloat, endeavoured to +board the enemy, who relied on their cannon and swiftness, and +sailed away to Castelete, a bay of the pirates near Diu. De Cunna +followed them thither, and again fought them for two days, in all +which time the Portuguese ships could never board them by reason +of their unwieldy bulk. At length the English stood away, shewing +black colours in token that their captain was slain. In these +long indecisive actions, the English and Portuguese both lost a +number of men. The English made for Surat, followed still by De +Cunna; on which they left that port, and De Cunna returned to +Goa.</p> + +<p>SECTION XII.</p> + +<p><i>Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions, from 1512 to +1517.</i></p> + +<p>Towards the close of 1511, orders came to India for Don Jerome +de Azevedo to succeed Tavora as viceroy. Azevedo had acquired a +high character by many years service, eighteen years of which he +had spent in Ceylon, where he had acquired great riches, and yet +preserved a good name. The report of his riches contributed, as +much as the fame of his valour, to his present promotion, as it +was thought that he who had so much already, would be less +inclined to covetousness; though experience shews, that those who +have much still covet more. Azevedo had likewise offered to serve +the office of viceroy without the usual salary, but afterwards +accepted it. Among the first actions of his administration was to +send home Danish Beg, ambassador from Shah Abbas, king of Persia, +who had been in Spain at the court of King Philip. Shah Abbas +treated, at the same time, both with King Philip, and James king +of England, endeavouring to influence both to the furtherance of +his own designs; having taken the island of Bahrayn from the +Portuguese, and was now endeavouring to gain Ormuz. Along with +this Persian ambassador, Antonio de Guovea, titular bishop of +<i>Sirene</i>, went for the purpose of propagating Christianity +in Persia; but, finding that the Persian government was inimical +to his mission, he went no farther than Ormuz. Shah Abbas was so +much displeased with his ambassador for not succeeding in his +negotiation for the surrender of Ormuz, that he caused him to be +beheaded; and was so much exasperated against the Christians, +that he forced many of his Armenian subjects to renounce the +faith.</p> + +<p>The fortune of Nicote in Pegu now declined as swiftly as it +had risen. In 1513, the king of <i>Ova</i>, being provoked at the +violence which Nicote had been guilty of against the king of +Tangu, who was under his protection, made a vow that he would +revenge his injuries. Having assembled an army of 120,000 men, +and 400 vessels of considerable strength, in which were above +6000 of those Moors so noted for valour, called <i>Caperuzas</i> +from their wearing caps, he marched against Siriam, where he +burnt every thing beyond the walls of the fort. Nicote made a +brave resistance though taken unawares, as he had suffered most +of his men to go to India, and was very scarce of powder. In this +distress, he sent a soldier to purchase powder at Bengal, who ran +away with the money; and sent likewise to San Thoma for the same +commodity, but was refused any supply. For want of powder he was +unable to fire his cannon against the enemy, and was reduced to +the expedient of pouring boiling pitch and oil on their heads. At +length, Nicote was taken and carried to the king of Ova, who +ordered him to be impaled on an eminence in view of the fort, +where he lived two days in torment. His wife, Donna Luisa de +Saldanna, was kept three days in the river to be purified, as the +king designed her for himself; but when brought before him, she +upbraided him for his cruelty, and he ordered <i>her leg to be +bored</i>, and that she should be sent to Ova along with the +other slaves. A native named <i>Banna</i> who had betrayed +Nicote, demanding his reward from the king of Ova, was ordered to +be torn in pieces, the king alleging, that he who had been false +to his benefactor would never be true to him. The son of Nicote +resided, at that time, in Martavan, having married the daughter +of the king of that place; but the king of Ova caused him to be +put to death, that no one of the race might remain alive. Thus +ended Nicote, who, from the lowest poverty, had raised himself to +great power and prodigious riches, being worth three +millions[432]. The enemy allowed of having lost 30,000 men in +this siege. The viceroy on hearing of the danger of Siriam, had +dispatched Diego de Mendoza to its relief with five galliots; but +having put off his time by the way on other objects, he was too +late.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 432: Probably ducats are here +meant.]</blockquote> + +<p>In the year 1614, the viceroy resolved to go in person to the +sea of Guzerate to meet the <i>English</i> and <i>Hollanders</i>, +who were then strong in these seas. He sent before him Emanuel de +Azevedo with 22 sail, who was joined at Surat by two other +squadrons, after which he landed and destroyed the lands of +<i>Cifandam</i> and <i>Diva</i>. The towns of <i>Baroach</i> and +<i>Goga</i> were plundered, with six large ships in the bay, as +was likewise the city of <i>Patane</i>. Having completed his +preparations, the viceroy sailed from Goa with seven galleons, +one of which was so large that it easily carried 230 men besides +mariners, 30 of them being gentlemen. Besides the galleons, there +were two pinks, one galley, one caravel, and five other vessels, +on board of which were 1400 Portuguese soldiers, with a great +number of cannon, but the gunners were very unskilful. At Surat +the viceroy was joined by the squadron under Emanuel de Azevedo, +the chief design of this large armament being to destroy four +English vessels then in that port. The preparations for this +purpose seemed disproportionately large, yet the event proved the +contrary. Being come in sight of the English, the viceroy ordered +the two pinks with the caravel and other smaller vessels to close +with one of the English vessels which lay at some distance from +the rest. Having all grappled with the enemy and almost carried +her by boarding, the other three ships came up and drove them all +off. The first of the three vessels which had attacked the +English ship took fire, and being attempted to be steered on +board the English ship to set her on fire was destroyed without +doing the enemy any harm. In this manner the first day was +expended to no purpose, and next day, on proposing to attack the +English ships, they were found riding in a place to which the +entrance was so narrow that one galleon only could come at them +at once, which might therefore have been disabled by the English +cannon, for which reason no attempt was made to attack them; but +some alleged that this was only a pretence set up by those who +had no mind for the enterprise. A fruitless endeavour was made to +destroy them by means of fire-ships.</p> + +<p>Perceiving that he only lost his labour at this place, the +viceroy went to Diu, whence he dispatched relief to Ormuz; and on +his return from Diu towards Goa, the four English ships were seen +at a great distance from Surat in full sail to the south. The +viceroy pursued, and towards evening came up with the sternmost, +having left his own fleet far behind. The head gunner offered to +sink the English ship by means of two 40 pounders; but the +officers who accompanied the viceroy opposed this, alleging that +the other three English ships would come upon him while alone and +the galleon might be lost. The viceroy accordingly submitted to +their opinion, but neglected to make them give it under their +hands; and when he was afterwards accused for having neglected to +do what the gunner proposed, they denied having ever given him +any such advice. The English were so thankful for this +forbearance, that they fired their cannons without ball as if +saluting.</p> + +<p>In the year 1615, Sebastian Gonzalez Tibao, formerly +mentioned, who had raised himself from a poor dealer in salt to +be an absolute sovereign by treachery and ingratitude, and who +had neglected to submit himself to the Portuguese viceroy in the +height of his prosperity, finding himself now in danger of losing +his ill got power, sent to request succour; but even now proposed +terms like an independent prince, and offered in return for +assistance and protection to deliver a large ship load of rice +yearly at Goa as an acknowledgement of vassalage. He urged that +all he had done was to revenge the murder of the Portuguese in +<i>Banguel of Dianga</i> by the king of Aracan, and hinted that +the vast treasures of the king might easily be taken by a very +moderate effort. This blinded the viceroy, who immediately fitted +out 14 of the largest galliots with a fliboat and a pink, and +sent them to Aracan under the command of Francisco de Menezes +Roxo, who had formerly commanded in Ceylon. Roxo sailed from Goa +about the middle of September 1615. On the 2d of October he +arrived at Aracan, the chief port and residence of the king, +having detached a galleon to <i>Sundiva</i> to give notice to +Gonzalez of his arrival and intentions. Having opened his +instructions in presence of all the captains, they directed him +to proceed against Aracan without waiting for Gonzalez; which was +highly improper, as that man knew the country and was acquainted +with their manner of fighting, besides that the force he was able +to bring was of importance. But God confounded their councils, +having decreed the ruin of that vile wretch, and of the unjust +succours that were now sent to his aid.</p> + +<p>On the 15th of October, the Aracan fleet was observed coming +down the river to attack, so numerous that they could not be +counted. The foremost vessel was a Dutch pink, and many of the +other vessels were commanded by Hollanders. All that could be +seen appeared full of men well armed and equipped, and seemed a +prodigious overmatch for the small number the Portuguese had to +oppose them, as besides the galliot sent to Sundiva another had +been dispatched in search of the pink, so that only 12 galliots +remained and the fliboat. The Dutch pink fired the first gun, and +then the fight began with great fury, the Portuguese galliots +bravely advancing against the vast hostile fleet. Four of the +galliots got before the rest, and in the very beginning of the +action their captains and many of their men were slain, but the +other eight came up to their rescue, and great execution was done +among the enemy, many of whom were drowned by oversetting their +vessels in their haste to escape from the destructive fire of the +Portuguese. The battle raged the whole day, but the enemy drew +off in the evening, thinking that a reinforcement was coming to +the Portuguese, as they saw the galliot approaching which had +been sent in search of the pink. In this engagement the +Portuguese lost 25 men of note besides others.</p> + +<p>Next morning the pink joined the fleet, on board of which all +the wounded men were put, and those that were fit for service in +that vessel were distributed among the others. Roxo now resolved +to remain at anchor at the mouth of the river till Gonzalez came +to join him, and then to attack the enemy. At length Gonzalez +made his appearance, with 50 vessels well manned and equipped, +and on being told the orders of the viceroy and what had been +already done, he expressed much displeasure at the viceroy for +giving such orders, and at Roxo for imprudently fighting before +his arrival. About the middle of November: the combined fleets +sailed up the river and discovered the vast fleet of Aracan at +anchor in a well chosen situation, where it was resolved +immediately to attack them. Roxo took half of the ships belonging +to Gonzalez under his immediate command, giving Gonzalez half of +these he had brought from Goa, so as to make two equal squadrons. +Thus arranged they advanced against the enemy, firing against +those vessels they could reach, but none of the enemy ventured to +advance. The king of Aracan viewed the engagement from the shore +to encourage his people, and caused the heads of such as fled to +be cut off and exposed on spears as a terror to the rest. About +noon when the heat of the sun was so great as to scorch the +Portuguese; the Aracan ships came on in three numerous squadrons. +Sebastian Gonzalez put to flight those of the enemy that were +opposed to him, and the Portuguese pink compelled that belonging +to the Hollanders to draw off. On that side where Roxo commanded +there was much slaughter on both sides without any evident +superiority; but about sunset, when the advantage was obviously +leaning to the Portuguese, Roxo was slain. Being informed by +signal of this mischance, Gonzalez was obliged to discontinue +following up his good fortune; and on the tide ebbing the fleet +separated, one of the Portuguese galliots being left aground +among the enemy, who tore her to pieces and slew all her crew; +The Portuguese fleet retired to the mouth of the river, where +care was taken of the wounded men, and above 200 dead bodies were +thrown into the sea. Don Luis de Azevedo succeeded in the command +of the Portuguese squadron, and they all retired to Sundiva, +whence Don Luis sailed back to Goa, in spite of everything that +Gonzalez could say to detain him. Soon after the departure of the +Portuguese ships, the king of Aracan invaded and conquered the +island of Sundiva, by which Sebastian Gonzalez was reduced to his +original poverty, his sovereignty passing away like a dream, his +pride humbled in the dust, and his villainous conduct deservedly +punished.</p> + +<p>In 1616, Don Nunno Alvarez Pereyra succeeded Emanuel +Mascarennas Homem as general of the Portuguese in Ceylon, and +made several successful inroads into the kingdom of <i>Candy</i>, +whence he brought off many prisoners and great numbers of cattle. +From the commencement of the Portuguese dominion in that island, +they had been engaged in almost perpetual wars with the different +petty sovereigns who ruled over its various small maritime +divisions, and with the central kingdom of Canea, most of which +have been omitted in this work as not possessing sufficient +interest. At this time a dangerous commotion took place in the +island, occasioned by a circumstance which, though not new in the +world, is still admired though often repeated. Some years before, +<i>Nicapeti</i> the converted king of Ceylon died without issue, +and left the king of Portugal heir to his dominions. A poor +fellow of the same name got admittance to one of the queens of +<i>Valgameme</i> from whom he learnt several particulars +respecting the deceased king, taking advantage of which he +determined to assume the character of the late sovereign, and to +endeavour to persuade the people that he was their prince who had +come again-to-life. For this purpose he feigned himself a +<i>jogue</i>, similar to a hermit among the christians; and +making his appearance in the neighbourhood of Maregnepora, he +gave out that he came to free his country from the tyranny of the +Portuguese. Finding credit among the people, many of whom flocked +to him, he entered the <i>seven corlas</i> during the absence of +the <i>Dissava</i> Philip de Oliveyra, and being assisted by 2000 +men sent to him by the king of Candy, he was acknowledged as king +by most of the country. Hearing of this commotion, Pereyra sent a +force under Emanuel Cesar to suppress the insurrection. Cesar +encountered the false <i>Nicapeti</i> at <i>Gandola</i>, a +village on the river <i>Laoa</i>, where the insurgents had +collected a force of 6000 men. In the heat of the battle, 1000 +Chingalese troops who served under Luis Gomez Pinto deserted to +the enemy; but Don Constantine, a native Christian of the blood +royal who served the Portuguese, called them back by declaring +himself their lawful king, on which they immediately returned and +proclaimed him their sovereign. After a long engagement the enemy +was defeated and fled across the river.</p> + +<p>Philip de Oliveyra returned at this time from Candy to his +command in the <i>seven corlas</i>, having heard of the +insurrection but not of the victory at Gandola, to which place he +immediately marched with about 800 Chingalese lascarins. On +reaching the field of battle above 1000 men were found slain, but +no indication by which he could ascertain which party had gained +the victory. An inscription was found on a tree, signifying that +all the Portuguese were slain, none of that nation remaining in +Ceylon, and that Columbo had surrendered to Nicapeti, which +startled the Portuguese who accompanied Oliveyra, and gave great +satisfaction to his Chingalese troops. Continuing his march he +was attacked in the rear by 300 of the enemy, but on facing about +they all fled; soon after which he joined Emanuel Cesar on the +river Laoa, and the insurgents fled to the woods. Cesar and +Oliveyra by way of obliging the insurgents to return to their +duty, seized above 400 of their women and children; but it had +the contrary effect, as all their Chingalese troops immediately +deserted with their arms, leaving only about 200 Portuguese. In +this dilemma Cesar marched to the pagoda of <i>Atanagala</i>, not +far from <i>Maluana</i> where the general resided, who sent him a +reinforcement of 500 men, 200 of whom were Portuguese.</p> + +<p>Nicapeti had so much success with the natives that he +collected an army of 24,000 men, with which he marched against +Columbo, and was so vain of his good fortune that he caused +himself to be proclaimed emperor of Ceylon, and transmitted an +order to the king of Candy to send him one of his two wives. The +answer on this occasion was, that it should be done when the +Portuguese were subdued. Nicapeti was so enraged at this answer, +that he threatened to use the king of Candy like the Portuguese; +and on this threat coming to the knowledge of the 2000 +auxiliaries from Candy, they immediately returned home. By these +means the two enemies of the Portuguese became at variance with +each other, to the great benefit of the Portuguese interests. +Emanuel Cesar being joined by a considerable reinforcement, +marched against Nicapeti, and found the road by which Nicapeti +intended to march clean swept and strewed with flowers. A +<i>Chingalese</i> who carried intelligence of the approach of +Cesar to Nicapeti, was ordered to be impaled, the tyrant +declaring there were no Portuguese in Ceylon; but he was soon +undeceived, as the van guards of the two armies came in sight of +each other. Nicapeti immediately took possession of a hill with +7000 men, where he entrenched himself; but his works were soon +carried, 1000 of his men slain, and the usurper was forced to +flee into the woods, laying aside his regal ornaments for better +concealment. The rest of the insurgent army immediately fled on +seeing their chief defeated, and the morning after the battle 500 +of the Chingalese deserted from the enemy and joined the +victors.</p> + +<p>At this time a native Chingalese of low birth, named Antonio +Barreto, who had been a Christian and in the service of the +Portuguese, but had gone over to the king of Candy, who appointed +him general of his forces with the title of prince and governor +of the kingdom of Uva, took advantage of the revolt of Nicapeti +to seize upon the Portuguese fort of <i>Safragan</i>, which he +got possession of by treachery and slew the Portuguese garrison. +This was a severe but just retribution upon the Portuguese, as +they had slain an ambassador sent by the king of Candy to treat +of an accommodation, that they might jointly carry on the war +against Nicapeti. After this the king of Candy marched against +the Portuguese fort of Balane, which he reduced; yet immediately +sent a message to the general Pereyra, offering to treat of +peace.</p> + +<p>In 1617, the Portuguese affairs were in a dangerous situation +in Ceylon, having at the same time to make war on the king of +Candy, Antonio Barreto, and Nicapeti, who was still in +considerable strength notwithstanding his late defeat. Pereyra +divided his forces with considerable hazard, and put all to the +sword in the revolted districts, sparing neither age nor sex; but +neither will mercy and kind usage conciliate the Chingalese, nor +cruelty terrify them into submission. Part of the forces pursued +Nicapeti from <i>Pelandu</i> to <i>Catugambala, Devamede</i> and +<i>Coraagal</i>, taking several forts, killing many of the enemy, +and making 600 prisoners. The usurper retired to <i>Talampeti</i> +his usual refuge, and the Portuguese advanced to <i>Polpeti</i> +where they came in sight of the enemys camp, and forcing their +works passed on to <i>Balapane of Religiam</i>, whence they sent +away the prisoners and wounded men. At this time the Portuguese +force was divided, one part marching against Barreto while the +other continued to follow Nicapeti, but were able to effect very +little, and after being quite spent with fatigue went into +quarters at <i>Botale</i>.</p> + +<p>Having received reinforcements, Pereyra marched in person with +a considerable force to drive Barreto from <i>Sofragam</i> and +<i>Matura</i>, leaving Gomez Pinto with his regiment to-secure +<i>Alicur</i> and oppose Nicapeti, while Cesar stayed to defend +<i>Botale</i> with 100 men. The Portuguese were successful on all +sides, driving the enemy from their works and slaughtering great +numbers of them in the woods. In May the army advanced against +Nicapeti, who was strongly entrenched at Moratena, yet fled +towards Candy with such speed that he could not be got up with. +He was at length overtaken in the desert of <i>Anorajapure</i>, +when after losing 60 men his troops dispersed and fled into the +woods. On this occasion the wives of the usurper, a grandson of +<i>Raju</i>, and the nephew of <i>Madune</i> were all made +prisoners. The fame of this victory induced the inhabitants of +the <i>Corlas</i> to submit, and they plentifully supplied the +army then at Malvana with rice. The news of this victory induced +the king of Candy[433] to sue for peace, sending by his +ambassadors 32 Portuguese who had been made prisoners during the +war. The terms agreed upon were, that he was to repair and +restore the fort at Balane, and permit another to be constructed +at Candy, and was to deliver yearly as tribute to the crown of +Portugal four elephants and a certain stipulated quantity of +cinnamon. Finding afterwards that the Portuguese affairs in +Ceylon were less prosperous, he receded from these conditions and +would only agree to give two elephants as the yearly tribute, but +the peace was concluded.</p> + +<blockquote>[Footnote 433: In the translation of the Portuguese +Asia, this sovereign is here named <i>Anaras Pandar</i> king of +<i>Pandar</i>; but from every circumstance in the context it +appears that we ought to read <i>Anaras Pandar</i> king of +<i>Candy</i>.--E.]</blockquote> + +<h2>END OF VOLUME SIXTH.</h2> + +<hr align="center" width="50%"> +<hr align="center" width="25%"> +<pre> +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of +Voyages and Travels, Volume VI, by Robert Kerr + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GENERAL HISTORY, VI. *** + +***** This file should be named 13225-h.htm or 13225-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/2/2/13225/ + +Produced by Robert Connal, Graeme Mackreth and PG Distributed +Proofreaders. 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