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diff --git a/10803-0.txt b/10803-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f9ac16c --- /dev/null +++ b/10803-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,20235 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10803 *** + +[Transcriber's Note: The spelling inconsistencies of the original have +been retained in this etext.] + + + + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, + +ARRANGED IN SYSTEMATIC ORDER: + +FORMING A COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF NAVIGATION, +DISCOVERY, AND COMMERCE, BY SEA AND LAND, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE +PRESENT TIME. + + +BY + +ROBERT KERR, F.R.S. & F.A.S. EDIN. + +ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND CHARTS. + +VOL. II. + + +WILLIAM BLACKWOOD, EDINBURGH: + +AND T. CADELL, LONDON. + +MDCCCXXIV. + + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOL. II. + + +PART. I.--(Continued.) + +CHAP. +XX. Account of various early Pilgrimages from England to the Holy Land, + between the years 1097, and 1107. + +XXI. Discovery of Madeira + +XXII. Account of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands + + + +PART II. + +General Voyages and Travels, chiefly of Discovery; from the era of Don +Henry Prince of Portugal, in 1412, to that of George III. in 1760. + +BOOK I. History of the Discoveries of the Portuguese along the Coast of + Africa, and of their Discovery of and Conquests in India, from 1412 to + 1505[A] + +[A] This title was omitted to be inserted in its proper + place, and may be supplied in writing on the blank page opposite to + page 23 of this volume. + + +CHAP. +I. Summary of the Discoveries of the World, from their first original, to + the year 1555, by Antonio Galvano + +II. Journey of Ambrose Contarini, Ambassador from the Republic of Venice, + to Uzun-Hassan King of Persia, in the years 1473, 4, 5, and 6; written + by himself + +III. Voyages of Discovery by the Portuguese along the Western Coast of + Africa, during the life, and under the direction of Don Henry + +IV. Original Journals of the Voyages of Cada Mosto, and Pedro de Cintra, + to the Coast of Africa; the former in the years 1455 and 1406, and the + latter soon afterwards + +V. Continuation of the Portuguese Discoveries along the Coast of Africa, + from the death of Don Henry in 1463, to the Discovery of the Cape of + Good Hope in 1486 + +VI. History of the Discovery and Conquest of India by the Portuguese, + between the years 1497 and 1505, from the original Portuguese of + Hernan Lopez de Castaneda + +VII. Letters from Lisbon in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century, + respecting the then recent Discovery of the Route by Sea to India, and + the Indian trade + + +_Note_. In p. 292 of this volume, 1, 2 and 18, the date of 1525 +ought to have been 1505. + + + + + + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. + + + + +PART I. + +(CONTINUED.) + + + + +CHAP. XX. + +_Account of Various early Pilgrimages from England to the Holy Land; +between the years 1097 and 1107_[1]. + +INTRODUCTION. + +The subsequent account of several English pilgrimages to the Holy Land. + + +[1] Hakluyt, I. p. 44. et sequ. + + + +SECTION I. + +_The Voyage of Gutuere, or Godwera, an English Lady, towards the Holy +Land, about 1097._ + +While the Christian army, under Godfrey of Buillon, was marching through +Asia Minor from Iconium, in Lycaonia, by Heraclea, to Marasia, or +Maresch[1], Gutuere, or Godwera, the wife of Baldwin, the brother of the +Duke of Lorain, who had long laboured under heavy sickness, became so +extremely ill, that the army encamped on her account near Marash, for +three days, when she expired. This lady is said to have been of noble +English parentage, and was honourably interred at Antioch in Syria[2]. + + +[1] Now Konieh, Erekli, and Marash; the two former in Karamania, +the latter in Syria or Room.--E. + +[2] For this story, Hakluyt quotes Hist Bel. Sacr. lib. iii. c. +xvii. and Chron. Hierosol. lib. iii c. xxvii. + + + +SECTION II. + +_The Voyage of Edgar Aethling to Jerusalem, in 1102_[1]. + +Edgar, commonly called Aethling, was son of Edward, the son of Edmond +Ironside, who was the brother of Edward the Confessor, to whom +consequently Edgar was nephew; Edgar travelled to Jerusalem in 1102, in +company with Robert, the son of Godwin, most valiant knight. Being +present in Rama, when King Baldwin was there besieged by the Turks, and +not being able to endure the hardships of the siege, he was delivered +from that danger, and escaped through the midst of the hostile camp, +chiefly through the aid of Robert; who, going before him, made a lane +with his sword, slaying numbers of the Turks in his heroic progress. +Towards the close of this chivalric enterprize, and becoming more fierce +and eager as he advanced, Robert unfortunately dropt his sword; and while +stooping to recover his weapon, he was oppressed by the multitude, who +threw themselves upon him, and made him prisoner. From thence, as some +say, Robert was carried to Babylon in Egypt, or Cairo; and refusing to +renounce his faith in CHRIST, he was tied to a stake in the market-place, +and transpierced with arrows. Edgar, having thus lost his valiant knight, +returned towards Europe, and was much honoured with many gifts by the +emperors both of Greece and Germany, both of whom would gladly have +retained him at their courts, on account of his high lineage; but he +despised all things, from regard to his native England, into which he +returned: And, having been subjected to many changes of fortune, as we +have elsewhere related, he _now_ spends his extreme old age in private +obscurity. + + +[1] Hakluyt. I. 44. W. Malmsb. III. 58. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Some Circumstances respecting the Siege of Joppa, about the year_ +1102[1]. + +In the second year of Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, Joppa was besieged by +the Turks of Cairo; and Baldwin embarked from the town of Assur, in a +vessel called a _buss_, commanded by one Goderic an English freebooter, +intending to proceed to the relief of the besieged. Fixing the royal +banner aloft on a spear, that it might be seen of the Christians, they +sailed boldly towards Joppa, with but a small company of armed men. The +king knew that the Christians in Joppa were almost hopeless of his life +and safety, and he feared they might shamefully abandon the defence of +the place, or be constrained to surrender, unless revived by his presence. +On perceiving the approach of the royal banner of King Baldwin, the naval +forces of the Turks, to the number of twenty gallies and thirteen ships, +usually called _Cazh_, endeavoured to surround and capture the single +vessel in which he was embarked. But, by the aid of GOD, the billows of +the sea raged against them, while the kings ship glided easily and +swiftly through the waves, eluding the enemy, and arrived in safety into +the haven of Joppa, to the great joy of the Christians, who had mourned +him as if dead. + +While the Saracens continued the siege of Joppa, 200 sail of Christian +vessels arrived there, with pilgrims who wished to perform their +devotions at Jerusalem. Of these, the chief leaders were Bernard Witrazh +of Galatia, Hardin of England, Otho of Roges, Haderwerck, one of the +principal nobles of Westphalia, and others. This power, by the blessing +of God, arrived to succour the distressed Christians then besieged in +Joppa, on the 3d of July 1102, in the second year of Baldwin king of +Jerusalem. When the numerous army of the Saracens saw that the Christians, +thus reinforced, boldly faced them without the walls, they removed their +tents, during the night, above a mile from the town, that they might +consider whether to retreat to Ascalon, or to continue to harass the +citizens of Joppa with frequent assaults. But they confided in their +numbers, and continued to annoy the Christians by severe and repeated +attacks. + +Having allowed three days rest and refreshment to this powerful +reinforcement, Baldwin issued out from Joppa early in the morning of the +sixth of July, to the martial sound of trumpets and cornets, with a +strong force, both of foot and horse, marching directly toward the +Saracens, with loud shouts, and attacked their army with great spirit. +The land attack was assisted by the Christian navy, which approached the +shore, making a horrible noise, and distracting the attention of the +Saracens, who feared to be attacked in flank and rear. After a sharp +encounter, the Saracens fled towards Ascalon, many being slain in the +battle and pursuit, and others drowned, by leaping into the sea to avoid +being slain. In this battle 3000 of the Saracens perished, with a very +small loss on the side of the Christians; and the city of Joppa was +delivered from its enemies. + + +[1] Hakluyt, I.45. Chron. Hierosol. IX. ix. xi. xii. + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Of the Transactions of certain English, Danish, and Flemish Pilgrims in +the Holy Land, in 1107_[1]. + +In the seventh year of King Baldwin, a large fleet from England, +containing above 7000 men, many of whom were soldiers, arrived at the +harbour of Joppa, along with whom came other warriors from Denmark, +Flanders, and Antwerp. Having received permission and safe conduct from +King Baldwin, together with a strong band of armed men as a safeguard, +they arrived in safety at Jerusalem and all the other places of devotion, +free from all assaults and ambushes of the Gentiles; and having paid +their vows unto the Lord in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, they +returned with great joy, and without molestation, to Joppa[2]. Finding +King Baldwin in that place, they made offer to assist him in any military +enterprize; for which offer he gave them great commendations, saying, +That he could not give an immediate answer, without consulting the +patriarch and barons, of his kingdom. + +He therefore called together the Lord Patriarch, Hugh of Tabaria, Gunfrid +the governor of the Tower of David, and the other principal officers of +the kingdom of Jerusalem, to consult together in the city of Rames, how +best to employ this proferred assistance of so considerable a body of +volunteers. + +In that assembly, it was agreed upon to lay siege to the city of Sagitta, +otherwise called Sidon; upon which, having directed every one of the +nobles to go home, that they might provide armour and all other +necessaries for the siege, he sent messengers to the English, requiring +them not to remove their fleet and army from Joppa, but to wait there for +his farther commands; informing them, that he and his nobles had resolved, +with their aid, to lay siege to the city of Sidon, but it would require +some time to provide the necessary engines and warlike instruments, for +assaulting the walls of that place. The pilgrims answered, that they +would attend his orders at Joppa, promising to be obedient to him in all +things, even unto death. The king went soon afterwards, with the +patriarch and all his attendants to the city of Acre; where, during forty +days, he was busily employed in the construction of engines, and many +different kinds of warlike instruments, and of every thing necessary for +the intended siege. + +When this intended expedition came to the knowledge of the inhabitants of +Sidon, and they understood that a powerful army of pilgrims lay in +readiness at Joppa, to assist the king of Jerusalem, they were afraid of +being subdued and destroyed by the Christians, as Caesaria, Assur, Acre, +Cayphas, and Tabaria had already been; and they sent secret emissaries to +the king, offering a large sum of money in gold byzants, and a +considerable yearly tribute, on condition that he would spare their lives +and refrain from the intended siege. After a lengthened negotiation, +during which the inhabitants of Sidon rose considerably in their offers, +the king, being in great straits for means to discharge the pay of his +soldiers, hearkened willingly to the offers of the Sidonians; yet, afraid +of reproach from the Christians, he dared not openly to consent to their +proposals. + +In the meantime, Hugh of Tabaria, who was a principal warrior among the +Christians of Palestine, and indefatigable in assaulting the pagans on +all occasions, having gathered together 200 horse and 400 infantry, +suddenly invaded the country of a great Saracen lord, named Suet, on the +frontiers of the territory of Damascus, where he took a rich booty of +gold and silver and many cattle, which would have proved of great +importance in assisting the army at the siege of Sidon. On his return +with this prey by the city of Belinas, otherwise called Caesaria Philippi, +the Turks of Damascus, with the Saracen inhabitants of the country, +gathered together in great numbers, and pursued the troops of Hugh, that +they might recover the booty. Coming up with them in the mountains, over +which the infantry belonging to Hugh of Tabaria were driving their prey, +the Turks prevailed over the Christians, and the plunder was recovered. +On receiving this intelligence, Hugh, who happened to be at some distance, +hastened with his cavalry to succour his footmen, and to recover the +spoil: But happening to fall in with the Turks in a strait and craggy +place, and rushing heedlessly among the enemy, unprovided with his armour, +he was shot in the back by an arrow, which pierced his liver, and he died +on the spot. His soldiers brought back the dead body of Hugh to the city +of Nazareth near Mount Thabor, where he was honourably interred. Gerard, +the brother of Hugh, lay at this time sick of a dangerous illness, and +died within eight days afterwards. + +Taking advantage of the death of these two famous princes, King Baldwin +agreed to receive the money which had been offered to him by the city of +Sidon, yet kept his intentions of making peace private, and sent to Joppa, +desiring the chiefs of the English, Danes, and Flemings, to come with +their fleet and army to Acre, as if he had meant to prosecute the siege. +When they arrived, he represented to their chiefs the great loss he had +sustained by the death of two of his chief warriors, on which account, he +was constrained to defer the siege to a more convenient opportunity, and +must now dismiss his army. On this the strangers saluted the king very +respectfully, and, embarking in their ships, returned to their own +countries. + + +[1] Hakluyt, I. 47. Chron. Hierosol. lib. x. + +[2] Though not mentioned in the text, it seems presumable that these +pilgrims deemed it necessary for them to proceed unarmed in execution of +their devotions, under an escort.--E. + + + +SECTION V. + +_The Expedition of William Longespee, or Long-sword, Earl of Salisbury, +in the year 1248, under the Banners of St Louis, King of France, against +the Saracens_[1]. + +When Louis, King of France, went against the Saracens in 1248, William +Earl of Salisbury, with the Bishop of Worcester, and other great men of +the realm of England, accompanied him in the holy warfare[2]. About the +beginning of October 1249, the French king assaulted and took the city of +Damietta, which was esteemed the principal strong-hold of the Saracens in +Egypt; and having provided the place with a sufficient garrison, under +the Duke of Burgundy, he removed his camp, to penetrate farther eastwards. +In this army William Earl of Salisbury served, with a chosen band of +Englishmen under his especial command; but the French entertained a great +dislike to him and his people, whom they flouted upon all occasions, +calling them English _tails_[3], and other opprobrious names, insomuch, +that the King of France had much ado to keep peace between them. This +quarrel originated from the following circumstance: Not far from +Alexandria there was a strong castle belonging to the Saracens[4], in +which they had placed some of their principal ladies, and much treasure; +which fortress the earl and his English followers had the good fortune to +take, more by dexterous policy than by open force of arms, through which +capture he and his people were much enriched; and when the French came to +the knowledge of this exploit, which had not been previously communicated +to them, they were much enraged against the English, and could never +speak well of them afterwards. + +Not long after this, the earl got secret intelligence of a rich caravan +of merchants belonging to the Saracens, who were travelling to a certain +fair which was to be held near Alexandria, with a multitude of camels, +asses, and mules, and many carts, all richly laden with silks, precious +jewels, spices, gold, silver, and other commodities, besides provisions +and other matters of which the soldiers were then in great want. Without +giving notice of this to the rest of the Christian army, the earl +gathered all the English troops, and fell by night upon the caravan, +killing many of the people, and making himself master of the whole carts +and baggage cattle with their drivers, which he brought with him to the +Christian camp, losing only one soldier in the skirmish, and eight of his +servants, some of whom were only wounded and brought home to be cured. +When this was known in the camp, the Frenchmen, who had loitered in their +tents while the earl and his people were engaged in the expedition, came +forth and forcibly took to themselves the whole of this spoil, finding +great fault with the earl and the English for leaving the camp without +orders from the general, contrary to the discipline of war; though the +earl insisted that he had done nothing but what he would readily justify, +and that his intentions were to have divided the spoil among the whole +army. But this being of no avail, and very much displeased at being +deprived in so cowardly a manner of what he had so adventurously gained, +he made his complaint to the king; and being successfully opposed there +by the pride of the Count of Artois, the kings brother, who thwarted his +claims with disdainful spite, he declared that he would serve no longer +in their army, and bidding farewell to the king, he and his people broke +up from the army and marched for Achon[5]. Upon their departure, the +Count d'Artois said that the French army was well rid of these tailed +English; which words, spoken in despite, were ill taken by many good men, +even of their own army. But not long after, when the governor of Cairo, +who was offended with the Soldan, offered to deliver that place to the +French king, and even gave him instructions now he might best conduct +himself to accomplish that enterprize, the king sent a message in all +haste to the Earl of Salisbury, requesting him to return to the army, +under promise of redressing all his grievances; on which he came back and +rejoined the French army. + +The king of France now marched towards Cairo, and came to the great river +Nile, on the other side of which the Soldan had encamped with his army, +on purpose to dispute the passage. At this time, there was a Saracen in +the service of the Count of Artois, who had been lately converted to the +Christian faith, and who offered to point out a shallow ford in the river, +by which the army might easily cross over. Upon receiving this +intelligence, Artois and the master of the Knights Templars, with about a +third of the army, crossed to the other side, and were followed by +Salisbury and the English. These being all joined, made an assault upon a +part of the Saracen army which remained in the camp, and overthrew them, +the Soldan being then at some distance with the greater part of his army. + +After this easy victory, Artois was so puffed up with pride and elated by +success, that he believed nothing could withstand him, and would needs +advance without waiting for the coming up of the main body of the army +under the king of France, vainly believing that he was able with the +power he had to conquer the whole force of the Saracens. The master of +the Templars, and other experienced officers, endeavoured to dissuade him +from this rash conduct; advising him rather to return to the main army, +satisfied with the signal advantage he had already achieved; that thereby +the whole army of the Christians might act in concert, and be the better +able to guard against the danger of any ambushes or other stratagems of +war, that might have been devised for their destruction. They represented +to him that the horses of this vanguard were already tired, and the +troops without food; and besides, that their numbers were utterly unable +to withstand the vastly superior multitude of the enemy; who besides, +having now obviously to fight for their last stake, the capital of their +dominions, might be expected to exert their utmost efforts. To this +salutary counsel, the proud earl arrogantly answered with opprobrious +taunts; reviling the whole Templars as dastardly cowards and betrayers of +their country, and even alleged that the Holy Land of the Cross might +easily be won to Christendom, if it were not for the rebellious spirit of +the Templars and Hospitallers, and their followers: which, indeed, was a +common belief among many. To these contumelious remarks, the master of +the Templars angrily desired him, in his own name and that of his +followers, to display his ensign when and where he dared, and he should +find them as ready to follow as he to lead. The Earl of Salisbury now +remonstrated with Artois, advising him to listen to these experienced +persons, who were much better acquainted with the country and people than +he could be; and endeavoured to convince him that their advice was +discreet and worthy to be followed. He then addressed his discourse to +the master of the Templars, prudently endeavouring to sooth his anger +against the arrogance of the Count of Artois. But Artois cut him short, +exclaiming in anger with many oaths, "Away with these cowardly Englishmen +with tails; the army would be much better rid of these tailed people;" +and many other scandalous and disdainful expressions. To this the English +earl replied, "Well, Earl Robert, wherever you dare set your foot, my +steps shall go as far as yours; and I believe we shall go this day where +you shall not dare to come near the tails of our horses." + +And it so happened as Earl William said: For Earl Robert of Artois +persisted to march forward against the Soldan, vainly hoping to win all +the glory to himself, before the coming up of the main body of the host. +His first enterprize was ordering an attack on a small castle, or +fortified village, called Mansor; whence a number of the villagers ran +out, on seeing the approach of the Christians, making a great outcry, +which came to the ears of the Soldan, who was much nearer with his army +than had been supposed. In the mean time, the Christians made an assault +on Mansor with too little precaution, and were repulsed with considerable +loss, many of them being slain by large stones, thrown upon them as they +entered the place; by which the army not only lost a considerable number +of men, but was much dispirited by this unexpected repulse. + +Immediately on the back of this discomfiture, the Soldan came in sight +with his whole army; and seeing the Christians in this divided state, +brother separated from brother, joyfully seized the opportunity he had +long wished for, and inclosing them on all sides, that none might escape, +attacked them with great fury. In this situation, the Earl of Artois sore +repented of his headstrong rashness, when it was too late; and, seeing +Earl William Longespee fighting bravely against the chief brunt of the +enemy, he called out to him in a cowardly manner to flee, as God fought +against them. But William bravely answered, "God forbid that my father's +son should flee from the face of a Saracen." Earl Robert turned out of +the fight, and fled away, thinking to escape from death or captivity by +the swiftness of his horse; and taking the river Thafnis[6], sank through +the weight of his armour, and was drowned. On the flight of Earl Robert, +the French troops lost heart, and began to give ground: But William +Longespee, bearing up manfully against the whole force of the enemy, +stood firm as long as he was able, slaying and wounding many of the +Saracens. At length, his horse being killed, and his legs maimed, he fell +to the ground; yet he continued to mangle their legs and feet, till at +last he was slain with many wounds, being finally stoned to death by the +Saracens. After his death, the Saracens set upon the remainder of the +army, which they had surrounded on every side, and destroyed them all, so +that scarce a single man remained alive. Of the whole, only two templars, +one hospitaller, and one common soldier escaped, to bring the melancholy +tidings to the king of France. Thus by the imprudent and foolish rashness +of Earl Robert, the French troops were utterly discomfited, and the +valiant English knight overpowered and slain, to the grief of all the +Christians, and the glory of the Saracens; and, as it afterwards fell out, +to the entire ruin of the whole French army. + + +[1] Hakluyt, I. 70. + +[2] Hakluyt dates this expedition in the 32d year of the reign of Henry + III. of England. He mentions, in a former passage, I. p. 59. that the + same Earl of Salisbury, accompanied Richard Earl of Cornwall, in the + 23d year of the same kings reign into Syria against the Saracens, with + many other English of note, where they performed good service against + the unbelievers, but gives no relation of particulars.--E. + +[3] The meaning of this term of reproach does not appear; unless, + from some after circumstances, it may have proceeded from their horses + having long tails, while those of the French were dockt.--E. + +[4] Probably Aboukir.--E. + +[5] St John d'Acre.--E. + +[6] This is probably meant for that branch of the Nile which + they had previously crossed on their way to Mansor.--E. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAP. XXI. + +_Discovery of Madeira_[1]. + +Although the Era of modern discovery certainly commenced under the +auspicious direction of Don Henry of Portugal, who first conceived and +executed the sublime idea of extending the knowledge and commerce of the +globe, by a judicious series of maritime, expeditions expressly for the +purpose of discovery; yet as Madeira is said to have been visited, and +the Canaries were actually discovered and settled before that era, it +appears necessary to give a previous account of these discoveries, before +proceeding to the second part of this work. + +Several authors have left accounts of the real or pretended original +discovery of this island of Madeira, all of whom concur in asserting that +it was first discovered by an Englishman. Juan de Barros, the Livy of +Portugal, mentions it briefly in the first decade of his Asia. The +history of this discovery was written in Latin, by Doctor Manoel Clemente, +and dedicated to Pope Clement V. Manoel Tome composed a Latin poem on the +subject, which he intitled _Insulana_. Antonio Galvano mentions it in a +treatise of discoveries, made chiefly by the Spaniards and Portuguese +previously to the year 1550[2]. Manoel de Faria y Sousa, the illustrious +commentator of Camoens, cites Galvano in illustration of the fifth stanza +in the fifth book of the immortal Lusiad, and likewise gives an account +of this discovery in his Portuguese Asia. But the earliest and most +complete relation of this discovery was composed by Francisco Alcaforado, +who was esquire to Don Henry the _infant_ or prince of Portugal, the +first great promoter of maritime discoveries, and to whom he presented +his work. No person was more capable of giving an exact account of that +singular event than Alcaforado, as he was one of those who assisted in +making the second discovery. His work was first published in Portuguese +by Don Francisco Manoel, and was afterwards published in French at Paris +in 1671[3]. From this French edition the following account is extracted, +because the original Portuguese has not come to our knowledge, neither +can we say when that was printed; but as the anonymous French translator +remarked, that "Don Francisco _keeps_ the original MS. with great care," +it may be concluded, that the Portuguese impression did not long precede +the French translation. The French translator acknowledges that he has +altered the style, which was extremely florid and poetical, and has +expunged several useless and tedious digressions, etymologies, +reflections, and comparisons; but declares that he has strictly presented, +the truth and substance of the history, so as not to vary from it in the +least, or to omit the smallest material circumstance. + +It is remarkable that there is no mention whatever in any of the English +histories of Machin, Macham, or Marcham, the supposed author of this +discovery; so that Hakluyt was beholden to Antonio Galvano for the +imperfect account he gives of that transaction[4]. By the following +abstract the complete history becomes our own, and we shall be no longer +strangers to an event which has for several ages, rendered an Englishman +famous in foreign countries, while wholly unknown in his own. It must not, +however, be omitted to observe, that some objections may be stated +against the authenticity of this history, on account of certain +circumstances which do not quadrate with the time assigned for Machin's +voyage by the author. From these it is obvious, either that the relation +given by Alcaforado is not genuine, or that it has been interpolated. How +far this objection may be admitted, without prejudice to the authority of +the whole story, must be left to the judgment of our readers; we shall +only add, that so far as relates to Macham it agrees with the tradition +of the inhabitants of Madeira. + +According to Alcaforada, Juan Gonsalvo Zarco, a gentleman of the +household of Don Henry, being sent out by that prince upon an expedition +of discovery to the coast of Africa, made prize, in the year 1420, of a +Spanish vessel filled with redeemed captives, on their way from Morocco +to Spain. In this vessel there was one John de Morales, an experienced +and able pilot, whom he detained as an acceptable present to his master +Don Henry, and set all the rest at liberty. Morales on being made +acquainted with the cause of his detention, entered freely into the +service of the prince, and gave an account to Gonsalvo of the adventures +of Machin, and the situation and land-marks of the new discovered island, +all of which he had learnt from certain English captives in the jails of +Morocco, who had accompanied Macham, or Machin, in his expedition. + +The year of this extraordinary adventure is not mentioned by Galvano, who +only says, that in 1344, Pedro IV. reigning in Arragon, the chronicles of +his age reported, that about this time the island of Madeira was +discovered by one Macham, an Englishman. It must be confessed that an +objection arises against this history which is not easily removed. We are +told that, immediately after the death of Macham, his companions sailed +over to Morocco, and that Morales was in prison when they arrived. +Supposing the discovery by Macham to have been made about 1344, as +related by Galvano, from the Castilian chronicles, Morales must have been +no less than seventy-six years a prisoner when redeemed, and when he was +detained by Gonsalvo in 1420. Herbert places the adventure of Macham in +1328, which would increase the captivity of Morales to ninety-two years. +Alcaforado places the event in the reign of Edward III. of England, which +began in 1327 and ended in 1378; Even supposing it to have happened in +the last year of Edward, Morales must have remained forty-two years in +captivity; which is not only highly improbable, but is even contrary to +the sense of the historian, who supposes but a small space to have +elapsed between the two events; besides, the records quoted by Galvano +are said expressly to assert that Macham went himself into Africa, whence +he was sent to the king of Castile. This last circumstance may have been +invented by the Spaniards, to give them a better title to the island of +Madeira: But the former objection remains in full force, and can only be +obviated by supposing that either Morales advanced a falsehood in +asserting, that he had the account of this discovery from the English +themselves, instead of learning it from the other slaves, among whom the +tradition might have been current for many years after the event; or +Alcaforado may have mistaken the report of Morales in this particular. +The following is the substance of the narrative, as given by Alcaforado. + +In the glorious reign of Edward III. Robert a Machin, of Macham, a +gentleman of the second degree of nobility, whose genius was only +equalled by his gallantry and courage, beheld and loved the beautiful +Anna d'Arfet[5]. Their attachment was mutual, but the pleasing indulgence +of ardent hope gratified and betrayed the secret of their passion. The +pride of the illustrious family of d'Arfet was insensible to the +happiness of their daughter, and they preferred the indulgence of their +own ambition to the voice of love. The feudal tyranny of the age was +friendly to their cruelty, and a royal warrant seemed to justify the +vanity of her parent. The consolation of an ingenious mind supported +Machin under confinement, and enabled him to seek after redress without +yielding to despondency. On his releasement from prison, he learned that +the beloved cause of his persecution had been forced to marry a nobleman, +whose name he could not discover, but who had carried her to his castle +near Bristol. The friends of Machin made his misfortune their own, and +one of them had the address to get introduced into the service of the +afflicted Anna under the character of a groom. The prospect of the ocean +during their rides, suggested or matured the plan of escape and the hope +of a secure asylum counteracted the imagined dangers of a passage to the +coast of France. Under pretence of deriving benefit from the sea air, the +victim of parental ambition was enabled to elude suspicion, and embarked +without delay, in a vessel procured for the purpose, along with her lover. + +In the successful completion of this anxious design, Machin was alike +insensible to the unfavourable season of the year, and to the portentous +signs of an approaching storm, which in a calmer moment he would have +duly observed. The gradual rising of a gale of wind, rendered the +astonished fugitives sensible of their rashness; and, as the tempest +continued to augment, the thick darkness of night completed the horrors +of their situation. In their confusion, the intended port was missed, or +could not be attained, and their vessel drove at the mercy of the winds +and waves. In the morning they found themselves in the midst of an +unknown ocean, without skill to determine their situation, and destitute +of knowledge or experience to direct their course towards any known land. +At length, after twelve anxious mornings had dawned without sight of land, +with the earliest streaks of day an object dimly appeared to their eager +watchfulness in the distant horizon, and when the grey haze, which had +alternately filled them with hope and despondency was dissipated by the +rising sun, the certainty of having discovered land was welcomed by a +general burst of joy. A great luxuriancy of trees of unknown species, +was soon observed to overspread the land, whence unknown birds of +beautiful plumage came off in flocks to the vessel, and gave the +appearance of a pleasing dream to their unexpected deliverance. + +[Illustration: Chart of North Western Africa] + +The boat was hoisted out to examine the new found island, and returned +with a favourable account. Machin and his friends accompanied their +trembling charge on shore, leaving the mariners to secure the vessel at +an anchor. The wilderness and rich scenery of the adjacent country +possessed great charms to these thankful guests, just escaped from +apparently inevitable destruction. An opening in the extensive woods, +which was encircled with laurels and other flowering shrubs, presented a +delightful retreat to the tempest-worn voyagers; a venerable tree, of +ancient growth, offered its welcome shade on an adjoining eminence, and +the first moments of liberty were employed in forming a romantic +residence, with the abundant materials which nature supplied all around. +The novelty of every object they beheld, induced curiosity to explore +their new discovery, and they spent three days in wandering about the +woods, when the survey was interrupted by an alarming hurricane, which +came on during the night, and rendered them extremely anxious for the +safety of their companions, who had been left in charge of the vessel. +The ensuing morning destroyed all prospect of being ever enabled to get +away from the island; the vessel had broke from her moorings by the +violence of the storm, and was wrecked on the coast of Morocco, where all +on board were immediately seized as slaves. + +The afflicted Machin found this last calamity too severe for his +terrified and afflicted companion to endure. Her susceptible mind and +tender frame, overcome by the severity of the scenes she had gone through, +and oppressed by consciousness of having deviated from her duty, sunk +under her afflictive situation. From the moment it was reported that the +vessel had disappeared, she became dumb with sorrow, and expired after a +few days of silent despair. This heavy stroke was too much for the +inconsolable lover to support; though watched over with the utmost +solicitude by his afflicted friends, all attempts to administer +consolation were entirely fruitless, and he expired on the fifth day +after the death of his beloved mistress. With his parting breath, he +earnestly enjoined his surviving companions, to deposit his body in the +same grave, under the venerable tree, which they had so recently made for +the victim of his temerity; and where the altar which had been raised to +celebrate their deliverance, would now mark their untimely tomb. + +Having performed this painful duty, the surviving companions of these +unfortunate lovers fixed a large wooden cross over the grave, on which +they carved the inscription which Machin had composed to record their +melancholy adventures; and added a request, that if any Christians should +hereafter visit the spot, they might erect a church in the same place, +and dedicate it to Christ. Having thus accomplished the dictates of +friendship and humanity, the survivors fitted out the boat, which had +remained ashore from their first landing, and put to sea with the +intention of returning if possible to England; but either from want of +skill, or owing to the currents and unfavourable winds, they likewise +were driven on the coast of Morocco, and rejoined their former shipmates +in slavery among the Moors. + +This story is reported in a somewhat different manner by Galvano already +mentioned. According to him, one Macham, an Englishman, fled from his +country, about the year 1344, with a woman of whom he was enamoured, +meaning to retire into Spain; but the vessel in which the lovers were +embarked, was driven by a storm to the island of Madeira, then +altogether unknown and uninhabited. The port in which Macham took +shelter is still called Machico. His mistress being sea-sick, Macham +landed with her and some of the people, and the ship putting to sea, +deserted them. Oppressed with sickness and grief at seeing herself in +this hopeless state of exile, the lady died; and Macham, who was +extremely fond of her, constructed a chapel or hermitage dedicated to +Jesus the Saviour, in which he deposited her remains, and engraved both +their names, and the cause of their arrival, on a rude monument which he +erected to her memory. He afterwards constructed a boat or canoe, which +he hollowed out from the trunk of a large tree, in which he, and those of +his companions who had been left on shore along with him, passed over to +the opposite coast of Africa, without the aid of oars, sails, or rudder. +He was made prisoner by the Moors, who presented him to their king, by +whom he was sent to the king of Castile. + +Madeira, in the Portuguese language, or Madera in Spanish, signifies +_wood_; and this island derived its name from the immense quantity of +thick and tall trees with which it was covered when first discovered. One +of the two capitanias, or provinces, into which this island is divided, +is named Machico, as is likewise the principal town of that district, +supposed to have originated from the traditionary story of the misfortunes +of Macham; the other capitania, with its principal town, the capital of +the island, is named Funchal, from _Funcho_, the Portuguese term for +Fennel, which abounds on the adjoining rocks. + + +[1] Astley, I. 11. and 586. Clarke, Progress of Maritime Discovery, I. 167. + Although in our opinion a mere romance, we have inserted this story, + because already admitted into other general collections.--E. + +[2] This work was printed in 1560, and was translated by Hakluyt: There is + an abstract of it in Purchas his Pilgrims, II. 1671, and it will be + found at the commencement of the second part of this Collection.--E. + +[3] In small duodecimo and large print, under the title of Relation + Historique de la Decouverte de l'Isle de Madere: containing 185 pages, + besides twelve pages of preface.--Clarke. + +[4] Clarke, Progress of Maritime Discovery, I. 167. + +[5] In a note, Mr Clarke says the name of this lady has been supposed by + some writers to have been Dorset, corrupted by a foreign orthography + into D'Orset, and thence into D'Arfet. It may have been D' Arcy.--E. + + * * * * * + + + + +CHAP. XXI. + +_Account of the Discovery and Conquest of the Canary Islands_[1]. + +The island of Nivaria, and others mentioned by Pliny, as known to Juba +king of Mauritania, were most probably Teneriffe and the other Canary +Islands; for Pliny notices that the summit of Nivaria was generally +covered with snow, which is frequently the case with the peak of +Teneriffe, and from this circumstance the name of Nivaria is obviously +derived. They appear likewise to have been known in the middle ages to +the Arabs of Morocco; as the Nubian geographer mentions two islands, +under the names of Mastahan and Lacos, as among the six fortunate islands +described by Ptolemy; these probably were Lancerota and Fuertaventura, +the latter of which may be seen in clear weather from the nearest coast +of Africa. All knowledge, however, of these islands had ceased in Europe, +till some time between the years 1326 and 1334, when a French ship +happened to be driven among them by a storm. Upon this discovery, Don +Luis de la Cerda, count of Claramonte, whose father, Don Alonzo, had been +deprived of his right to the inheritance of the crown of Castile, +procured a grant of these islands, with the title of king, from Pope +Clement VI., on condition of causing the gospel to be preached to the +natives[2]. Don Luis equipped a fleet from some of the ports of the +Spanish kingdom of Arragon, in order to take possession of his new +kingdom, but the design failed, and he died soon after. + +In 1385, some Biscayners and inhabitants of Seville joined in the +equipment of five ships at Cadiz, in order to make descents for the sake +of plunder upon the Canary islands, and the adjacent coast of Africa. +After coasting along the African shore, they sailed westwards, and fell +in with the island now called Lancerota, where they landed; and after a +skirmish with the natives, plundered the town, front which they carried +off a large booty of goat-skins, tallow, and sheep, and 170 of the +inhabitants, whom they sold into slavery. Among these were Guanareme, +king of the island, and his wife Tingua-faya. A similar expedition in +quest of plunder and captives was made to Lancerota from Seville in 1393. + +In the year 1400, John de Betancour, a gentleman of Normandy, and Gadifer +de Sala, a person of considerable fortune, fitted out three small vessels +from Rochelle in France, containing 200 persons, exclusive of the +mariners, and made a descent upon Lancerota, where they erected a fort at +a harbour, to which they gave the name of Rubicon. Leaving there a small +garrison, they passed over to the island of Fuertaventura; but being +opposed by the natives, they prudently retired without fighting. +Betancour afterwards applied to Don Henry III. king of Arragon, for +assistance to enable him to make a conquest of these islands; who made +him a grant of them in due form, with the title of king, and supplied him +with money to defray the expence of an armament to accomplish their +subjugation. He easily effected the conquest of Lancerota, and divided +its lands among the French and Spanish adventurers who had assisted him +in the expedition. + +After the death of John de Betancour, his nephew, Mason de Betancour, +sold the Canary Islands to Don Henry de Guzman, Count of Niebla; who +afterwards conveyed them to Guillen Paraza, and from whom they fell by +inheritance to Diego de Herrera, who died in 1485. In 1487, the +sovereignty was resumed by the crown of Castile, with the title of a +kingdom[3]. + + +[1] Glas. Disc. and Conqu. passim. + +[2] The Author of the History of the Canaries, omits the date of this + grant. Clement VI. was Pope from 1343 to 1352, between which years the + papal grant must have been made.--E. + +[3] A more extended account or these islands will be found in Part III. of + this work.--E. + + + + + + +A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. + + +PART II. + + +GENERAL VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, CHIEFLY OF DISCOVERY FROM THE ERA OF DON +HENRY, PRINCE OF PORTUGAL, IN 1412, TO THAT OF GEORGE III. IN 1760. + + + + +CHAP. I. + +_Summary Deduction of the Discoveries of the World, from their first +Original, to the year 1555, by Antonio Galvano_[1]. + +INTRODUCTION. + +This treatise was written in the Portuguese language, by Antonio Galvano, +who had been governor of Ternate, the chief of the Molucca Islands, and +was first translated into English by the celebrated Richard Hakluyt, who +dedicated it to Sir Robert Cecil, Principal Secretary of State to Queen +Elizabeth. It was afterwards inserted in Osbornes, or the Oxford +Collection of Voyages and Travels, and forms an appendix to the first +volume of Clarke's Progress of Maritime Discovery; and from these sources +the present edition has been carefully prepared. Of Richard Hakluyt, the +original translator, the following notice is worthy of being preserved. +"The _great_ Richard Hakluyt was descended from an ancient family at +Yetton in Herefordshire, and was educated at Westminster School, from +whence he was elected a student of Christ Church, in the University of +Oxford, where he took the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts. +Entering into holy orders, he was first made a prebendary of Bristol, and +afterwards of Westminster, and rector of Witheringset in Suffolk. Besides +this translation, he illustrated the eight decades of Peter Martyr +Angelericus _de Novo Orbe_ with curious notes. He also translated from +the Portuguese, _Virginia_, richly valued by the description of Florida, +her next neighbour; and wrote notes of certain commodities, in good +request in the East Indies, Molucca, and China; but what has most +deservedly perpetuated his name, is his great pains, and judgment, in +collecting _English Voyages, Navigations, Trafficks, and Discoveries_[2]." + +Both from the nature of this treatise on the origin and progress of +maritime discovery, and from respect to the memory of Hakluyt, the father +of our English collections of voyages and travels, it has been selected +for insertion in this place, as an appropriate introduction to the +_Second Part_ of our arrangement; because its author may be considered as +almost an original authority for the early discoveries of the Portuguese +and Spaniards. Although it may be considered in some measure as not +precisely conformable with our plan, yet one portion of this summary is +directly in point; and, the whole being curious, and in no respect +tedious, it is here given entire; changing the antiquated English of +Hakluyt into modern language. Although said in its title to extend to the +year 1555, the chronological series of Galvano properly ends in 1545; and +the only subsequent incident, is a very slight notice of the voyage of +Sir Hugh Willoughby and Richard Chancellor, towards the White Sea, in +1553. In the original translation, and in the Oxford collection, this +treatise is preceded by a dedication from Hakluyt to _Sir Robert Cecil_; +and another dedication from the Portuguese editor, Francis de Sousa +Tavares, to Don John, Duke of Aveira; both of which are here omitted, as +having no directly useful tendency, except so much of the latter as +refers to the history of Galvano. Besides the present discourse, Galvano +composed a history of the Molucca Islands, of which he had been governor, +which work has unfortunately been lost, or at least is unknown in this +country. He is likewise said to have published at Lisbon in 1555, an +account of the different routes by which the merchandize of India had +been conveyed into Europe at different periods. + +Antonio Galvano, the author of the following Summary of the Discoveries +of the World, was a Portuguese gentleman, who was several years governor +of the Molucca Islands, and performed signal service to his country in +that honourable station, by dissipating a formidable league, which had +been entered into by the native princes of these islands, for the +expulsion of the Portuguese; and, though possessing very inadequate +resources for the protection of so important a commercial establishment, +he confirmed and extended the dominion and influence of Portugal in these +islands. When first appointed to the command in the Moluccas, Galvano +carried with him a private fortune of 10,000 crusadoes, all of which he +expended in the public service. Though he added a clear revenue to the +crown of 500,000 crusadoes, in consequence of his successful, vigilant, +and pure administration, he was so zealous in patronizing the propagation +of the Christian religion among the islands belonging to his government, +that, on his return to Lisbon in 1540, he was reduced to such extreme +poverty, as to be under the necessity of taking refuge in the _hospital_, +where he died in 1557. + +Francis de Sousa Tavares, the original Portuguese editor of this treatise, +in a dedication of the work to Don John Duke of Aveira, gives the +following account of the work, and of its author: + +"Antonio Galvano, when on his death-bed, left me this book, along with +his other papers, by his testament; and, as I am certain he designed that +it should be presented to your highness, I have thought proper to fulfil +his intentions in that respect. It was fitting that this treatise should +be written by a native of Portugal, as it treats of the various ways in +which the spiceries and other commodities of India were formerly brought +to our part of the world, and gives an account of all the navigations and +discoveries of the ancients and moderns, in both of which things the +Portuguese have laboured above all other nations. In this treatise, and +in nine or ten other books, concerning India and the Moluccas, this true +Portuguese described the unfortunate and sorrowful times, before our day, +in which he had been engaged. When he was appointed to the command of the +islands and fortresses of the Moluccas, all the kings and chiefs of these +islands had agreed to make war against our nation, and to drive them out +of the country. Yet he fought against them all in Tidore, though he had +only 130 Portuguese soldiers, against their whole united power, and gave +them a signal overthrow, in which their king, and one Ternate, the +principal author of the war, were both slain; besides which, he conquered +their fortresses, and compelled them all to submit to the obedience and +service of our sovereign. In this war, two great and wonderful events +took place: the _first_, that all the chiefs and kings of these islands +united against us, who used ever to be at variance among themselves; and +_secondly_, that Galvano, with only the ordinary garrison, should obtain +the victory against so great a combination. It has happened to other +governors of the Moluccas, with an extraordinary number of European +troops, and assisted by all the other native lords, to go to war with one +king only, and to come back with loss; whereas he, with a small and +inadequate force, successfully waged war against a confederacy of all the +lords of these islands. + +"Three brilliant exploits have been performed in India, beyond all others. +The capture of Muar by Emanuel Falcon; the winning of Bitam by Peter +Mascarenas; and this victory obtained by Galvano. Besides this great +exploit, his father and four brothers were all slain in the kings service; +and he, being the last of his lineage, carried with him about 10,000 +crusadoes into the Moluccas, all of which he expended in propagating our +holy faith, and in preserving these valuable islands, using all his power +and influence to bring all the cloves into the kings coffers, by which he +added 500,000 crusadoes yearly to the royal revenue. Had he gathered +cloves on his own account, as other governors of the Moluccas have done, +he might have come home very rich; but returning poor, and, in the +simplicity of his nature, expecting to be rewarded for his honest +services, he was entirely neglected, and had to take refuge in an +hospital, where he remained seventeen years, till his death, when he was +2000 crusadoes in debt; partly for demands upon him from India, and +partly borrowed from his friends to maintain him in the hospital. After +his death, the cardinal desired me to give his other writings to Damien +de Goes, promising to content me for them, which otherwise I should not +have done; yet hitherto I have not received any thing with which to +execute his will. Yet, for all this, as in the prosperity of his +victories he made no boast, so, in his adversity, he always preserved an +unabated spirit. Your grace, therefore, may perceive, that this treatise, +and his other works, were written under great afflictions; yet was he not +willing to use the remedy of Zelim, the son of the great Turk Mahomet, +who took Constantinople, and died in Rome, who used to make himself drunk, +that he might forget the high estate from which he had fallen. Neither +would he follow the councils of many of his friends, in withdrawing from +the kingdom; saying, he had rather resemble Timocles the Athenian, than +the Roman Coriolanus. For all which, this treatise ought to receive +favour from your grace, allowing for any oversights of the author, if +there be any such, as I am unfit to detect or correct then. God prosper +your grace with long life, and increase of honour." + + +[1] Oxford Collection, II. 353. Clarke, Progr. of Marit. Disc. I. App 1. + +[2] Oxford Collection, I. viii. + + + +SECTION I. + +_Epitome of the Ancient and Modern Discoveries of the World, chiefly by +means of Navigation, from the Flood to the close of the Fifteenth +Century._ + +When I first desired to compose an account of the ancient and modern +discoveries by sea and land, with their true dates and situations, these +two principal circumstances seemed involved in such difficulty and +confusion, that I had almost desisted from the attempt. Even in regard to +the date of the flood, the Hebrews reckon that event to have happened +1656 years after the creation: while the seventy interpreters make it +2242; and St Augustine extends the time to 2262 years[1]. In regard to +geographical situations, likewise, there are many differences; for there +never sailed ten or an hundred pilots in one fleet, but they made their +reckonings in almost as many different longitudes. But considering that +all these difficulties might be surmounted, by just comparison, and the +exercise of judgment, I at length resolved to persist in my undertaking. + +Some allege that the world was fully known in ancient times; for, as it +was peopled and inhabited, it must have been navigable and frequented; +and because the ancient people were of longer lives, and had all one law +and one language, they could not fail to be acquainted with the whole +world. Others again believe, that though the world might be once +universally known by mankind, yet, by the wickedness of man, and the want +of justice among nations, that knowledge has been lost. But as all the +most important discoveries have been made by sea, and that chiefly in our +own times, it were desirable to learn who were the first discoverers +since the flood. Some allege the Greeks, others the Phenicians, while +others say the Egyptians. The inhabitants of India, on the contrary, +pretend that they were the first navigators; particularly the Tabencos, +whom we now call Chinese; and allege in proof of this, that they were +lords of all the Indies, even to Cape Bona Speranca, and the island of St +Lawrence[2], which is inhabited by them; as likewise all the coasts of +the Indian seas, also the Javas, Timores, Celebes, Macassar, the Moluccas, +Borneo, Mindanao, Luçones, Lequeos, the Japans, and many other islands; +also the countries of Cochin-China, Laos, Bramas[3], Pegu, Arracones[4], +till you come quite to Bengala. Besides all these, New Spain, Peru, +Brazil, the Antilles, and all the adjoining lands, are possessed by the +same race, as appears by the fashions and manners both of the men and +women, who have small eyes, flat noses, with other proportions resembling +the Chinese. And to this day, many of these islands and countries are +called by such names, as Bato-China, Bocho-China, and the like, +indicating the countries of, or belonging to China. + +It farther appears, that the ark of Noah rested upon the north part of +the mountains of Armenia, in 40 degrees of latitude or upwards; and that +Scythia, being a high land, and the first that appeared out of the +universal deluge, was first peopled. And as the province or country of +the Tabencos, or Chinese, is one of the chiefest of all Tartary, its +inhabitants may be considered as the most ancient nation, and the oldest +navigators. Their seas are calm; and, as lying between the tropics, their +days and nights are nearly equal, and their seasons differ little in +temperature; and as no outrageous winds swell their seas into storms, +navigation among them is safe and easy. Their small barks called +catamorans have only a large bough of a tree set up in the middle, +serving as mast and sail; the master steers only with an oar, and the +passengers sit on poles fastened to the bark. + +It is said that the people of China were anciently lords of almost all +Scythia, and were in use to sail along that coast, which reaches from +east to west, in seventy degrees of north latitude. Cornelius Nepos says, +that, in the time when Metellus, the colleague of Afranius, was proconsul +of Gaul, the king of the Suevi sent to him certain Indians, who came to +his country in a ship by the north and the flats of Germany[5]. These +people probably came from China; as in that country, in the latitudes of +20, 30, and 40 degrees, they have strong and well-fastened ships, which +can bear the seas and encounter the severity of the northern climate. +Cambaia also has ships, and its inhabitants are said to have long used +the seas; but it is not likely they should have gone to Gaul; for they +only trade to Cairo, and are indeed a people of little trade and less +clothing. + +Those who escaped from the flood kept the hills, not daring for a long +time to descend into the plains and low countries; and Nimrod, an hundred +and thirty years afterwards, built the tower of Babel, intending it as a +refuge in case of any future deluge[6]. Upon the whole, it seems probable +that the inhabitants of China and the east were the first sailors; though +others think the inhabitants of the west, particularly of Syria, were the +first to use the sea[7]. This contest about the antiquity of navigation, +I leave to the Scythians and Egyptians, who each challenge the honour to +themselves. But leaving all contested points in this matter, I now apply +to my proposed deduction, resting only upon what has been recorded in +authentic histories. Ancient history says that Tubal, in the hundred and +forty-third year after the flood, came by sea into Spain[8]; whence it +appears that in these early times navigation was usual from Ethiopia to +our parts of western Europe. It is also said, that Semiramis invaded the +country on the river Indus, whence the Indians derive their name, and +gave battle to king Stabrobates, in which he lost a thousand ships[9]; by +which it clearly appears there were then many ships in those parts; and +that the seas were much frequented. + +In the six hundred and fiftieth year after the flood, there was a king in +Spain named Hesperus[10]; and Gonsalvo Fernandez de Oviedo, the +chronicler of antiquities[11], affirms that he made discoveries by sea as +far as Cape Verde and the Isle of St Thomas, of which he was prince, and +that in his time the islands of the West Indies were discovered, and +called the Hesperides, after his name. He alleges many reasons in proof +of this assertion, and even says particularly, that these early +navigators sailed in forty days from Cape Verde to these islands. Others +say, that the islands of St Thomas and de Principe are the Hesperides, +and not the Antilles; which is the more probable, as these ancient +navigators only sailed along the coast, not daring to pass through the +main ocean, having no compass, nor any means of taking altitudes for +their guidance. It is not to be denied that many countries, islands, +capes, isthmuses, and points, the names of which are found in histories, +are now unknown; because, in course of ages, the force of the waters has +wasted and consumed them, and has separated countries from each other +formerly joined, both in Europe, Asia, Africa, New Spain, Peru, and other +places. + +In his dialogue called Timaeus, Plato says there was anciently a great +country and large islands in the Atlantic, named Atlantides, greater than +Europe and Africa, and that the kings of these parts were lords of a +great part of Spain; but that, by the force of great tempests, the sea +had overflowed the country, leaving nothing but banks of mud and gravel, +so that no ships could pass that way for long after. It is also recorded +by Pliny[12], that close by the island of Cadiz, there was a well +inhabited island called Aphrodisias, towards the Straits of Gibraltar, +abounding in gardens and orchards; but we have now no knowledge of this +island, except from the bare mention of it in ancient authors. The Isle +of Cadiz is said to have been anciently so large as to join the continent +of Spain. The Açores are held to have been a continuation of the +mountains of Estrella, which join the sea coast beside the town of Cintra; +and the Sierra Verde, or Green-mountains, which reach the coast, near the +city of _Sasin_ in the land of _Cucu_, or the island of Moudim in which +Algarbe is situated, are supposed to have reached to Porto Santo and +Madeira. For it is considered as an indubitable fact, that all islands +derive their roots from the firm land or continent, however distant, as +otherwise they could not stand firm. Other authors say, that from Spain +to Ceuta in Barbary, people sometimes travelled on foot on dry land; that +the islands of Corsica and Sardinia were once joined; that Sicily was +united with Italy, and the Negropont with Greece[13]. We read also of the +hulls of ships, iron anchors, and other remnants of shipping, having been +found on the mountains of Susa, far inland, where there is now no +appearance of the sea having ever been. Many writers affirm, that in +India and Malabar, which now abounds in people, the sea once reached the +foot of the mountains; and that Cape Comorin and the island of Ceylon +were once united; also that Sumatra once joined with Malacca, by the +shoals of Caypasia; and not far from thence there is a small island which, +only a few years ago, was joined to the opposite coast. Ptolemy advances +the point of Malacca three or four degrees to the south of the line; +whereas its most southerly point, now called Jentana, is in one degree of +north latitude, by which people pass daily the straits of Cincapura to +the coasts of Siam and China; and the island of Aynan is said to have +formerly joined the land of China; the southern extremity of which +Ptolomey placed far to the south of the line, though it now only reaches +to twentieth degree of north latitude. + +It may even have been that Malacca and China, as Ptolemy sets forth, +extended beyond the line to the south; as Malacca might join with the +land called Jentana, and the islands of Bintam, Banca, and Salistres, and +the land might be all slime and ouze; likewise China might be united with +the Luçones, Borneo, Lequeuo, Mindanao, and others. Some are of opinion, +that Sumatra joined with Java, across what is now the Straits of Sunda; +and that Java also joined with the islands of Bali, Anjave, Cambava, +Solor, Hogalcao, Maulva, Vintara, Rosalaguin, and others in that range, +all of which are so near as to appear continuous, when seen from a small +distance; and they still are so near together, that in passing through +the channels which divide them, the boughs of the trees on each side may +be touched by the hands. It is not long since several of the islands of +Banda in the east were drowned by the sea overflowing them; and in China, +about 180 miles of firm land are said to have become a lake. All these +things are to be considered as coming within the limits of probability, +especially when we take into account what has been related of similar +events by Ptolemy and others, but which I here omit to return to my +subject. + +About 800 years after the deluge, the city of Troy was built by the +Dardanians; and even before that time, spices, drugs, and many other +kinds of merchandize, which were then more abundant than now, were +brought from India to Europe, by the Red Sea. Hence, if credit can be +given to these accounts, we may conclude, that the sea of old was much +frequented, those of the east bringing their commodities to the haven of +Arsinoe in the Arabian Gulf, now called Suez[14], in lat. 30° N. and at +the northern extremity of the Arabian Gulf; from whence the goods were +carried by caravans, upon camels, asses, and mules, to Cassou, a city on +the coast of the Levant sea, in lat. 32° N. Allowing seventeen leagues +and a half to every degree of latitude, these two cities are said to have +been 35 leagues, or 105[15] miles distant from each other. On account of +the heat, these caravans, or great companies of carriers, travelled only +in the night, directing themselves by the stars, and by land-marks fixed +in the ground for that purpose. But finding this journey attended with +many inconveniencies, the course was twice altered in search of a more +commodious route[16]. About nine hundred years after the flood, and +previous to the destruction of Troy, Egypt was ruled by a king named +Sesostris, who caused a canal to be cut from the Red Sea to that arm of +the Nile which flows past the city of Heroum, that ships might pass and +repass between India and Europe, to avoid the expence and trouble of +carrying merchandize by land across the isthmus of Suez; and Sesostris +had large caraks or ships built for this purpose[17]. This enterprize, +however, did not completely succeed; for, if it had, Africa would have +been converted into an island, as there are even now only twenty leagues +or sixty miles of land between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. + +About this time the Grecians gathered a fleet and army, called the +Argonautic expedition, under the command of Jason and Alceus[18]. Some +say they sailed from Crete, and others from Greece; but they passed +through the Propontis and the _sleeve_ of St George into the Euxine, +where some of the vessels perished, and Jason returned back to Greece. +Alceus reported that he was driven by a tempest to the Palus Maeotis, +where he was deserted by all his company; and those who escaped had to +travel by land to the German ocean, where they procured shipping; and +sailing past the coasts of Saxony, Friesland, Holland, Flanders, France, +Spain, and Italy, returned to the Peloponnesus and Greece, after +discovering a great portion of the coast of Europe. + +Strabo, on the authority of Aristonicus the grammarian, says, that king +Menelaus, after the destruction of Troy, sailed from the Grecian sea to +the Atlantic, coasted along Africa and Guinea, doubled the Cape Bona +Sperança, and arrived in India[19]; concerning which voyage many other +particulars might be collected from the writings of the ancients. This +Mediterranean Sea was sometimes called the Adriatic, the Aegean, and the +Herculean Sea; and had other names, according to the lands, coasts, and +islands, which it skirted, till, running through the Straits of Hercules, +between Spain and Africa, it communicated with the great Atlantic Ocean. +Thirteen hundred years after the flood, Solomon caused a navy to be +constructed at Ezion-geber on the Red Sea, which sailed to Tharsis and +Ophir, which some believe to have been islands in the East Indies. This +fleet was three years on its voyage, and on its return brought gold, +silver, cypress-wood, and other commodities[20]. The islands to which the +navy of Solomon traded were probably those we now call the Luçones, the +Lequeos, and China; for we know of few other places whence some of the +things mentioned as forming their cargoes can be had, or where navigation +has been so long practised. + +Necho, one of the kings of Egypt, was desirous to have joined the Red Sea +with the Mediterranean, and is said in history to have commanded some +Phenicians to sail from the Red Sea by the Straits of Mecca, and to +endeavour to return to Egypt by the Mediterranean[21]. This they +accomplished, and sailed along the coast of Melinda, Quiloa, and Sofala, +till they reached the Cape of Good Hope, which they doubled; and, +continuing their course to the north, they sailed along the coast of +Guinea all the way to the Mediterranean, and returned to Egypt after two +years absence, being the first who had circumnavigated Africa. + +In the year 590 before the Incarnation, a fleet belonging to Carthaginian +merchants sailed from Cadiz through the ocean, to the west, in search of +land[22]. They proceeded so far that they came to the islands now called +the Antilles, and to New Spain[23]. This is given on the authority of +Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, in his General History, who says that these +countries were then discovered; and that Christopher Columbus, by his +voyages in after times, only acquired more exact knowledge of them, and +hath left us a more precise notice of their situation, and of the way to +them. But all those historians who formerly wrote concerning the Antilles, +as of doubtful and uncertain existence, now plainly allow them to be the +same with New Spain and the West Indies. In the year 520 before Christ, +Cambyses, king of Persia, conquered Egypt, and was succeeded by Darius, +the son of Hystaspes. This latter prince determined upon completing the +projects of Sesostris and Necho, by digging a canal between the Red Sea +and the Nile: But, being assured that the Red Sea was higher than the +Nile, and that its salt water would overflow and ruin the whole land of +Egypt, he abandoned his purpose, lest that fine province should be +destroyed by famine and the want of fresh water[24]; for the fresh water +of the Nile overflows the whole country, and the inhabitants have no +other water to drink. + +It may not be too great a digression from the subject, to say a few words +concerning Egypt. The natives allege that they have in their country +certain animals, of which one half of their bodies seem earth, and the +other like rats, one species of which keeps continually in the water, +while another species lives on the land. In my opinion, it is these +animals which break the serpents eggs, of which there are many in the +Nile, but which serpents are also called crocodiles. It is said, that in +ancient times these animals were inchanted, so that they could not do +harm to any one: But since they have been freed from the power of +inchantment, by the arts and learning of the Egyptians decaying, they +have done much hurt, by killing people, wild beasts, and cattle, more +especially those which live in the water and come often on land. Those +that live continually on the land become strongly venomous[25]. The +people beyond the city of Cairo used to catch these animals, and even to +eat them, setting up their heads on the walls of the city. Concerning +these crocodiles, it is related[26] that they often lie along the shores +of the river with their mouths wide open; on which occasion, certain +white birds, little larger than our thrushes, fly into the mouths of the +crocodiles, and pick out the filth from between his teeth, to the great +delight of the crocodile; which, however, would surely close his mouth +and devour the bird, had not nature provided the bird with a sharp sting, +growing from the top of his head, which pricks the roof of the crocodiles +mouth, and forces him to gape, so that the bird flies away unhurt. In +this manner, by means of a succession of these birds, the crocodiles get +their teeth cleansed. In this same river, there are many beasts +resembling horses; and upon the land, there are certain birds like our +cranes, which continually make war upon the serpents, which come thither +out of Arabia: Which birds, and likewise the rats, which eat the eggs of +the crocodiles, are held in great reverence and estimation, by the +Egyptians. + +But now, to return to my subject of discoveries. In the year 485 before +Christ, Xerxes, king of Persia, sent his nephew Sataspis to discover +India; who sailed from the Mediterranean through the Straits of Hercules, +and passed the promontory of Africa, which we now call the Cape of Good +Hope; but, wearying of the length of the voyage, he returned back again, +as Bartholomew Diaz did in our days[27]. In 443 A. C. Hamilco and Hanno, +two Carthaginian commanders who governed that part of Spain now called +Andalusia, sailed from thence with two squadrons. Hamilco, sailing +towards the north, discovered the coasts of Spain, France, England, +Flanders, and Germany; and some allege that he sailed to Gothland, and +even to Thule or Iceland, standing under the Arctic circle, in 64 degrees +north, and continued his voyage during two years, till he came to that +northern island, where the day in June continues for twenty-two hours, +and the nights in December are of a similar length; on account of which +it is there wonderfully cold. His brother, Hanno, took his course to the +south, along the coast of Africa and Guinea, and discovered the Fortunate +Islands, now the Canaries, and the Orcades, Hesperides, and Gorgades, now +called the Cape de Verde islands. Proceeding onwards, Hanno doubled the +Cape of Good Hope, and went along the eastern coast of Africa to another +cape, called Aromaticum, now called Gardafu, and thence to the coast of +Arabia, and was five years employed in this voyage before his return to +Spain[28]. Others allege, that Hanno proceeded no farther than Sierra +Leona, which he colonized, and afterwards discovered as far as the +equinoctial line; but it would rather appear, from the length of time he +employed, that he must have accomplished the more extended navigation. + +It is reported that the inhabitants of the country at the Cape of Good +Hope are great witches, and by inchantment bring certain serpents so much +under command, that they preserve their churches, churchyards, gardens, +orchards, barns, and cattle, both from wild beasts and thieves. When +these serpents see any person doing or intending to do harm, they wind +themselves in such a manner around them as to make them prisoners, and +then command their young ones to give notice to their masters, that they +may come and secure the thieves. But if the thieves be numerous, or the +wild beasts of too much strength, so that the serpents dare not encounter +them, they go to their masters house, and if it happen to be in the +night, they give many strokes with their tails, so as to awaken their +masters, that they may provide for their defence[29]. + +A certain Italian, named Aloisius Cadamosta, relates, that when he was +upon the discovery of Guinea, and resided in the house of Bisboral, the +grandson of king Budomel, he heard one night, when in bed, a great noise +and many blows given about the house, upon which Bisboral arose and went +out; and, upon his return, Cadamosta demanded of him where he had been, +and he answered that he had been with his cobras or snakes, which called +him[30]. In the Indies there are many snakes, and some of them very full +of poison; yet the Indians carry them about their necks, and put them in +their bosoms, and under their arms, without fear or injury; and at +certain sounds, the snakes will dance, and do many other strange things +at command. + +I was informed by a certain Portuguese, who had been beyond the Cape of +Good Hope, towards Sofala, Quiloa, and Melinda, that there were certain +birds in that country, which would come to the negroes on a call, and as +the negroes moved on through the woods, the birds would do the same from +tree to tree, till at length they would alight on a tree whence they +would not remove: And, on examining that tree, the negroes were sure to +find wax and honey, but knew not whether it grew there naturally or +not[31]. In the same country, they find much wax and honey in ant-holes, +made by the ants, but somewhat bitter. In the seas of that coast, there +are certain fish, known to the fishermen, which commonly swim upright in +the water, having the faces and breasts of women[32]. + +In the year 355 before Christ, the Spaniards are said to have gone by sea +to the flats of India, Arabia, and the adjoining coasts, to which they +carried various merchandizes in great ships; and sailing to the north- +west they came to certain flats which are covered by the tide, and left +bare by the ebb, where they caught many _tunnies_ of great size; which +fishing turned out to their great profit, as they were very abundant and +much esteemed[33]. + +Alexander, who flourished 324 years before Christ, travelled from Europe +into Asia and Africa, passed through Armenia, Assyria, Persia, and +Bactria; whence he descended by the mountains of Imaus and the vallies of +Parapomissus, into India, and prepared a navy on the river Indus, with +which he passed into the ocean. He there turned by the lands of Gedrosia, +Caramania, and Persia, to the great city of Babylon, leaving the command +of his fleet to Onesicratus and Nearchus, who sailed through the straits +of the Persian Sea and up the river Euphrates, discovering the whole +coast between the Indus and that river. + +After the death of Alexander, Ptolemy became king of Egypt, who by some +was reputed to have been the bastard son of Philip, the father of +Alexander: He, imitating the before named kings, Sesostris and Darius, +caused dig a canal from the branch of the Nile which passed by Pelusium, +now by the city of Damieta[34]. This canal of Ptolemy was an hundred feet +broad and thirty feet deep, and extended ten or twelve leagues in length, +till it came to the _bitter wells_. He meant to have continued it to the +Red Sea; but desisted on the idea that the Red Sea was three cubits +higher than the land of Egypt, and would have overflowed all the country, +to its entire ruin. + +Ptolemy Philadelphus, in the year 277 before Christ, changed the +direction of the Indian traffic. The goods from Europe, by his orders, +were carried up the Nile from Alexandria to the city of Coptus, and +conveyed across the desert from thence to the sea-port of Myos-Hormos on +the Red-sea[35]. To avoid the excessive heat, the caravans travelled only +in the night, directing their course by the stars; and water being very +scarce in the desert, they had to carry a sufficient quantity with them +for the journey. Afterwards, to avoid this trouble, deep wells were dug +at certain intervals; and in other places large cisterns or reservoirs +were constructed for the reception of rain water. Still later, in +consideration of the dangers attending the port of Myos-Hormos, on +account of flats and islands, Philadelphus sent an army into Troglodytica, +where he constructed a haven called Berenice, in which the ships engaged +in the Indian commerce took shelter, as a place of greater security. From +thence the goods were transported to the city of Coptus, and afterwards +to Alexandria, which became rich and famous, through its trade with India, +beyond any other city in the world; insomuch that it is asserted that the +customs of Alexandria yielded every year to Ptolemy Auletes, the father +of Cleopatra, seven millions and a half of gold, though the traffic had +then scarcely subsisted in that direction for twenty years[36]. After the +reduction of Egypt and Alexandria under the power of the Romans, the +customs are said to have advanced to double that amount; and the trade +was so great, that 120 ships used to be sent yearly from Myos-Hormos to +India. The ships set sail every year from Myos-Hormos about the middle of +July, and returned back within the year[37]. The merchandize they carried +amounted to the value of one million two hundred thousand crowns; and the +returns were an hundred for one; and through this prodigious increase of +wealth, the matrons and noble ladies of those days in Alexandria, were +exceedingly profuse in decorating themselves with purple, pearls, and +precious stones, and in the use of musk, amber, and other rich perfumes +of various kinds; of all which the historians and other writers of that +age treat at great length[38]. + +Pliny[39], on the authority of Cornelius Nepos, says that one Eudoxus, +flying from Ptolemy Lathyrus, passed by sea through the gulf of Arabia, +and sailing along the eastern coast of Africa, doubled the cape of Bona +Sperança arrived by the Atlantic at Cadiz; and it would appear that this +navigation was as often used in those days as it now is. Caius Caesar, +the son of Augustus, going into Arabia, found in the Red Sea certain +pieces of the ships which had gone thither from Spain. + +Long after these days it was usual to pass to India by land. This was +done by the kings of the Sogdians, the princes of Bactria, and other +famous captains and many merchants, who travelled thither and into +Scythia by land. Marcus Paulus Venetus writes largely of these countries; +and though his book at first was reckoned fabulous, yet what he and +others have reported is now found true, by the experience of travellers, +and merchants who have since been to the same parts. + +It is reported that the Romans sent an army by sea to India, against the +great khan of Cathaia, 200 years before the Incarnation; which, passing +through the Straits of Gibraltar, and running to the north-west, found +ten islands opposite to Cape Finisterre; producing large quantities of +tin, which perhaps may have been those afterwards called the Cassiterides. +Being come to 50 degrees of latitude, they found a strait passing to the +west, through which they arrived in India, and gave battle to the king of +Cathaia, after which they returned to Rome. Whether this story may appear +possible or not, true or false, I can only say that I give it as I found +it written in the histories of these times. + +In the year 100 after the incarnation of Christ, the emperor Trajan +fitted out a fleet on the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, whence he sailed +to the islands of Zyzara; and passing the straits of Persia, entered +into the ocean, by which he sailed along the coast to India, till he came +to the place where Alexander had been. He there took some ships which +came from Bengal, and learned the state of the country from the mariners. +But being in years, and weary of the sea, and because he found it +difficult to procure necessaries for his army, he returned back to +Assyria[40]. + +After the Romans had subdued most part of the world, many notable +discoveries were made. But then came the Goths, Moors, and other +barbarous nations, who destroyed all A.D. 412, the Goths took the city +of Rome. Thereafter the Vandals went out of Spain, and conquered Africa. +In 450, Attila destroyed many cities in Italy, at which time Venice began; +and in this age the Franks and Vandals entered into France. In 474, the +empire of Rome was lost, and fell from the Romans to the Goths. In 560, +the Lombards came into Italy. About this time the sect of the Arians +prevailed greatly, and Merlin the English prophet flourished. In 611, +the Mahometan sect sprung up, and the Moresco government, which invaded +both Africa and Spain. By this it may appear that all the world was in a +state of war, and all places so very tumultuous, that traffic and +merchandize ceased, no nation daring to trade with another by sea or +land; nothing remaining stedfast, neither in kingdoms, signories, +religions, laws, arts, sciences, or navigation. Even the records and +writings of these things were burnt and destroyed by the barbarous power +of the Goths, who proposed to themselves to begin a new world, and to +root out the memory and knowledge of all other nations. + +Those who succeeded in the government of Europe, perceiving the great +losses of the Christian world by want of traffic and the stoppage of +navigation, began to devise a way of passing into India, quite different +from the route of the Nile and the Red Sea, and much longer and more +costly[41]. The goods of India were brought up the river Indus as far as +it was navigable. They were then carried by land in caravans through the +country of Parapomissus into the province of Bactria, and shipped on the +river Oxus, which falls into the Caspian, and thence across that sea to +the haven of Citracan, or Astracan, on the river Rha, or Volga. Thence up +that river, and to the city of Novogrod, in the province of Resan, which +now belongs to the great duke of Muscovy, in lat. 54° N. The goods were +carried thence overland to the province of Sarmatia and the river Tanais +or Don, which is the division between Europe and Asia. Being there loaded +in barks, they were carried down the stream of that river into the Paulus +Maeotis to the city of Caffa, anciently called Theodosia, which then +belonged to the Genoese, who came thither by sea in _galliasses_, or +great ships, and distributed Indian commodities through Europe. + +In the reign of Commodita, emperor of Armenia, a better course was +provided for this traffic: The goods being transported by land from the +Caspian, through the country of Hiberia, now Georgia, and thence by the +Phasis into the Euxine, and to the city of Trebisond, they were thence +shipped for the various parts of Europe[42]. It is recorded that +Demetrius Nicanor determined, or actually began, to open a canal of +above 120 miles in length between the Caspian and Euxine, for the greater +convenience of the Indian trade. But he was slain by Ptolemy Ceraunos, +and this famous enterprize fell to nothing[43]. + +All other ways being lost, by reason of the wars of the Turks, the +spiceries of the Indian Islands, particularly of Java, Sumatra, and the +city of Malacca, were carried up the river Ganges, in Bengal, to the city +of Agra; thence they were carried by land to another city near the Indus, +named Boghar, where they were discharged, because the city of Cabor, or +Laor, the principal city of the Mogores, stands too far within the land. +From thence they were carried to the great city of Samarcand in Bactria, +in which the merchants of India, Persia, and Turkey met together with +their several commodities, as cloth of gold, velvets, camblets, scarlet +and woollen cloths, which were carried to Cathay and the great kingdom of +China; whence they brought back gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, +silk, musk, rhubarb, and many other things of great value. + +In after times these merchandizes, drugs, and spiceries, were carried in +ships from India to the Straits of Ormus, and the rivers Euphrates and +Tigris, and were unladen at the city of Basora; from whence they were +carried overland to Aleppo, Damascus, and Barutti; and there the Venetian +galliasses, which transported pilgrims to the Holy Land, came and +received the goods. + +In the year 1153, in the time of the emperor Frederick Barbarossa, it is +said there came to the city of Lubeck, in Germany, a canoe like a long +barge, with certain Indians, who were supposed to have come from the +coast of Baccalaos[44], which is in the same latitude with Lubeck. The +Germans greatly wondered to see such a boat and strange people, not +knowing whence they came, nor being able to understand their language, +especially as there was then no knowledge of their country. Although the +boat was small in comparison with the seas it had to cross, it is yet +possible that it might have been conveyed by the winds and waves; for in +our days the _almadias_ of the negroes, which are very small boats, +venture to navigate from Quiloa, Mosambique, and Sofala, around the +Cape of Good Hope, even to the island of St Helena, a very small spot in +the ocean, at a great distance from land. + +In the year 1300 after Christ, the great soldan of Cairo restored the +trade of spiceries, drugs, and merchandize from India, by the Red Sea; at +which time they unloaded the goods at the port of Judea[45], and carried +them to Mecca; whence they were distributed by the Mahometan pilgrims[46], +so that each prince endeavoured to increase the honour and profit of +his own country. The soldans translated this trade to their own city of +Cairo; whence the goods were carried to the countries of Egypt, Lybia, +Africa, Tunis, Tremessen, Fez, Morocco, and Suz; and some of them were +carried beyond the mountains of Atlas, to the city of Tombuto, and the +kingdom of the Jalophos; till afterwards the Portuguese brought the +Indian trade round the Cape of Good Hope to Lisbon, as we propose to shew +more at large in a convenient place. + +A.D. 1344, Peter IV. reigned in Arragon, and the chronicles of his reign +report that Don Lewis de Cerda, grandson of Don John de Corda, requested +his aid to go and conquer the Canary Islands, which had been gifted to +him by Pope Clement VI. a Frenchman. About this time, too, the island of +Madeira is said to have been discovered by an Englishman named Macham; +who, sailing from England into Spain with a lady whom he loved, was +driven out of his course by a tempest, and arrived in a harbour of that +island, now called Machico, after his name. The lady being oppressed +with seasickness, Macham landed with her on the island, accompanied by +some of his people; but in the mean time the ship weighed anchor and +stood to sea, leaving them behind. On this the lady died of grief, and +Macham, who was passionately fond of her, erected a chapel or hermitage +on the island, which he named the chapel of Jesus, and there deposited +her remains, engraving both their names and the cause of their coming to +this place on a monumental stone. After this, he and his companions made +a boat or canoe out of a large tree, and putting to sea without sails or +oars, got over to the coast of Africa. The Moors among whom he arrived, +considering their passage as miraculous, sent him to their king, who +transmitted both him and his company to the king of Castile. + +In 1395, while Henry III. reigned in Castile, in consequence of +information given by Macham respecting this island, many persons of +France and Castile were induced to attempt its discovery, and that of the +Grand Canary. Those who went on this expedition were principally from +Andalusia, Biscay, and Guipuscoa, who carried thither many men and +horses; but I know not whether this was done at their own charge, or that +of the king. But however that might be, these people seem to have been +the first discoverers of the Canaries; where they took 150 of the +islanders prisoners. There is some difference among authors respecting +the time of this discovery, as some affirm that it did not take place +till the year 1405. + + +[1] August. de Civit. Dic. I. 15. c. 20. + +[2] The Cape of Good Hope, and the island of Madagascar--E. + +[3] Birmahs + +[4] Arracan + +[5] Pompon. Mela, I. 3. Plin. I. 2. c. 67. + +[6] Joseph: Ant. Jud. I. 1. c. 5. + +[7] Justin, I. 1. + +[8] Berosus. + +[9] Diod. Sic. I. 2. c. 5. + +[10] Berosus. + +[11] Gons. Fern. I. 2. c. 3. Plin. I. 6. c. 31. + +[12] Plin. I. 4. c. 22. + +[13] Eratosth. ap. Strab. I. 1. p. 26. + +[14] Plin. I. 6. c. 29. + +[15] The miles here used are three to the league; but the league of the + text is nearly equal to four English miles, and the assumed distance + of these two ports 140 of our miles--E. + +[16] Strab. I. 17. p. 560. + +[17] Plin. I. 6. c. 29. + +[18] Diod. Sic. I. 4. c. 4. + +[19] Strab. I. 1. p. 26. + +[20] Kings, I. 9. Chron. II. 8. + +[21] Herodot. I. 4. + +[22] Arist. de Mirand. + +[23] Gonz. Fern. Ovied. I. 2. c. 3. + +[24] Plin. I. 9. c. 58. de Maribus Nili. + +[25] Joan. Leo Afric. I. 9. de Nilo.--Our author has got into a strange + dilemma, by confounding crocodiles and serpents under one denomination. + --E. + +[26] Plin. and Leo, ub. cit. + +[27] Plin. I. 2. c. 67. + +[28] Plin. I. 6. c. 31. This subject will be discussed in the _Fifth_ Part + of our work; being much too extensive to admit of elucidation in a + note.--E. + +[29] Hasty readers will have the justice to give the honour of this story + to Galvano.--E. + +[30] This story will be found hereafter very differently related by Cada + Mosto himself, but with a sufficient spice of the marvellous.--E. + +[31] The Honey-guide, or Cuculus Indicator, will be noticed more + particularly in the Travels through the Colony of the Cape.--E. + +[32] The Philosophers of the _nineteenth_ century have _fortunately_ + rediscovered the _Mermaid_ in the north of Scotland! Hitherto, + wonderful things used to be confined to barbarous regions and ignorant + ages.--E. + +[33] Arist. de Mirand. Strabo, I. 2. p. 68. + +[34] Plin. I. 6. c. 29. + +[35] Strabo, I. 17. p. 560, 561. + +[36] Strab. I. 17. p. 549. + +[37] Plin. I. 6. c. 23. + +[38] Id. I. 12. c. 18. + +[39] Id. I. 2. c. 67. + +[40] Ziphilin. in vit. Traj. + +[41] Ramusio, V. f. 372. p. 2 + +[42] Strabo, I. 11. + +[43] Plin. I. 6. c. 11. + +[44] Newfoundland? + +[45] Jidda. + +[46] Leo Afric. Ramus. v. 1. f. 373. + + + +SECTION II. + +_Summary of Portuguese Discoveries, from the Commencement of the +Fifteenth Century, to the Discovery of America by Columbus_[1]. + +According to the chronicles of Portugal, John I. went from Lisbon in 1415, +attended by his sons Don Duarte, or Edward, Don Peter, and Don Henry, and +other lords and nobles of his realm, into Africa, where he took the great +city of Ceuta, which was one of the principal causes of extending the +dominions of Portugal. After their return, Don Henry, the king's +_third_[2] son, being then in Algarve, and desirous to enlarge the +kingdom by the discovery of unknown regions, gave directions for +discovering the coast of Mauritania; for in those days none of the +Portuguese had ever gone beyond Cape Non, in lat. 29°. N.[3]. For the +better accomplishment of this purpose, Don Henry prepared a fleet, and +commanded the officers whom he employed to proceed in making discoveries +to the south of that cape, which they did; but when they came to another +cape, named Bajador, none of them dared for a long time to go beyond it, +at which cowardice the prince was much displeased. + +In 1417, in the reign of John II. of Castile, and while his mother the +lady Catharine was regent of the kingdom, Ruben de Bracamonte, the +admiral of France, craved a grant of the Canary Islands, and the title of +king, for his kinsman John de Betancourt; which being conceded, he +departed from Seville with an armament to attempt the conquest. The +principal motive of this enterprize was to make a perfect discovery of +Madeira, of which Macham had before given so much information; yet he +went to the Canaries, where he carried a friar named Mendo as bishop, who +had received that dignity from Pope Martin V. He reduced Lançerota, +Fuerteventura, Gomera, and Ferro; whence he sent into Spain many slaves, +and considerable quantities of honey, wax, camphire, hides, orchill, figs, +dragons-blood, and other merchandize, of which he made good profit. This +armament is said to have likewise discovered Porto Santo. The island +first occupied by Betancourt was Lançerota, where he built a castle of +stone for the better defence of the new settlers. + +In the year 1418, John Gonzales Zarco, and Tristram Vaz Teixera, +gentlemen of the household to Don Henry, perceiving the great desire of +their master to discover new countries, requested and obtained a bark to +proceed to the coast of Africa; where they were overtaken by a violent +tempest, and driven into a haven of the island now called Porto Santo, +where they remained two years. In 1420, they discovered the island of +Madeira, where they found the chapel, tomb, and stone on which Macham had +engraved his name. Others write, that a Castilian had informed Don Henry +of having made the discovery of Porto Santo; and that he sent +Bartholomew Perestrello, John Gonzales Zarco, and Tristram Vaz Teixera, +purposely in search of that island, according to the signs and directions +indicated by the Castilian; and that these persons afterwards discovered +Madeira in 1420, where they found the memorial and monument left by +Macham the Englishman. + +Betancourt, who begun the conquest of the Canaries, was slain in a war +with the natives, leaving one Menante his heir; who afterwards sold the +islands to one Peter Barba of Seville. But others say, that John de +Betancourt went to France to procure reinforcements, to enable him to +complete his conquests, and left the command of Lançerota with his +nephew; who, hearing nothing of his uncle, and being unable to continue +the contest with the natives, sold the Canaries to Don Henry, for an +estate in the island of Madeira. + +It is related that, in 1424, Don Henry sent a squadron with some land +forces, under Don Ferdinando de Castro, on purpose to make a conquest of +these islands; but, being repulsed by the bravery of the natives, de +Castro prudently desisted from the enterprize and returned home; and +that Don Henry afterwards resigned his claim to these islands in favour +of the crown of Castile. The Castilian writers, however, assert that both +Don Henry and the king of Portugal refused to give up these islands, +until the dispute was ended by the judgment of Pope Eugenius IV. who +awarded them to the king of Castile. These islands, anciently called the +Insulae Fortunatae, or Fortunate Islands, are seven in number, in lat. +28° N. where the longest day is thirteen hours, and the longest night the +same. They are 200 leagues distant from the coast of Spain, and 18 +leagues from the coast of Africa. The people were idolaters, and eat raw +flesh for want of fire. They had no iron, but raised or tilled the ground +with the horns of oxen and goats, for want of better implements of +husbandry. Every island spoke a separate language, and many pagan customs +prevailed among the natives; but now the Christian religion is planted +among them. The commodities of these islands are wheat, barley, sugar, +wine, and Canary-birds, which are much esteemed for the sweetness and +variety of their song. In the island of Ferro they have no water but what +proceeds in the night from a tree, encompassed by a cloud, whence water +issues, and serves the whole inhabitants and cattle of the island[4]. + +In the year 1428, Don Pedro, the king's _eldest_[5] son, who was a great +traveller, went into England, France, and Germany, and thence into the +Holy Land and other places, and came home by Italy, through Rome and +Venice. He is said to have brought a map of the world home with him, in +which all parts of the earth were described, by which the enterprizes of +Don Henry for discovery were much assisted. In this map the Straits of +Magellan are called the _Dragons-tail_, and the Cape of Good Hope the +_Front of Africa_, and so of the rest[6]. I was informed by Francis de +Sosa Tavares, that in the year 1528, Don Fernando, the king's eldest son, +shewed him a map which had been made 120 years before, and was found in +the study of Alcobaza, which exhibited all the navigation of the East +Indies, with the cape of Bona Sperança, as in our latter maps; by which +it appears that there was as much discovered, or more, in ancient times +as now[7]. + +Though attended with much trouble and expence, Don Henry was unwearied in +prosecuting his plan of discoveries. At length Gilianes, one of his +servants, passed Cape Bojador, a place terrible to all former navigators, +and brought word that it was by no means so dangerous as had been +represented, he having landed on its farther side, where he set up a +wooden cross in memorial of his discovery. + +In the year 1433 died John king of Portugal, and was succeeded by his +eldest son Duarte or Edward. In 1434, Don Henry sent Alphonso Gonzales +Balduja and Gillianes, who penetrated from Cape Bajador to another cape, +where they found the country to be inhabited, and went forward to another +point of land, whence they returned to Portugal. In 1438 king Duarte died, +and his son Alphonso being young, the kingdom was governed during his +minority by his uncle Don Pedro. In 1441, Don Henry sent out two ships +under Tristan and Antonio Gonzales, who took a prize on the coast, and +sailed to Cape Blanco, or the White Cape in lat. 20° N.[8]. From thence +they brought home some Moors, from whom Don Henry learned the state of +the country. Don Henry sent an account of these discoveries to Pope +Martin, by one Fernan Lopez de Savado; and the Pope granted indulgences +and everlasting pardon of sins to all who should die in attempting the +discovery of the land of the infidels. In the year 1443, Don Henry +commanded Antonio Gonzales to carry back the Moors to their own country, +where they were ransomed for black Moors with curled hair, or negroes, +and some gold; owing to which that place is now called Rio de Oro, or the +Golden River, that thereby the desire of discovery might be the more +increased. He sent soon afterward one named Nunnez Tristan, who +discovered the islands of Arguin, who brought more slaves from thence to +Portugal in 1444. One Lancarote, a groom of Don Henrys chamber, and +three others, armed certain ships, with which they sailed along the coast +to the islands of Garze, where they took 200 slaves, which were the first +that were brought from thence to Portugal. + +In 1445, Gonsalvo de Syntra, an esquire belonging to Don Henry, went +captain of a bark into these parts; and landing on the coast, was taken +by the natives, with six or seven of his people The place where he was +cut off got the name of Angra de Gonsalvo de Syntra from him; and this +was the first loss sustained by the Portuguese in their discoveries. In +1446, three caravels were sent out under Antonio Gonsales, Diego Aloizio, +and Gomes Perez; who were ordered to refrain from going to Rio de Oro, to +carry themselves peaceably to the natives, to traffic with them peaceably, +and to endeavour to convert as many infidels as possible to Christianity; +but in this they had no success. In the same year, Dennis Fernandes of +Lisbon, an esquire to the king, entered upon these discoveries, more to +acquire fame than for profit. In the course of his voyage he discovered +the river _Sanaga_ or Senegal, between 15 and 16 degrees of latitude[9]; +and proceeding onwards, discovered Cape Verde, in 14 degrees[10], upon +which he erected a wooden cross, and then returned, much elated at the +success of his voyage. In 1447 Nunnez Tristan passed beyond Cape Verde to +Rio Grande, and went beyond that river to another in twelve degrees[11]. +He was here taken and slain, with eighteen other Portuguese, and the ship +was brought home in safety by four or five of the crew who escaped the +hands of the negroes. + +In this year 1447, a Portuguese ship, in coming through the Straits of +Gibraltar, was forced a great way to the westwards by a violent tempest, +and came to an island having seven cities, the inhabitants of which spoke +the Portuguese language, and they inquired of our mariners if the Moors +still infested Spain, whence their ancestors had fled to avoid the +distresses which occurred subsequent to the death of Don Roderigo, king +of Spain. The boatswain of this ship brought home some of the sand from +this island, and sold it to a goldsmith in Lisbon, who procured from it a +good quantity of gold. Don Pedro, who then governed the realm, being made +acquainted with this circumstance, caused the whole to be recorded in the +house of justice[12]. Some think that this island belonged to what is now +called the Antilles or New Spain; but though their reasons for this +opinion are good, I omit them here, as not connected with my present +purpose. + +In the year 1449, King Alphonso granted license to his uncle, Don Henry, +to colonize the Açores, which had been formerly discovered. In the year +1458, this king went into Africa, where he took the town of Alcaçer; and +in the year 1461, he commanded Signior Mendez to build the castle of +Arguin, in the island of that name, on the coast of Africa. In the year +1462, three Genoese gentlemen, of whom Antonio de Noli was the chief, the +others being his brother and nephew, got permission from Don Henry to +take possession of the Cape de Verde islands, which some believe to be +those called Gorgades, Hesperides, and Dorcades, by the ancients. But +they named them Mayo, Saint Jago, and Saint Philip, because discovered on +the days of those saints. Some call them the islands of Antonio. In the +year following, 1463, that excellent prince, Don Henry, died; having +discovered, by his exertions, the whole coast of Africa, from Cape Non to +the mountain of Sierra Liona, which is on this side of the line, in lat. +8° 30' N. where no man had been before. + +In 1469, the king of Portugal let out the trade of Guinea, afterwards +called the Minas, to Fernan Gomez, for five years, at the yearly rent of +200,000 rees[13]; and under the express condition that he was every year +to discover 100 leagues farther along the coast of Africa to the south. +In 1470, this king went into Africa, accompanied by his son Prince John, +where he took the town of Arzila; and the inhabitants of Tangier having +fled from fear, he took possession of it also. In the year 1471, John de +St Aren and John de Scovar, under the orders of Fernan Gomez, continued +the discovery of the coast of Guinea as far as St George del Mina, in lat. +5° N. and 2° W. long.; the coast from Cape Verde to Cape Palmas trending +S.E. after which it goes to the east, with even a small northerly +inclination for about twelve degrees of longitude. In 1472, one Fernando +da Poo discovered the island now called after his name, beyond Cape +Formosa, in lat. 3° 40' N. and about the same time the islands del +Principe and St Thomas were discovered, the latter of which is situated +under the equinoctial line. The firm land also was explored at the same +time, all the way from the kingdom of Benin to Cape St Catherina, in lat. +1° 40' S. This last discovery was made by Sequetra, a person in the king's +immediate service. Many suppose that then were these countries and +islands discovered which had never been before known since the flood. + +In the year 1480, the valiant King Don Alphonzo died, and was succeeded +by his son Don John II. who, in 1481, gave orders to Diego d'Azambuxa to +construct the castle of St George del Mina, on the African coast. In 1484, +Diego Caon, a knight belonging to the court, discovered the coast as far +as the river Congo, on the south side of the line, in seven or eight +degrees of latitude[14], where he erected a stone pillar, with the royal +arms and titles of Portugal, with the date of his discovery. He proceeded +southwards from thence along the coast, all the way to a river near the +tropic of Capricorn, setting up similar stone pillars in convenient +places. He afterwards returned to Congo, the king of which country sent +ambassadors by his ship into Portugal. In the next year, or the year +following, John Alonzo d'Aveiro brought home from Benin pepper with a +tail[15], being the first of the kind ever seen in Portugal. + +In 1487, King John sent Pedro de Covillan and Alphonzo de Payva, both of +whom could speak Arabic, to discover India by land. They left Lisbon in +the month of May, and took shipping in the same year at Naples for the +island of Rhodes, and lodged there in the hotel of the Knights of St John +of Jerusalem, belonging to Portugal. From thence they went to Alexandria +and Cairo, and then along with a caravan of Moors to the haven of Toro. +There they embarked on the Red Sea, and proceeded to Aden, where they +separated; de Payva going into Ethiopia, while Covillan proceeded to +India. Covillan went to the cities of Cananor and Calicut, and thence to +Goa, where he took shipping for Sofala, on the eastern coast of Africa. +He thence sailed to Mosambique, and the cities of Quiloa, Mombaza, and +Melinda, returning back to Aden, where he and Payva had formerly +separated. Thence he proceeded to Cairo, where he hoped to have rejoined +his companion; but he here learnt by letter from the king his master, +that de Payva was dead, and he was farther enjoined by the king to travel +into the country of Abyssinia[16] He returned therefore, from Cairo to +Toro, and thence to Aden; and hearing of the fame of Ormuz, he proceeded +along the coast of Arabia by Cape Razalgate to Ormuz. Returning from the +Gulf of Persia to the Red Sea, he passed over to the realm of the +Abyssinians, which is commonly called the kingdom of Presbyter John, or +Ethiopia, where he was detained till 1520, when the ambassador, Don +Roderigo de Lima, arrived in that country. This Pedro de Covillan was the +first of the Portuguese who had ever visited the Indies and the adjacent +seas and islands. + +In the year 1490, the king sent Gonzalo de Sosa to Congo with three ships, +carrying back with him the ambassador of the king of Congo, who had been +brought over to Portugal in 1484, by Diego Caon. During his residence in +Portugal, this ambassador and others of his company had been instructed +in the Christian religion, and baptized. Gonzalo de Sosa died during the +outward-bound voyage; and Ruy de Sosa, his nephew, was chosen to the +command of the expedition in his stead. Arriving in Congo, the king of +that country received them with much joy, and soon yielded himself and +the greater part of his subjects to be baptized; to the infinite +satisfaction of the Portuguese, who by these means converted so many +infidels from paganism to Christianity. + + +[1] The only quotations used in this Section in the original translation + by Hakluyt, are from the Asia of John de Barros, Decade 1. which it + has not been deemed necessary to refer to here more particularly.--E. + +[2] It is singular that a Portuguese should not be more correct. Henry was + the _fifth_ son.--Clarke. + +[3] More accurately 28° 40'.--E. + +[4] Opportunities will occur hereafter, in particular voyages, to discuss + the circumstances of this wonderful tree. + +[5] Galvano is again mistaken. Edward or Duarte was the _eldest_ son; + Pedro the _third_.--Clarke. + +[6] Dr Vincent, in his Periplus, considers this as a copy of the map of + Marco Polo, which was exhibited in the church of St Michael de Murano, + at Venice.--Clarke. + +[7] Even if this were fact, it proves nothing, as the Cape of Good Hope + must have been inserted merely by the fancy of the draughtsman.-- + Clarke.--It may be added, that in 1528, it was no difficult matter to + wrong date a forged map, on purpose to detract from the merit of the + actual discoverers.--E. + +[8] More correctly in lat. 20° 54' N. There is another Cape Blanco in + Morocco in lat. 33° 10' N. and this more southerly cape on the great + desert is named Branca in our best charts.--E. + +[9] The mouth of the Senegal is in lat. 15° 45' N.--E. + +[10] More correctly, 14° 45' N.--E. + +[11] It is difficult to ascertain these two rivers: The Rio Grande here + meant is properly named Gambia. The river in 12° N. may be the + Casamansa, the Santa Anna, or the St Dominico: which last is exactly + in 12° N. the two others a little farther north, and nearer the Gambia. + --E. + +[12] This is one of the many palpable and clumsy fables which were + advanced to defraud Columbus of the honour of having discovered the + new world, and is even more ridiculous, if possible, than the voyages + of Zeno, adverted to in our _First_ Part.--E. + +[13] Equal to L.138: 17: 9-1/4 d. English money.--Halk. + +[14] Only 6° 45' S.--E. + +[15] Mr Clarke explains this as _long pepper_; but besides that this by no + means answers the descriptive name in the text, long pepper certainly + is the production of the East Indies. The article here indicated was + probably one of the many species, or varieties of the Capsicum; called + Guinea pepper, Cayenne pepper, Bird pepper, and various other names. + --E. + +[16] In the original this is called the country of Prester or Presbyter + John. We have formerly, in the _First_ Part of this work, had occasion + to notice the strange idea of a Christian prince and priest, who was + supposed to have ruled among the pagan nations of eastern Tartary. + Driven from this false notion, by a more thorough knowledge of Asia, + the European nations fondly transferred the title of Prester John to + the half Christian prince or Negus of the semi-barbarous Abyssinians. + --E. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Summary of Discoveries made by the Spaniards and Portuguese, from the Era +of Columbus, in 1492, to the year 1555_. + +In the year 1492, when Don Ferdinand king of Castile[1] was engaged in +the siege of Granada, he sent _one_ Christopher Columbus, a Genoese, with +three ships, for the discovery of Nova Spagna. This Columbus had first +offered his service lot a western discovery to John king of Portugal, who +refused to employ him. Being sufficiently furnished for his enterprize, +Columbus set out from the town of Palos on the third of August 1492, +having with him, as captains and pilots, Martin Alionzo Pinzon, Francis +Martinez Pinzori, Vincent Yannes Pinzon, and Bartholomew Columbus his +brother[2] with an hundred and twenty other persons in the three ships. +Some persons affirm, that this was the first voyage which was ever +conducted by the observation of latitudes[3]. They took the Canaries in +their way, whence shaping their course for Cipango, or towards Japan, +they were much amazed to find the sea all full of weeds, and with great +fear arrived at the Antilles on the tenth day of October; the first +island they descried, called Guanahany by the natives, they named San +Salvador. This island is in 25° N. latitude. After that they found many +islands, which they called the Princes. The savages of those parts call +these islands by the name of Lucaios, having indeed several names for +them, and they stand on the north side of the line, almost under the +tropic of Cancer. The island of St James, or Jamaica, lies between the +16th and 17th degrees of northern latitude[4]. Thence they went to the +island which the natives call Cuba, named Ferdinando by the Spaniards, +after the king, which is in 22 degrees; from whence they were conducted +by the Indians to another island called Hayti, named Isabella by the +Spaniards, in honour of the queen of Castile, and afterwards Hispaniola, +or Little Spain. + +In that island the admirals ship was wrecked, and Columbus caused a fort +to be constructed of her timbers and planks, in which he left Roderigo de +Arana with a garrison of thirty-eight men, to learn the language and +customs of the country. Columbus then returned to Spain, carrying with +him samples of gold and pearls, and other productions of the country, +with ten Indians, six of whom died on the voyage; the rest were brought +to Spain and baptized. On their way home, Columbus touched at the Açores; +and on the fourth of March 1493, entered the port of Lisbon. This +discovery gave much discontent to the king of Portugal. Immediately on +his arrival, Columbus went into Castile, where he informed the king of +his discoveries and of the dissatisfaction of the king of Portugal. On +this he and his queen Isabella sent word of the recent discovery to Pope +Alexander VI, at which information he and all the Italians were much +astonished, as they marvelled that there should be any land besides what +had been known to the Romans. Alexander made a grant of all these +countries to the crowns of Castile and Leon, under condition that they +should labour to extirpate idolatry, and establish the holy faith of +Christ among the natives. + +On the report of this discovery, so universal a desire of travelling +arose among the Spaniards, that they were ready as it were to leap into +the sea, that they might swim if possible to the newly discovered islands. +After receiving the authority of the Pope, King Ferdinando sent Columbus +a second time to the newly-discovered country, of which he made him +admiral, giving him many other honours, and a particular coat of arms, +having this motto, + + For Castile and for Leon + A new world discovered Colon[A]. + +[A] Gomara, I. 1. c. 15. + +Columbus set out on his second voyage to the Antilles on the 25th October +1493, taking his course from Cadiz, with seventeen ships and fifteen +hundred men, accompanied by his brothers Bartholomew and Diego Columbus, +with many other knights, gentlemen of the law, and priests; having +chalices, crosses, and other rich religious ornaments, and with great +power and dignity from the Pope. The tenth day after commencing their +voyage, they reached the Canaries; and from thence, in twenty-five or +thirty days, they sailed to the Antilles, the first island they saw being +in 14° N. due west from Cape de Verd in Africa. They called this island +Deseada[5], or the _desired island_, which is said to be 800 leagues from +the Canaries. They afterwards discovered many more islands, which they +called the Virgins, but which are named the Caribbee islands by the +natives, from a nation of that name, who are bold warriors, and excellent +marksmen with bows and arrows. They poison their arrows with the juice of +a certain herb, and whoever is wounded with these is sure to die, biting +himself like a mad dog. From thence they went to the principal island in +these parts, named Boriquen by the natives, and St John by the Spaniards; +and thence to Hispaniola, or Isabella, where they found all the men dead +whom they had left on returning from the former voyage. Columbus left +most of his people here to establish a colony, under the command of his +brothers; and went with two ships to continue his discovery of Cuba and +Jamaica. All these islands are between 16 and 20 degrees of northern +latitude[6]. While the admiral was sailing in quest of discoveries, his +brethren and those who were left in Hispaniola, were much incommoded by +an insurrection among the savages; and Columbus went back to Spain, to +give an account of his proceedings to the king and queen. + +In January 1494, a congress of ambassadors from Spain and Portugal was +held at Tordesillas, for the settlement of all disputes between the two +countries respecting the new discoveries. The plenipotentiaries from +Spain were Don Henry Henriques, Don John de Cardenas, and the Doctor +Maldonado; those from Portugal, Ruy de Sosa, his son Don John, and the +doctor Ayres de Almada. After some conference, these plenipotentiaries +divided the world between the two crowns, by a meridian line drawn from +north to south, 300 leagues to the west of the islands of Cape Verd, all +to the east of this line being appropriated to Portugal, and all to the +west to Spain; leaving, however, the liberty of navigation equally to +both[7]. In 1495, John II. King of Portugal, died, and was succeeded by +his cousin Emanuel. + +In the year 1496, a Venetian named John Cabota, or Gabota, went to +England; and having acquired a knowledge of the new discoveries, and +perceiving by the globe that the islands of the Antilles were almost in +the same latitude with his own country, and lay much nearer to England +than Spain and Portugal, he acquainted Henry VII. with this circumstance, +and offered his services to make discoveries for the crown of England. +Henry was much pleased with the proposal, and furnished him with two +ships and three hundred men, with which he set sail in the spring of that +year, and sailed west till he came in sight of land, in lat. 45°N. Whence +he sailed northwards till he came into the latitude of 60 degrees, where +the day is 18 hours long, and the night is very clear and bright. He +there found the air very cold, with great islands of ice, and found no +bottom with a line of 100 fathoms. From thence, finding the land turn +eastwards, he coasted along it, discovering all the bay and river named +Deseado[8], to see if it passed on to the other side of the land. Cabot +afterwards sailed down the coast to the lat. of 38°N. though some people +allege that he reached Cape Florida, in 25°N. + +In the year 1497, Columbus was again sent out on discovery, with six +ships furnished by the crown of Spain, and two others fitted out at his +own expence. Sending his brother before, he sailed from Cadiz, taking his +son Don Diego along with him. It was then reported, that he meant to take +the island of Madeira, because he distrusted the Frenchmen, and therefore +sent three ships thither; others say, that his object was for the +Canaries. However this may be, he went with four ships to the Cape de +Verd islands, whence he ran along a parallel, finding great rains and +calms, and the first land he came to in the Antilles was an island in +nine degrees of north latitude, called Trinidada,[9] which lies close to +the main land. Here he entered the Gulf of Paria, and came out by the +Bocca de Dragone, or Dragons-mouth. Holding his course westwards along +the coast of Paria, he came to the islands called Los Testigos, or the +Witnesses, beyond which is the island of Cubagua, where there is a great +fishing for pearl-muscles, and where also there is a well of rock oil. +Beyond that he came to the Frailes islands, named Roques, Aruba, and +Curaçoa, and other small islands, along the coast of the main land, and +to the point of land named Cabo de Vela, having discovered 200 leagues of +coast. He thence crossed over the Caribbean Sea, directly north for +Hispaniola, passing by the island Beata. + +In this same year[10] 1497, on the 20th day of June[11], King Emanuel +sent a squadron of three ships for India, commanded by one Vasques de +Gama, having under his command his brother Paulus de Gama and Nicolas +Coello, as captains of the other two ships, the whole having a complement +of 120 men. They were accompanied by a fourth ship laden with provisions. +In fourteen days they reached the island of St Jago, one of the Cape +Verds, whence they went along the coast beyond the Cape of Good Hope, +erecting pillars of stone in proper places, as marks of discovery and +possession, and came to Mosambique in lat. 15° S. After staying only a +short time there, de Gama went to Mombaza and Melinda, the king of which +last place gave him pilots, who conducted him to India, in which passage +he discovered Los Baxos do Padua, or the Flats of Padua. In the month of +May 1498, de Gama came to anchor before the city of Calicut, _and +Panama_[12], where they remained till the first day of September, when +they sailed towards the north, discovering all the coast till they came to +the island of Angediva, on the western side of India, in 15° N. where they +came to an anchor in the beginning of October. They remained here till +February 1499, when they departed on their voyage homewards; coming first +to Melinda, and so by Mosambique and along the coast to the Cape of Good +Hope, and by the islands of Cape de Verd, and lastly to the city of Lisbon, +in September of that year, having been absent on their voyage for twenty- +six months. + +On the 13th of November 1499, Vincent Yannez Pinzon, who had sailed with +Columbus in his first voyage of discovery, and his nephew Aries Pinzon, +departed from the port of Palos with four well appointed ships, fitted +out at their own cost, having a license from the king of Spain to +prosecute discoveries in the new world, but with express orders not to +touch anywhere that had been visited by Columbus. Going first to the +islands of Cape de Verd, they passed the line and stood over towards the +new world, which they fell in with at Cape St Augustine, in lat. 8° 30' S. +where they carved on the barks of trees the date of their arrival, and +the names of the king and queen of Spain. They had several skirmishes +with the inhabitants of Brazil, but got no advantage. Following the coast +westwards[13], they entered the river named Maria Tambal, by which time +they had made above thirty prisoners. The chief places where they touched +were Cape St Augustine, Cape St Luke, Tierra de los Humos; the rivers of +Marannon and of the Amazons, and the Rio Dolce, or Sweet river[14], and +other places along the coast. At last, being come to 10° N. they lost two +of their ships with their crews, and returned home, after having employed +ten months and fifteen days in their voyage. + +In March 1500, Pedro Alvarez Cabral sailed from Lisbon with thirteen +ships for India, being ordered not to go near the coast of Africa, that +he might shorten the voyage. Losing sight of one of his ships, he +deviated from his course in hopes to rejoin it, and sailed till he +unexpectedly fell in with the coast of Brazil, where he sent a bark in, +search of a safe harbour, which they found in 17° S. and called it Puerto +Seguro. From thence they made sail for the Cape of Good Hope and Melinda, +whence they crossed over to the river of Cochin, which was not before +known. Here they loaded with pepper; and on their return Sancho de Thovar +discovered the city of Sofala, on the eastern coast of Africa. + +It is reported, that in the year 1500, one Gaspar Cortereal got a general +license from King Emanuel to make discoveries in the new world. He fitted +out two stout ships at his own cost, from the island of Tercera, and +sailed to that part of the new world which is in 50° N. which has been +since known by his name, and came home in safety to Lisbon. In a second +voyage, his own immediate vessel was lost, and the other came home. Upon +this, his brother Michael Cortereal went to seek him with three ships, +fitted out at his own charges; and finding many creeks and rivers on the +coast, the ships divided for the more effectual search, agreeing that +they should all meet again at an appointed time and place. The other two +ships did so; but after waiting a reasonable rime for Michael Cortereal, +it was concluded that he was also lost, on which the other two ships +returned to Lisbon, and no news was ever afterwards heard of the two +brothers; but the country where they were lost is still called the land +of Cortereal[15]. + +In March 1501, John de Nova sailed from Lisbon with four ships for India. +In his outward-bound voyage he discovered an island in the Atlantic, in +lat. 8° S. to which he gave the name of Ascension[16]. On his return from +India, he fell in with another island in the Atlantic in 17° S. called St +Helena, which, though very small, is yet of great importance from its +situation. In the month of May of the same year 1501, three ships were +sent from Lisbon by King Emanuel, to make a discovery of the coast of +Brazil, which had been accidentally fallen in with, by Cabral: Passing by +the Canaries, they stopped for refreshments at the town of Bezequiche in +the Cape Verds; and passing southwards from thence beyond the line, they +fell in with Brazil in five degrees of south latitude, at Cape St Roquo, +and sailed along the coast southwards, till they reckoned themselves to +have reached 32° S. Finding the weather cold and tempestuous, they turned +back in the month of April 1502, and got to Lisbon In September of that +year, having been out fifteen months on their voyage. + +In the same year 1502, Alfonso Hojeda went to discover the Terra Firma, +and followed its coast till he came to the province of Uraba I7. In 1503, +Roderigo Bastidas of Seville went with two caravels at his own cost, to +the Antilles, where he first came to the Isla Verde, or the Green island, +close by Guadaloupe; whence he sailed westwards to Santa Martha and Cape +do la Vela, and to the Rio Grande or Great river. He afterwards +discovered the haven of Zamba, the Coradas, Carthagena, the islands of S. +Bernard de Baru, the Islas de Arenas, Isla Fuerta, and the Point of +Caribana, at the end of the Gulf of Uraba, where he had sight of the +Farrallones, close by the river of Darien. From Cape de la Vela to this +last place, which is in lat. 9° 40' N. is 200 leagues. From thence he +stood over to Jamaica for refreshments. In Hispaniola he had to lay his +ships on the ground to repair their bottoms, because a certain species of +worms had eaten many holes in the planks. In this voyage Bastidas +procured _four hundred marks_[18] of gold; though the people were very +warlike, and used poisoned arrows. + +In the same year 1502, Columbus entered upon his fourth voyage of +discovery, with four ships, taking with him his son Don Ferdinando. The +particular object of this voyage, by command of King Ferdinand, was to look +out for the strait which was supposed to penetrate across the continent +of the new world, and by which a route to India by the west was expected +to be discovered. He sailed by Hispaniola and Jamaica to the river Azua, +Cape Higueras, the Gamares islands, and to Cape Honduras, which signifies +the Cape of the Depths. From thence he sailed eastwards to Cape Garcias a +Dios, and discovered the province and river of Veragua, the Rio Grande, +and others, which the Indians call Hienra. Thence to the river of +Crocodiles, now called Rio de Chagres, which rises near the South Sea, +within four leagues of Panama, and runs into the Caribbean Sea. He went +next to the Isle of Bastimentos, or of Provisions, and after that to +Porto Bello; thence to Nombre de Dios and Rio Francisco, and the harbour +of Retreat. Then to the Gulf of Cabesa Cattiva, the islands of Caperosa +and Cape Marmora; having discovered two hundred leagues along the coast. +He thence returned to the island of Cuba, and from that to Jamaica, where +he laid his ships aground, on account of their bottoms being much eaten +by the worms. + +On the tenth of February 1S02, Don Vasques de Gama, now admiral, sailed +from Lisbon for India, with nineteen or twenty caravels. On the last day +of February he reached Cape de Verd, whence he went to Mosambique, and +was the first who crossed over from thence to India. In this passage he +discovered the islands of Amirante, in four degrees of south latitude. +Having taken in a cargo of pepper and drugs, de Gama returned to Lisbon, +leaving Vincent Sodre to keep the coast of India, with four stout ships. +These were the first of the Portuguese who navigated the coast of Arabia +Felix, which is so barren, that the inhabitants are forced to support +their camels and other cattle on dried fish. The sea on that coast is so +abundant in fish, that the cats are in use to take them. One Antonio de +Saldania is reported to have discovered Socotora, formerly named Coradis, +and the Cape of Guardafu in 1503. + +In 1504, Roderigo de Bastidas, formerly mentioned, with the aid of John +de Ledesma, and others of Seville, fitted out two ships, and taking John +de Cosa as his pilot, went on discovery to the Terra Firma of America, +where Carthagena now stands. He is said to have here met with Lewis de la +Guerra, and they in conjunction landed in the island of Codego, where +they made prisoners of 600 savages. Going a little farther along the +coast, they entered the Gulf of Uraba, where they found sand mingled with +gold, being the first of that kind which was brought to Spain. From +thence they sailed for St Domingo, loaded with slaves, but almost +famished for want of victuals, as the natives refused to traffic with +them for any. In the end of this year Isabella, queen of Castile, died. +While she lived, no subject of Arragon, Catalonia, Valencia, or any other +of the provinces, depending on her husband King Ferdinand, was allowed to +sail to any of the newly-discovered countries; but only her own subjects +of Castile and Biscay, by whom all these lands were discovered; excepting +only such of her husbands subjects as might be in a servile capacity to +her own, or a few that could procure special licenses. + +In 1505, on the twenty-fifth of March, Francisco de Almeida, the viceroy +of India, sailed from Lisbon with a fleet of twenty-two sail. On his way +to India, he stopped at Quiloa, where he built a fort, appointing Peter +Fereira to command it. From beyond Melinda he passed over to the island +of Anguediva, of which he appointed Emanuel Passavia to be captain. He +built a fort also at Cananor, of which he gave the command to Laurence de +Brito; and one at Cochin, which was given in charge to Alphonso de +Noronha. This year likewise, Peter de Anahay built a fort at Sofala, of +which he was made captain. In the latter end of this year the viceroy +commanded his son Laurenço to go to the islands of Maldivia. Beating up +against contrary winds, he arrived at these islands which in ancient +times were called Traganæ[19], but Ytterubenero by the Moors, and by us +Ceilan. Here he went on shore, and entered into treaty with the people, +and returned to Cochin. In the middle of this island there is a high rock, +having the print of a mans foot, said to have been that of Adam when he +ascended to heaven, which the Indians hold in great reverence. + +In 1506, after the death of Isabella, King Philip and Queen Joan came to +take possession of the crown of Castile, and. King Ferdinand retired into +his own dominions of Arragon. In that same year Philip died, and +Ferdinand resumed the government, giving license to all Spaniards to go +to the new discovered countries; but not allowing the Portuguese to go +there. In this year, likewise, Christopher Columbus died, in the month of +May, and was succeeded in his dignities by his son Don Diego. + +In March 1506, Tristan de Acunha and Alphonso de Albuquerque went to +India with fourteen ships, and refreshed by the way at Bezequiche, in the +Cape de Verd islands. Before reaching the Cape of Good Hope they +discovered certain islands, in 37° S. which are now called the islands of +Tristan de Acunha. During this voyage, the fleet was dispersed by a +tempest, and Alvaro Teliz ran so far that he came to Sumatra, whence he +returned to Cape Guardafu, having discovered many islands, seas, and +countries, not known before that time to the Portuguese. At the same time, +Emanuel Telez de Meneses was driven on the outside of the great island of +St Lawrence, or Madagascar, and having surveyed its coasts, came to +Mosambique, where he met with Tristan de Acunha, who was the first +captain that wintered there. Meneses, having reported that there was +plenty of ginger, cloves, and silver in Madagascar, was sent back there, +and traversed a considerable part of the island; but not finding any +thing of value, returned to Mosambique, whence he went to Melinda, and +Brava, and thence to Socotora, where he built a fort, of which he +appointed one Antonio de Noronha to be captain. In 1507, Tristan de +Acunha returned to Europe, and Alphonso de Albuquerque remained in India +with five or six ships, to keep the command of the sea. In the course of +that year or the next, Albuquerque stood over to discover the coast of +Arabia, which he explored, and doubled the Cape of Rosalgate, which is +under the tropic of Cancer. + +In 1509, Diego Lopez de Sequiera went from Lisbon for India with four +ships; and stopping at the island of Madagascar was almost a year on his +voyage. Arriving at Cochin in the month of May, the viceroy gave him +another ship, in which he went to Malacca in September passing between +the islands of Nicubar and many others. He went also to Sumatra; to the +cities of Pedir and Pacem; and all along that coast to the island of +Puloreira, and the fiats of Capacia; thence he stood over to the city of +Malacca, in lat. 2° N. where the people took and slew some of his men. +After this he returned to Cochin, having discovered five hundred leagues +in this voyage. The island of Sumatra is the first land in which we knew +of mens flesh being eaten, by certain people in the mountains called +Bacas, who gild their teeth. In their opinion the flesh of the blacks is +sweeter than that of the whites. The flesh of the oxen, kine, and hens in +that country is as black as ink. A people is said to dwell in that +country, called _Daraqui-Dara_, having tails like sheep[20]. There are +likewise springs of rock oil or bitumen. In the kingdom of Pedir, +likewise, there is said to be a river of oil; which is not to be wondered +at, as we are assured there is also a well of oil in Bactria. It is +further said that there is a tree in that country, the juice of which is +a strong poison if it touch a mans blood; but if drank, it is a sovereign +antidote against poison. They have here also certain gold coins, called +drachms, brought, as they say, into their country by the Romans[21], +which seems to have some resemblance to truth, because beyond that +country there are no gold coins. + +In 1508, Alphonso de Hojeda went with the license of King Ferdinand, but +at his own charges, to conquer the province of Darien, in the Terra Firma +of the new world. Landing in the country of Uraba, he called it Castilia +del Oro, or Golden Castile, because of the gold found in the sand along +its coast. He went first from the city of San Domingo, in Hispaniola, +with four ships and three hundred soldiers, leaving behind him the +bachelor Anciso, who afterwards compiled a book of these discoveries. He +was followed by a fourth ship with provisions and ammunition, and a +reinforcement of 150 Spaniards. Hojeda landed at Carthagena, where the +natives took, slew, and devoured seventy of his men, by which his force +was much weakened. Some time after but in the same year, Diego de Niquesa +fitted out seven ships in the port of Beata, intending to go to Veragua +with 800 men; but coming to Carthegana, where he found Hojeda much +weakened by his losses, they joined their forces, and avenged themselves +of the natives. In this voyage Niquesa discovered the coast called Nombre +de Dios, and went into the sound of Darien, on the river Pito, which he +named Puerto de Misas. Coming to Veragua, Hojeda went on shore with his +soldiers, and built there the town of Caribana, as a defence against the +Caribbees; being the first town built by the Spaniards on the continent +of the new world. He also built another at Nombre de Dios, and called it +Nuestra Seniora de la Antigua. A town was built at Uraba, in which +Francis Pisarro was left with the command, who was there much annoyed by +the natives. They likewise built other towns, the names of which I omit. +In this enterprize the Spaniards did not meet with the success they +expected. + +In 1509, Don Diego Columbus, the second admiral of New Spain, went to the +island of Hispaniola with his wife and household; and she, being a noble +woman, carried with her many ladies of good families, who were there +married; by which means the Spaniards began to multiply in their new +colony, and Hispaniola became famous and much frequented. Columbus +likewise reduced Cuba into order, and took measures for its colonization, +where he placed one Diego Velasques as his lieutenant, who had +accompanied his father in his second voyage of discovery. + +In April 1511, Alphonso de Albuquerque went to Malacca from Cochin; and +finding certain Chinese about to return from Malacca into their own +country, he sent a Portuguese along with them, named Duarte Fernandes, +with letters for the king of the Mantias, now called Siam. They passed +through the Straits of Cincapura, and sailed northwards along the coast +of Patane to the city of Cuy, and thence to Odia, the chief city of the +kingdom, in 14° N.[22]. The king of this country received Duarte with +great honour, as he was the first Portuguese who had been in these parts, +and sent back ambassadors along with him to Albuquerque. They travelled +overland to the westwards, till they came to Tanacerim, on the Bay of +Bengal, in 12° N. where they embarked in two ships and sailed to Malacca. +The inhabitants of Siam, through which they travelled, eat of all kinds +of beasts, and even of what we repute to be vermin. The people of this +country are reputed the most virtuous and honest of any in those parts of +the world, and pride themselves much on their poverty and chastity; yet +have a strange practice of carrying round bells within their foreskins, +which is not permitted to the king and priests. They do not rear any +poultry or pigeons about their houses. The kingdom is 250 leagues in +length and 80 in breadth[23]. + +Elephants are so numerous in this country, that on going to war, the king +is said to carry 30,000 into the field, besides others which are left in +the several garrisons. This king has great pride in the possession of a +white elephant, having red eyes, which glare like a flame of fire. In +this country there is a certain species of small vermin, which attaches +itself to the trunks of the elephants, to suck their blood, by which many +elephants die. The skull of this insect[24] is so hard as to be +impenetrable to a musket shot. They have on their livers the figures of +men and women, which the natives call Toketa, resembling a mandrake; and +it is affirmed, that whoever has one of these about him cannot be killed +by an iron weapon. They have also wild kine in this country, in the heads +of which certain stones are found, which have the virtue to bring good +fortune to merchants. + +After the return of Duarte Fernandes from Siam, Albuquerque sent a knight +named Ruy Nunnez de Acunha, as ambassador to the king of the Sequies, the +country we now call Pegu. He went in a junk of the country, passing Cape +Rachado, and thence to the city of Pera, on the river Salano, on which +river are many other villages, where Duarte had been before; and he +afterwards went by Tanaçerim to the city of Martavan, in 15° N. and the +city of Pegu in 17° N. This was the first Portuguese who travelled in +that kingdom, and who brought back a good account of the country and +people. + +In the end of 1511, Albuquerque sent three ships to the islands of Banda +and Molucca, under command of Antonio de Breu and Francis Serrano, with +an hundred and twenty men. Passing through the Straits of Saban, and +along the island of Sumatra, and other islands on their left, named the +Salites, they came to the islands of Palimbang and Lu-Suparam, whence +they sailed by the noble island of Java, and eastwards between it and the +island of Madura. In this last island the men are strong and warlike, and +care little for their lives, even their women going out to war. These +people are almost continually engaged in war and mutual slaughter, like +the Mocos, and seem to place their only delight in bloodshed. Beyond Java +they came to another island called Bali, and afterwards to Avajave, +Sambaba, Solor, Galao, Malva, Vitara, Rosalanguin, and Arus; whence are +brought beautiful birds, in much estimation on account of their +feathers[25]. Beyond these islands they came to numbers of others, lying +in 7 or 8 degrees of south latitude, all so close together as to appear +like one entire mainland, and stretching near 500 leagues in length. The +ancient cosmographers describe all these islands by one general name, the +_Javos_; but more recent knowledge has found that they have all separate +names. Beyond these, and more to the north, there are other islands, which +are inhabited by a whiter people, clothed in shirts, doublets, and +trowsers, something like the Portuguese dress, and who also have silver +money. Their magistrates carry red staves in their hands, as badges of +command, and seem to have some affinity in this respect with the people of +China. There are other islands in these parts, or which the inhabitants +are red; and it is reported they are the same people with the Chinese. + +De Breu went northwards to the small island of Gumnape or Ternate, from +the highest part of which flakes or streams like fire fell continually +into the sea. He went thence to the islands of Burro and Amboyna, and +came to anchor in the haven of Guliguli, where, in a village near a river, +they found dead men hanging up in the houses, as the people are cannibals. +Here they burnt the ship of Serrano, as she was old and rotten; and going +to a place on the other side of the island, in 8° S. they loaded cloves, +nutmegs, and mace, in a junk or barque, which Serrano bought. It is said, +that in an island not far from Banda, there are immense quantities of +snakes, especially in a cave in the centre of the island. The same is +said of Formentera, in the Mediterranean, anciently Ophiusa, between +Majorca and Minorca. On their return from Banda towards Malacca, in 1512, +Francis Serrano perished with his junk on the flats called Baxos de +Luçapinho, nine or ten of the Portuguese crew escaping to the island of +Mindanao, who were sent for by the kings of the Moluccas. These were the +first of the Portuguese who came to the Islands of Cloves, which are in +lat. 1° N. and they remained there seven or eight years. Some Portuguese +and princes of the Moors once endeavoured to go near that part of the +isle of Ternate which throws out fire, but could not accomplish it. But +Antonio Galvano accomplished this enterprise, and found a spring so cold +that he could not bear his hand in the water, nor suffer any of it in his +mouth, though almost directly under the line. + +In these Molucca islands, there are certain men who have spurs on their +ancles like cocks; and I was told by the king of Tidore, that in the +islands of Batochina, there are people with tails, who have a lactiferous +nipple on the scrotum. There are small hens also in these parts, many of +which are black in the flesh, and lay their eggs, larger than those of +ducks, in holes above nine feet under ground. They have likewise hogs +with horns, and excellent talking parrots, which they call _Noris_. There +is also a river so very hot that it takes off the skin of any living +creature that bathes in its waters, and yet contains living fish. Their +crabs are very sweet to eat, yet their claws are so strong that they will +break the iron of a pickax; and there are small hairy crabs in the sea +which are rank poison, as whoever eats of them immediately dies. In these +seas are certain oysters, called _Bras_, having shells of so great size, +that they might serve as fonts for baptizing children. In these seas +there are certain living stones, which grow and increase like plants, of +which excellent lime may be made by burning in the usual manner, when +taken fresh from the sea; but, if allowed to remain long in the air, it +loses all its strength, and will not afterwards burn into line. There is +a tree which bears flowers only at sunset, which fell off immediately +when blown. There is likewise a certain fruit, whereof if a woman who has +conceived shall eat, the child by and by moves. There is, farther, a +certain herb which followeth the sun, and removes after it, which is a +strange and marvellous thing. + +In 1512, while on the voyage from Malacca to Goa, the ship in which +Albuquerque embarked was lost. Simon de Andrada and a few Portuguese were +driven among the Maldivia islands, where they remained till they learnt +the fate of the viceroy. These islands are low, small, and very numerous, +and are full of palm trees, or _Cocoas_, which are good against all kinds +of poison. + +In this year 1512, John de Solis, a native of Lisbon, and chief pilot to +King Ferdinand, went from Spain by license to discover the coast of +Brazil. Following the course of the Pinsons, he went to Cape St Augustine, +and thence sailed along the whole coast to the harbour of De Lagoa; and +in lat. 35° S. he discovered a river called Parana-guaçu, or the Great +River, and from signs of silver he gave it the name of Rio de la Plata, +or the River of Silver. It is even said that he went farther at this time; +and returning into Spain, gave an account of his discovery to King +Ferdinand, from whom he demanded and obtained leave to colonize the +country, and received the appointment of governor. On this he provided +three ships, and returned to that country in 1515, but was slain by the +natives. The family of de Solis produced several great discoveries in +these parts[26]. + +In the same year 1512, John Ponce de Leon, who had been governor of the +island of St John in the Antilles, armed two ships, with which he went in +search of the island of Boyuca, where it was reported there was a spring +which made old men young again; but after searching for six months he +could not find it. In 25° N. he discovered a point of the continent upon +Easter-day, which he called the country of Florida; and because he +expected the land would yield gold and silver, he begged it from King +Ferdinand, but died in the discovery of the country, as many had done +before. + +In the year 1513, Vasco Nunnes de Valboa, or Balboa, hearing of the +_South Seas_, determined to go thither; and being a man of courage, +though strongly dissuaded by several of his company, he marched on the +enterprize with 290 men. Leaving Darien on the first of September, and +taking some Indians along with him as guides, he marched directly across +the isthmus, sometimes without opposition, and having at other times to +fight his way. In a certain place called Careca, he found some negroes +with curled hair, who were captives among the Indians. At length, on the +25th of the same month of September, being the festival of St Michael, he +came in sight of the South Sea: He there embarked in a canoe, much +against the will of _Chiapes_, the cacique of that part of the coast, who +endeavoured to persuade him that the navigation was very dangerous; but +he persisted in his design, that he might be the first who had navigated +this new discovered sea, and came back in safety. He returned thence to +Darien, bringing with him a good store of gold, silver, and pearls, which +he had taken during the march; and for this good service, he was much +honoured and favoured by King Ferdinand. + +In February 1513, Alphonsus de Albuquerque went from Goa towards the +Straits of Mecca with twenty ships, and arriving at the city of Aden, +battered it with his cannon, and passing the Straits entered the Red Sea, +and wintered at the island of Camaran. This was the _first_ Portuguese +captain who gave an account of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, which +are of great importance in regard to trade. + +In May 1514, Pedro Arias de Avila was sent out from St Lucar, as governor +of Castilia del Oro, or the Golden Castile, for so the Spaniards named +the countries of Darien, Carthagena, and Uraba. He carried with him +fifteen hundred men and seven ships; and Vasco Nunnes de Balboa, who +discovered the South Seas, was sent out at the same time as admiral of +the coasts of that newly discovered sea. In the beginning of the year +1515, de Avila sent Gaspar Morales with 150 men to the Gulf of St Michael, +to discover the islands of Tararequi[27], Chiapes, and Tumaccus. A +cacique, the friend of Balboa, gave him many canoes, or boats made of one +tree, with which they passed to the Isle of Pearls, where they were at +first resisted; but Chiapes and Tumaccus pacified the cacique of that +island, who submitted himself, and received baptism, taking the name of +the governor, Pedro Arias, and presented Morales with a basket of pearls +weighing 110 pounds, some of which were as large as hazel nuts, weighing +20, 25, 26, and even 31 carats, each of four grains; and one of these +pearls was sold for 1200 ducats. In March 1515, de Avila sent Gonsalva de +Badajos, with 80 soldiers, to discover new lands, who went to Nombre de +Dios, where he was joined by Lewis de Mercado with a reinforcement of 50 +men. They resolved to proceed to the south, as the richest country; and +taking some Indians as guides, they found some slaves along the coast +marked with the irons used by the Portuguese. They marched a considerable +way through the country with much difficulty, but made a considerable +booty in gold, and took forty serviceable slaves. But a caçique, named +Pariza, attacked them and slew or took most of the party. After this the +governor sent out his son, John Arias de Avila, to be revenged and to +explore the country. This party went westwards to Cape de Guerra, in +little more than 6° N. and thence to Punta de Borica, and to Cape Blanco, +in 8° 30' N. having, as they affirm, discovered 250 leagues; and besides +this they founded the city of Panama. + +In the month of May 1515, Alphonsus de Albuquerque, the Portuguese +viceroy of India, sent Fernando Gomes de Limos from Ormus, as ambassador +to the Xec or Shah Ismael, king of Persia; and it is said they travelled +300 leagues through a country as pleasant as France. This Xec, or Shah +Ismael, went much a-hunting, and was fond of trout fishing, which are +abundant in the rivers of his kingdom. The women of Persia are the most +beautiful in the world; insomuch that Alexander the Great used to call +them the _golden-eyed women_. In this year died the viceroy Alphonsus de +Albuquerque, who was succeeded by Lopez Suares. + +In 1516, Fernando Perez de Andrada was commanded by the king of Portugal +to pass to the great kingdom of China and likewise to Bengala, with a +dispatch to John Coelo, who was the first Portuguese who drank of the +waters of the Ganges. In April 1517, Andrada took in a loading of pepper +at Cochin, as the principal merchandize for sale in China, for which +country he sailed with eight ships, four Portuguese and four Malayans. On +his arrival in China, finding he could not be allowed to land without an +embassy, he dispatched Thomas Perez, with instructions for that purpose, +from the city of Canton, where they came to anchor. The embassy travelled +400 leagues by land to the city of Pekin, where the king resided; for +China is the largest kingdom in the world. From Sailana in the south, +which is in 20° N. it reaches to the latitude almost of 50° N. which must +be 500 leagues in length, and it is said to be 300 leagues in breadth[28]. +Fernando Perez was fourteen months in the isle of Veniaga, endeavouring +to acquire as much knowledge as he could of the country; and although one +Raphael Perestrello had formerly been there, in a junk belonging to some +merchants of Malacca, yet Perez certainly deserves the merit of this +discovery; as well because he acted by the command of the king his master, +as in discovering so much by land by means of Thomas Perez, and by sea +through George Mascarenhas, who sailed to the city of Foquiam, in 24° N. + +In the year 1517, in which Charles, afterwards emperor, came into Spain, +Francis Fernandes de Cordova, Christopher Morantes, and Lopez Ochoa, +armed three ships from Cuba, at their own expence, having also with them +a barque belonging to the governor Diego Velasques, with which they came +to land in Jucutan, in 20° N. at a place which they called Punta de las +Duennas, which was the first place in which temples and houses of stone +and lime had been seen in the new world. The people here, who were better +clothed than in any other place, had crosses which they worshipped, and +set upon the tombs of their dead, whence it appeared as if they had +formerly been in the faith of Christ; and some suppose that this had been +the situation of the _seven cities_. In this expedition they were upon +the north coast of Jucutan, being the first discovery of New Spain, or +Mexico; and they returned thence to Cuba with some samples of gold, and +some prisoners. + +In the year 1518[29], Lopez Suares commanded Don John de Silveira to go +and make peace with the Maldive islands, which he did accordingly. From +thence Silveira went to the city of Chatigam, or Chittigong, on one of +the mouths of the Ganges, under the tropic of Cancer; for it is to be +noted, that this river, and the Indus, which lies 100 leagues beyond Diu, +and the river of Canton in China, all fall into the sea under one +parallel of latitude. Although, before this period, Fernando Perez had +been commanded to sail to Bengal, yet Silveira must be looked upon as the +actual discoverer of that country; for he went as captain-general, and +remained there long, making himself acquainted with the manners of the +people, and the commodities of the country. + +In the same year 1518[30], Diego Velasquez, governor of the island of +Cuba, dispatched his nephew, John de Grisalva, on the first of May, with +four ships and two hundred soldiers, to discover Jucutan. On the 3d of +May, he fell in with the island of Cozumel, in 19° north latitude, which +he named Santa Cruz, because discovered on the 3d of May, being the +anniversary of the holy cross. Grisalva coasted along the land, on the +west side of the bay of Honduras, and came to an island, which he named +Ascension, because discovered on Ascension day. They went unto the end of +that island, in 16° of latitude, whence they came back, finding no +passage[31], and proceeded to a river in lat. 17° N. which they called +the river of Grisalva. They were boldly opposed by the people on this +coast; yet they brought thence some gold, silver, and feathers, and +returned to Cuba. In the same year, Francis Garay fitted out three ships +from Jamaica at his own expence, and went to Cape Florida, in lat. 25° N. +which seemed a most pleasant island; and thinking it better to people +islands than the firm land, because more easily conquered and kept under +subjection, he went on land; but the inhabitants of Florida killed a +great many of his people, and he was forced to re-embark and go away. +Sailing from thence he came to the river of Panuco, 500 leagues from Cape +Florida, sailing all the way along the coast, and endeavouring to land in +various places, but the natives repulsed him in every place. Many of his +people were killed and eaten by the savages in Chila, the natives hanging +up their skins in the temples of their gods, as a memorial of their own +valour. Yet Garay visited this place next year, as he had seen some +indications of gold and silver, and even applied to the emperor to be +appointed governor of the coast he had discovered. In February 1519[32], +Fernando Cortez sailed from Cuba for the country now called New Spain, +with eleven ships and 550 Spaniards. He landed first in the island of +Cozumel, where he immediately destroyed all the idols, and planted +crosses and images of the Virgin on all the altars. From thence he went +to the Cabo de las Duennas, on the peninsula of Yucatan, and thence to +the river of Tabasco, where he attacked a city called Potoncion. This +place was surrounded with wood; the houses were built of stone and lime, +and roofed with tiles, and the people resisted the assailants manfully; +but St James appeared on horseback to the assistance of the Spaniards, +and they took the place. This, as the first town subdued by them on the +continent, they named Vittoria. From thence they went to a place named St +Juan de Vilhua, said to be 60 or 70 leagues from Mexico, where one +Tendilli was governor for King Muteçuma. Though the Spaniards and he +could not understand each other, yet Tendilli gave them good +entertainment. Cortes had twenty women along with his expedition, one of +whom, named Marine, was born in the country of the Indians, and was the +first native of New Spain who received baptism. She and Anguilar served +as interpreters between Cortes and the natives. Tendilli sent immediate +intelligence to Muteçuma, that there had arrived in his country a bearded +people, for so they called the Castilians. On the reception of this news, +Muteçuma was greatly troubled, for his gods, or devils rather, had +revealed that a people of the description of these Spaniards was to +overthrow his law and dominion, and to become lords of the country; +wherefore Muteçuma sent gifts to the value of twenty thousand ducats to +Cortes, but refused any interview. + +As the ships could not ride in safety at St Juan de Vilhua, Cortes sent +Francis de Montejo, and the pilot Antonio Alaminos, in two brigantines, +to look out for a safe anchorage. They went to Panuco, in lat. 23° N. +whence they came back to Culvacan as a safer harbour. But Cortes went by +land westwards to a city named Zempoallan, where he was well received. +From thence he went to Chiavitztlan, with the lord of which town, and of +all the surrounding country, he entered into a league against Muteçuma. +On the arrival of his ships at the appointed haven, he went there and +built a town, which he named _Villa rica de la Vera Cruz_. From thence he +sent a vessel to Spain with presents, and a letter to the Emperor Charles +V. giving an account of his proceedings, and of his determination to +visit Muteçuma, and soliciting a commission as governor of the +country[33]. + +Before proceeding on his march to Mexico, Cortes destroyed all his ships, +lest his men might mutiny, as they seemed disposed; and leaving 150 +Spaniards in Vera Cruz, with as many Indians to serve them, he began his +march. Going first to Zempoallan, he learnt that Francis Garay was on the +coast with four ships, and he contrived to inveigle nine of his men, from +whom he understood that Garay, who had been in Florida, was now at the +river Panuco, where he had got some gold, and meant to remain and build a +town, now called Almeria. Cortes destroyed the idols of Zempoallan, and +overthrew the tombs of their kings, whom the people worshipped as gods, +and exhorted them to worship the true God. He set out from Zempoallan for +Mexico on the 16th of August 1519, and after three days march came to the +city of Zalapan, and thence to another named Sicuchimatl; at both of +which places he was well received, and was offered to be conducted to +Mexico, such being the orders of Muteçuma. Going from thence he ascended +a hill three leagues high, on which vines were seen growing; and in +another place he saw above a thousand load of wood ready cut. Beyond this +he passed a plain country, which he named Nombre de Dios. At the foot of +this mountain, he rested his troops at a place called Teuhixuacan; whence, +through a desert country, he came to another mountain, which was covered +with snow and excessively cold, and where the troops rested in a town +named Zacotlan. Marching thus from town to town, he arrived at a +territory called Tlaxcallan, which was at war with Muteçuma; and as the +people were valiant, they fought against Cortes; but at length they +agreed, and formed a league with him against the Mexicans. + +Thus, from country to country, he came at length within sight of Mexico; +and Muteçuma, being afraid, received him kindly, giving him and all his +people lodgings in the capital, and all things necessary. After a time, +fearing to be slain, Cortes made Muteçuma prisoner, and brought him to +his own quarters, keeping him under a secure guard. Cortes inquired at +Muteçuma the extent of his dominions, where the mines of gold and silver +were, and the number of kings who dwelt in the land. And joining eight +intelligent Spaniards with an equal number of Indians, he sent them, in +four companies, to travel into four separate countries, Zucolla, +Malinaltepec, Tenich, and Tututepec. The messengers to Zucolla had 80 +leagues to travel, and those who went to Malinaltepec 70; both of which +provinces were under subjection to Muteçuma: they found both of these +countries fertile and well peopled, and they brought back samples of gold, +which the natives found in the rivers. The country of Tenich was at war +with Muteçuma, and would not admit the Mexicans into their country; but +they sent ambassadors to Cortes with presents, offering him their amity, +at which Muteçuma was much displeased. Those who went to Tututepec, near +the South Sea, brought back samples of gold, and praised the pleasantness +of the country; reporting that there were many good harbours on the coast, +and they presented to Cortes a beautiful cloth of cotton, on which the +coast, with all its harbours and creeks, was distinctly represented. But +at this time, by the coming of Pamphilus de Narvaez, the whole kingdom of +Mexico was thrown into confusion. + +On the 10th August 1519, Fernando de Magellanes went from Seville with +five ships, on a voyage for the islands of, Malacca[34]. Going along the +coast of Brazil, he came to the Rio Plata, which had been previously +discovered by the Spaniards. Thence prosecuting his voyage of discovery, +he came to Port St Julians, in lat. 49° S. where he lost one of his ships. +With the remaining four he came to the straits named after himself, in +52° 80' S. and wintered in that place, where he and his people endured +much distress from snow and ice, and extreme cold. They found the people +of the country of extraordinary stature and great strength, insomuch that +they took men by the legs, and rent them asunder as easily as one of us +could tear a hen in two. These people, named _Pataganes_, but called +_Morcas_ by the Brazilians, live on fruits and by the produce of the +chase. In the beginning of September of the following year, 1520, the +weather became somewhat temperate, and leaving Port St Julian, Magellanes +went to the straits which now bear his name; whence one of the ships +returned to Spain, of which Stephen de Porto, a Portuguese, was captain +and pilot. The other three passed through into a vast sea called the +_Pacific_; where they found no inhabited land till they arrived in lat. +13° N. when they came to certain islands named _Los Jardines_. They +sailed thence to the archipelago of St Lazarus, where, in an island named +_Matan_, Magellanes was slain and his ship burnt. The remaining two ships +went to Borneo, and thence to the Moluccas, leaving many others +discovered, which I do not mention, because I have not seen any exact +account of this voyage[35]. + +About this time Pope Leo X. sent Paulus Centurio on an embassy to the +great duke of Muscovy, requiring him to send an army along the coast of +Tartary into India; and the duke was almost persuaded to have made the +attempt, if certain inconveniencies had not hindered[36]. + +In February 1520, Diego Lopez de Sequeira, governor of India, sailed by +the strait of Mecca[37], carrying with him the ambassador of Prester John +and Roderigo de Lima, who was sent ambassador to that prince. They came +to the island of Maçua or Massoua, on the African shore of the Red Sea, +in lat. 17° N. where the ambassadors and their Portuguese attendants were +set on shore. Peter de Covillan had been sent there formerly by John II. +of Portugal; but the best account of that country was furnished by +Francis Alvarez. + +In this year 1520, the licentiate Lucas Vasques de Aillon, and others of +St Domingo, sent two ships to procure slaves at the Lucayos or Bahama +islands; but finding none there, they passed on along the continent, +beyond Florida, to certain countries called Chicora and Gualdape, and to +the river Jordan and Cape St Helena, in lat. 32° N.[38]. The Spaniards +landed here, and were hospitably received by the natives, who furnished +them with every thing they needed: but, having inveigled many of the +unsuspecting natives on board their ships, they carried them away for +slaves. In their way back to St Domingo, one of these vessels was lost, +and the other was in great danger. On learning the news of this discovery, +the licentiate Aillon made application to the emperor for the government +of that country, where he expected to find much wealth, and received the +appointment. + +About this time, learning the success of Cortes in Mexico, and that he +had applied to the emperor for the commission of governor, Diego +Velasques, governor of Cuba, who considered that it ought to belong to +him, fitted out an armament of eighteen ships, under the command of +Pamphilus de Narvaez, already mentioned, with a thousand men and eighty +horses, whom he sent to Mexico in order to supersede Cortes. Landing in +the neighbourhood of Vera Cruz, he sent an order to the garrison to +receive him as governor; but they made his messenger prisoner, and sent +him to Cortes, then at Mexico. On this Cortes wrote to Narvaez, desiring +him not to raise any disturbance in the country, and offering to submit +to his authority if he held a commission from the emperor. But Narvaez +corrupted the people of the country; upon which Cortes went from Mexico, +and took Narvaez prisoner in the town of Zempoallan, putting out one of +his eyes. After this the soldiers of Narvaez submitted to Cortes; who +detached two hundred soldiers to the river of Garay or Panuco, and a +similar detachment under John Vasquez de Leon to Cosualco. He sent +likewise a messenger to Mexico with an account of his victory; but the +natives, having risen in rebellion, killed his messenger. + +Cortes now set forwards on his return to Mexico, with one thousand foot +soldiers and two thousand horsemen, and found Peter de Alvarado and the +garrison he had left in Mexico in charge of Muteçuma, in safety. But the +Mexicans continued their insurrection, and on one occasion Muteçuma was +killed by a stone thrown by one of his own subjects. They then elected +another king, and the Spaniards were forced to evacuate the city with +great difficulty and danger. Driven out of Mexico, and having only 504 +footmen and 40 horse remaining, Cortes retired with much difficulty to +Tlaxcallan, where he was well received. He here mustered a force of 900 +Spanish infantry and 80 cavalry, and gathered 200,000 Indians among the +friends and allies whom he had secured, enemies of the Mexicans, and +marched back to Mexico, which he took in August 1521[39]. + +In October 1521, Cortes sent 200 foot and 35 horse, with a number of his +Indian allies, under the command of Gonsalo de Sandoval, against +Tochtepec and Coazacoalco, which had rebelled, and which Sandoval reduced +to obedience. To retain this country under subjection, he built a town +called _Medelin_, 120 leagues from Mexico, and another named _Santo +Spirito_, on a river four leagues from the sea[40]. In this year 1521, +died Emanuel, king of Portugal, and was succeeded by his son, John III. + +In this same year, one of Magellan's ships sailed from Malacca with a +loading of cloves. They victualled at the island of Burro, and went from +thence to Timor, in lat. 11° S.[41]. Beyond this island, about 100 +leagues, they came to other islands, all inhabited, one of which was +called _Eude_. Passing on the outside of Sumatra, they found no land till +they arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, where they took in wood and water; +and sailing thence by the islands of Cabo Verde, they arrived at Seville, +where they were received with great honour, both on account of their +valuable cargo of cloves, and because they had circumnavigated the whole +world[42]. + +In January 1522, Gil Gonzales fitted out four ships from Tararequi, on +the South Sea, intending to discover the coast of Nicaragua, and +especially to search for a strait or passage, which was said to +communicate between the South and North Seas. Sailing along the coast, he +came to a harbour which he named St Vincent, where he landed with 100 +Spaniards, some of whom had horses, and penetrated 200 leagues inland, +whence he brought back to the value of 200 pesoes in gold. On his return +to the harbour of St Vincent, he found his pilot, Andrew Nigno, who had +been to Tecoantepec, in lat. 16° N. and had sailed 300 leagues. From +thence Gonzales returned to Panama, and so overland to Hispaniola[43]. + +In April 1522, the Trinity, commanded by Gonzala Gomez de Espinosa, +another of the ships of Magellan, sailed from Tidore for New Spain. And, +as the wind was scanty, they steered towards the N. E. in lat. 16° N. +where they found two islands, which they named the Islands of St John. In +lat. 20° N. they came to another island, which they called _la Griega_, +where some of the simple natives came on board, whom they kept to shew in +New Spain. Continuing their course to the N. E. for four months, they +came into lat. 42° N. where they saw numbers of seals, and tunnies; and +the climate appeared to them so cold and inhospitable, that partly on +that account, and partly owing to contrary winds, they returned towards +Tidore, having been the first Spaniards who had been in so high a +northern latitude in these seas. On their return to Tidore, they found +one Antonio de Britto employed in building a fortress, who took their +goods from them, and sent forty-eight of them prisoners to Malacca[44]. + +In the same year 1522, Cortes was desirous to possess some harbours on +the South Sea, on purpose to open a trade with Malacca, Banda, Java, and +the other spice islands. For this purpose he sent four Spaniards with +Indian guides to Tecoantepec, Quahatemallan, and other harbours, where +they were well received, and whence they brought back some of the natives +to Mexico. These people were much caressed by Cortes; who afterwards sent +ten pilots to examine the coast, but they could find no good harbour, +after a survey of seventy leagues. A cacique, named; Cuchadaquir, used +them hospitably, and sent two hundred of his people to Cortes with +presents of gold and silver; and the people of Tecoantepec did the same. +Not long afterwards, this friendly cacique sent to Cortes, requesting aid +against his neighbours, who warred against him. Cortes accordingly, in +the year 1523, sent Peter de Alvarado to his assistance, with 200 foot +and 40 horse, who built a town called St Jago, in which he left a +garrison. The caciques of Tecoantepec and Quahutemallan inquired at +Alvarado concerning certain _sea monsters_ that had been on their coast +the year before; meaning the ships of Gil Gonzales de Avila, at which +they had been much amazed; and they wondered still more on being informed +that Cortes had many such, and much larger than those they had seen. They +displayed a painting of a mighty carak, having six masts, with sails and +shrouds, and having armed horsemen on board[45]. In May 1523, Antonio de +Britto, the Portuguese governor of the Molucca isles, sent Simon de Bru +to discover the passage from thence by the island of Borneo to Malacca. +They came in sight of the islands of Manada and Panguensara, and thence +through the strait of Treminao and Taquy to the islands of St Michael, in +7° S. and then to the island of Borneo, where they came in sight of +_Pedra Branca_, or the _white stone_; whence, passing through the strait +of Cincapura, they came to the city of Malacca[46]. + +In the same year 1523, Cortes went with 300 Spanish foot, 150 horse, and +20,000 Mexicans, to make a complete discovery and conquest of Panuco, and +to punish the inhabitants for having killed and devoured the soldiers of +Francis Garay. The natives resisted him, but were overthrown; and to keep +the country under subjection, he built a town on the river, near Chila, +which he named Santo Stephano del Puerta, in which he left a garrison of +100 foot and 30 horse, under the command of Peter de Valleia. In this +expedition he lost many of his people, both Spaniards and Mexicans, and +several horses[47]. + +In this same year 1523, Francis de Garay, having a commission from the +emperor as governor of all the coast he had discovered from Florida to +Panuco, fitted out nine ships and two brigantines, with 850 soldiers and +150 horses, on purpose to take possession of his government. Some men +joined him from Jamaica, where he had furnished his squadron with warlike +ammunition; and sailing thence to the harbour of Xagua, in the island of +Cuba, he there learnt that Cortes had taken possession of the coast of +Panuco. That he ought not meet with the fate of Narvaez, he sent the +doctor Zuazo to Mexico, to endeavour to enter into treaty with Cortes. +Garay arrived in the Rio de las Palmas on St Jameses day, and sent +Gonçalo de Ocampo up the river to explore the country, who reported, on +his return, that the country was bad and desert. Yet Garay landed with +400 foot soldiers and some horse, and commanded John de Grijalva, to +explore the coast, while he marched by land to Panuco, in which march he +crossed a river to which he gave the name of Rio Montalto. In this march +he came to a large town, in which he found much poultry, to the great +refreshment of his troops. Here, likewise, he took some of the +inhabitants of Chila, whom he employed as messengers to different places. +After a long and difficult march, he arrived at Panuco, but found no +provisions; the country having been exhausted in the war with Cortes, and +by being plundered by the soldiers. From this place he sent Gonçalo de +Ocampo to St Stephano, or Istevan del Puerto, to inquire if the garrison +would submit to his authority. They sent him a favourable answer; but, by +means of an ambush, they made forty of his cavalry prisoners, alleging +that they had come unwarrantably to usurp the government which belonged +to another. Besides this misfortune, Garay lost four of his ships, by +which he was greatly disheartened. While Cortes was preparing an +expedition to Panuco, to resist Garay, Francis de las Casas and Roderigo +de la Paz, brought letters-patent to Mexico, by which the emperor gave +him the government of New Spain, including Panuco. On this he desisted +from going personally on the expedition, but sent Pedro de Alvarado with +a respectable force, both of infantry and cavalry, to defend his +government against aggression, and dispatched Diego de Ocampo to +communicate the letters-patent to Garay; who thought it better for him to +yield himself to Cortes, and went accordingly to Mexico[48]. + +In the same year, 1523, Gil Gonçales de Avila, discovered and peopled a +town called _San Gil da Buena-vista_, in lat. 14° N. almost in the bottom +of the bay of Ascension or Honduras[49]. Likewise, on the 6th December of +this year, Peter de Alvarado was sent by Cortes from Mexico with 300 foot, +170 horse, four field-pieces, and some Mexican nobles, to discover and +conquer Quahutemallan, Utlatlan, Chiassa, Xochnuxco, and other towns +towards the South Sea. After a most fatiguing march of 400 leagues, +passing by Tecoantepec to Xochnuxco, he discovered and conquered the +whole of that country, where he built a city called St Jago de +Quahutemallan, now Guatimala, of which and of the country he subdued, he +is said to have got the government. In this expedition they passed some +rivers, the water of which was so hot that they could scarce endure to +wade them. They found likewise certain hills which produced alum, and one +out of which a liquor like oil distilled; likewise sulphur in great +abundance, from which the Spaniards made excellent gunpowder[50]. On the +8th December of the same year, Cortes sent Diego de Godoy, with a hundred +foot, thirty horse, two field-pieces, and many friendly Indians, to +Spiritu Santo; where, joining the captain of that town, they went to +Chamolla, the capital of a province of the same name, which they reduced +under subjection[51]. + +In February 1524, Cortes sent Roderigo Rangel, with 150 Spaniards, and +many Tlaxcallans and Mexicans, against the Zapotecas and Nixtecas, and +other provinces not yet well discovered. They were at first resisted, but +soon defeated the natives, and reduced the country to subjection. In the +same year, Roderigo de Bastidas was sent to discover and reduce the +country of Santa Martha; but refusing to allow the soldiers to plunder a +certain town, he was assassinated in his bed by Peter Villaforte, +formerly his fast friend, who joined in the conspiracy against him. Pedro +de Lugo and his son Don Alfonso were afterward governors of that place, +where they conducted themselves as covetous tyrants, and became much +disliked[52]. In the same year, the licentiate Lucas Vasques de Aillon +obtained the government of Chicora from the emperor, on which he fitted +out some vessels from St Domingo, and proceeded to explore and colonize +that country; but he was lost with all his people. I know not how it +should have happened, except by the righteous judgment of God, that so +little should now remain of all the gold and precious stones which were +got in the Antilles by the Spaniards; but much the greater part has been +dissipated to little purpose, and nothing great or valuable has ensued +from the discovery[53]. + +In this same year, 1524, Cortes sent a fleet under the command of +Christopher de Olid, to Cuba, to transport provisions and ammunition to +Mexico, which had been purchased there by Alonso de Contreras; and Olid +had orders to discover and colonize the country about Cape Higueras, and +the Coast of Honduras, and likewise to send Diego Hartado de Mendoça by +sea, in search of a strait towards Darien, which was reported to pass +that way into the South Sea, which object of research had been commanded +by the emperor to be attended to. He sent also two ships from Panuco, to +explore the coast from thence to Florida; and he commanded other vessels +to examine the coast of the South Sea, between Zacatullan and Panama. On +the arrival of Olid at Cuba, he entered into a league with Diego +Velasquez against Cortes: and, instead of prosecuting the orders he had +received, he set sail for Puerto de Cavallos, in lat. 10° N. 54, near +which he built a town, which he named _Triumpho de la Cruz_. He made Gil +Gonzales de Avila prisoner, and killed his nephew, and all the Spaniards +who were with him, except one child; thus acting in direct opposition to +Cortes, who had expended, in fitting out the present expedition, the sum +of 80,000 castellans of gold, entirely to gratify Olid[55]. On learning +this treachery, Cortes went by land from Mexico in the month of October +1524, to take revenge on Olid, carrying with him a force of 300 Spaniards, +part foot, and part horse, and accompanied by Quahutimoc, king of Mexico, +and many of the chief Mexican nobles. On coming to the town of Spiritu +Santo, he procured ten guides from the caciques of Tavasco and Xicalanco, +who likewise gave him a map painted on cotton cloth, delineating the +situation of the whole country, from Xicalanco to Naco and Nito, and even +as far as Nicaragua, with their mountains, hills, fields, meadows, rivers, +cities, and towns; and Cortes ordered three ships from the harbour of +Medellin to follow him along the coast[56]. When he had reached the city +of Izancanac, Cortes learned that King Quahutimoc and his Mexicans had +conspired to betray or destroy him and his Spaniards; wherefore he hanged +the king and two of his principal nobles. Cortes then proceeded to +Mazatlan; and from thence to Piaca, which stands in the middle of a lake, +and is the chief city of a province of the same name, and hereabout he +began to learn tidings of the Spaniards under Olid, of whom he was in +search. From thence he proceeded to Zuzullin, and came at length to Nito; +from whence he went to a bay on the coast, called St Andre, where, +finding a good haven, he built a town called Natividad de nuestra Sennora. +He went thence to Truxillo, on the coast of Honduras, where he was well +received by the Spanish settlers. While here, a ship brought intelligence +of an insurrection having broke out in Mexico during his absence; on +which, he ordered Gonsalo de Sandoval to march with his company by land, +from Naco to Mexico, by the ordinary and safest road of Quahutemallan, or +Guatimala, towards the South Sea; and, leaving his cousin Férdinando de +Saavedra to command in Truxillo, he went himself by sea along the coast +of Yucutan to Chalchicocca, now called St Juan de Ullhua, and thence to +Medellin and Mexico, where he was well received. Cortes was absent +eighteen months on this expedition, during which he travelled 500 +leagues[57], and suffered many hardships. + +In the year 1525; Francis Pizarro, and Diego de Almagro, went from Panama +to discover Peru, on the south of the fine, which they called _Nueva +Castillia_. Pedro Asias, governor of Panama, refused to take any concern +in this expedition, on account of certain evil news which had been +brought to him by Francis Vezerra. Pizarro went first in a ship with 124 +soldiers, and was followed by Almagro with seventy men in another ship. +Almagro came to Rio de San Juan, in lat. 3° N., where he got 3000 pezoes +of gold; and not finding Pizarro, of whom he was in search, he lost heart, +and returned to Panama. Pizarro went first to the island of Gorgona, and +thence to the isle of Gallo, from whence he proceeded to the river called +_Rio del Peru_, in lat. 2° N. from which the rich and famous country of +Peru derives its name. He sailed thence to the river of St Francis, and +Cape _Passaos_, where he passed the equinoctial line, and came to _Puerto +Vejo_, in lat. 1° S. and sailed on to the rivers of Chinapanpa, Tumbez, +and Payta, in four or five degrees of southern latitude, where he +received intelligence concerning King Atabalipa, and of the vast riches +of his palace. On receiving this intelligence, Pizarro returned to Panama, +from whence he went to Spain, where he solicited and obtained the +government of the rich country he had discovered; having spent above +three years in the discovery, with much labour and great danger[58]. + +In the same year, 1525, seven ships were fitted out from Spain, under the +command of Garcia de Loaisa, for a voyage to the Molucca Islands. Sailing +from Corunna, and passing by the Canaries, they came to the coast of +Brasil, where they discovered an island in lat. 2° S. which they named St +Matthew; and, finding orange trees, hogs, and European poultry, they +concluded it to be inhabited; but, by inscriptions oil the bark of trees, +they learnt that the Portuguese had bean there seventeen years before. A +small pinnace of this squadron, commanded by Juan de Resaga, passed the +straits of Magellan, and ran along the whole coast of Peru and New Spain, +carrying the intelligence to Cortes of the expedition of Loaisa to the +Moluccas: But the admiral ship only of this squadron, commanded by Martin +Mingues de Carchova, arrived at its destination, where the Moors of the +Moluccas received the Spaniards hospitably; Loaisa and all the other +captains died by the way. + +In the same year Stephen Gomez sailed from Corunna, to endeavour to +discover a strait in the northern parts, by which ships might sail from +Europe to the Moluccas. This person had been refused employment in the +fleet commanded by Loaisa; but the Count Ferdinando de Andrada, with the +Doctor Beltram, and a merchant named Christopher de Sarro; fitted out a +galleon for him at their joint expence. He went first to the island of +Cuba, whence he sailed to Cape Florida, sailing only by day, as he was +ignorant of the coast. He passed Cape Angra, and the river Enseada, and +so went over to the other side; and it is reported that he came to Cape +Razo[59] in lat. 46° N. whence he returned to Corunna with a cargo of +_slaves_. But news spread through Spain that he was come home laden with +_cloves_, which occasioned much joy at the court of Spain, till the +mistake was discovered. Gomez was ten months engaged in this voyage. In +this same year, Don George de Menesses, governor of Molucca, and Don +Henriques, sent a vessel on discovery towards the north, commanded by +Diego de Rocha, having Gomez de Sequiera as pilot. In lat. 9° or 10° N. +they discovered several islands in a group, which were called the islands +of Sequiera; whence they returned to the island of Bato-China. In 1526, +Sebastian Gabota, chief pilot to the emperor, a native of Bristol in +England, whose father was a Venetian, sailed from Seville with four ships, +intending to have gone to the Moluccas by a western course. Gabota came +to Pernambuco in Brasil, where he waited three months for a favourable +wind to get round Cape St Augustine. In the Bay of _Patos_, or of ducks, +the admirals ship was lost; and despairing of being able to accomplish +the voyage to the Moluccas, he built a pinnace for the purpose of +exploring the Rio Plata. Gabota accordingly ran sixty leagues, or 120 +miles up that river; when coming to a bar, he left the large ships there, +and went with the boats of the squadron 120 leagues, or 480 miles farther +up the river Parana, which the inhabitants considered to be the principal +river. He here constructed a fort, and remained in that place above a +year; From thence he rowed still farther up the Parana, till he came to +the mouth of another river called _Paragioa_, or Paraguay; and, +perceiving that the country produced gold and silver, he kept on his +course, sending one of the boats in advance, which was taken by the +natives. On this, Gabota thought it more prudent to return to his fort, +after having penetrated 200 leagues or 800 miles up this river. He took +on board the people he had left at the fort, and returning to the ships +at the bar, sailed back to Seville in 1530. He reported that the Rio +Plata was navigable for a great way, and that it rises from a lake named +_Bombo_[60] in the kingdom of Peru, whence, flowing through the valleys +of Xauxa, it receives the rivers Parso, Bulcasban, Cay, Parima, Hiacax, +and several others, by which its waters are greatly increased. It is also +said that the river of San Francesco comes from the same lake, which +likewise is very great; because rivers that flow from lakes are larger +than those which proceed from springs. + +In the year 1527, Panfilo de Narvaez sailed from St Lucar de Barameda +with five ships, having 600 soldiers, 100 horses, and great abundance of +provisions, ammunition, and all other necessaries, to take possession of +Florida, as far as the river Palmas, of which he was appointed governor. +Not being able to land at the place he wished, he went on shore with 300 +of his soldiers, some horses, and a supply of provisions, nearer Cape +Florida, ordering the ships to proceed to the river Palmas, in which +voyage they were nearly all lost Those who escaped shipwreck, suffered +extreme hardships from hunger and thirst on a dry barren island, called +Xamo by the natives, and which the Spaniards named _Malhada_. In this +island they were attacked by the natives, and many, both of the Spaniards +and natives, were slain. + +Narvaez, and his people, saw some gold among the Indians of Florida, who +said they had it from _Apalachen_. He therefore went to that town in +search of gold, where they found abundance of bay trees, and others of +many different kinds, and plenty of beasts and birds, but neither gold +nor silver. From Apalachen, he went to a town called Aute, and from: +thence to Xamo, a poor and barren country. In this place, the natives +requested the Spaniards to cure their sick, of whom they had great +numbers; and the Spaniards being in extreme poverty and distress, prayed +for the sick, and used such endeavours as were in their power, towards +their relief: And it pleased God that many, both of the sick, and those +who were ill from wounds, recovered; nay, even one that was supposed to +be dead, was, by them, restored to life. Owing to this, the Spaniards +were greatly esteemed, and even reputed as gods, so that the people +offered them no injury, and even gave them such things as they had. By +these means, they passed through many countries, and many strange nations, +differing from each other in language, customs, and dress, and came at +length among a people that lived continually among their flocks and herds, +like the Arabs. Many of the tribes through which they travelled were so +poor as to feed on snakes, lizards, spiders, ants, and all kinds of +vermin, yet were well contented with their hard fore, and were much given +to singing and dancing. This people are reported to purchase all their +wives from their enemies, and to kill all their own daughters, lest by +marrying into hostile tribes their enemies should increase in numbers. In +some places, the women continued to suckle their children till they were +ten or twelve years old; and there were certain men, being hermaphrodites, +who married each other. In this manner, the Spaniards penetrated above +800 leagues, or 3200 miles through the country, till at length, not above +seven or eight of the whole armament reached the city of St Michael of +Calvacan, in lat. 23°. N. or higher, on the coast of the South Sea[61]. + +Learning, as has been formerly mentioned, that Garcia de Louisa had +passed through the Straits of Magellan, on a voyage to the _Islands of +Cloves_, Cortes fitted out three ships from Civitlanejo, now St +Christophers, in lat. 20°. N. on the western coast of New Spain, intending +to send there in search of Loaisa, and that they might discover the way +to the Moluccas, and open up the spice trade with New Spain. Leaving +Civatlanejo, on All Saints day, 1527, under the command of Alvaro de +Saavedra Ceron, the cousin of Cortes, they fell in with the islands +formerly discovered by Magellan, which he had named _the Pleasures_; +whence they sailed to the islands which had been discovered by Gomez de +Sequeira, and called by his name, but not knowing of this previous +discovery, he named them _Islas de los Reyes_, or the Isles of the Kings, +because discovered on Twelfth day. During this part of the voyage, two +ships of the squadron separated from Saavedra, and were never more heard +of. Sailing on from island to island, he arrived at the Island of Candiga, +where he ransomed two Spaniards for seventy ducats, who had belonged to +the crew of Loaisa, who was shipwrecked in that neighbourhood. Saavedra +reached the Moluccas in March 1528, and anchored at the Island of Gilolo, +where he found the sea calm, the winds moderate, and no tempests; and he +estimated the distance from thence to New Spain at 2050 leagues, or 8200 +miles. At this period, Fernando de la Torre was governor of the Molucca +islands, and lived in the city of Tidore, having been chosen instead of +Martin Yniguez de Carquiçano, who was recently dead. Torre waged a fierce +war with Don George de Meneses, captain of the Portuguese; and in a fight +of the fourth of May, Saavedra took a Portuguese galliot, and slew +Fernando de Baldaya the captain. In June, Saavedra set sail on his return +towards New Spain, taking with him Simon de Brito, Patalin, and other +Portuguese prisoners; but, after several months sail, he was forced back +to Tidore by contrary winds, where Patalin was beheaded and quartered, +and the rest of the Portuguese prisoners hanged. In this year, 1528, +Cortes sent 200 infantry, and sixty cavalry, with a large force of +Mexicans, to explore and subdue the country of the Chihimecas, which was +reported to be rich in gold. He then took shipping for Spain, where he +landed with great pomp, bringing with him 250,000 marks in gold and +silver. On his arrival at Toledo, where the emperor then resided; he was +very graciously received. The emperor created him marquis _della Valle_, +and married him to the lady Jane de Zuniga, daughter to the Conde de +Aguilar; after which he returned to resume the government of New Spain. + +Saavedra, of whom we have lately made mention, returned from the Moluccas +towards New Spain, in May 1529: and, during, the voyage, came in sight of +land, in lat. 2°S. He ran along the coast to the S.S.E. from that time to +the end of August, upwards of 500 leagues, finding a clean coast, free +from shoals and rocks, with good anchoring ground, inhabited by a black +people, with curled hair. The people of the Moluccas named the inhabitants +of this coast _Papuas_ because they are black with frizzled hair and both +Portuguese and Spaniards have adopted the same name. Having reached to +four or five degrees south of the line, he returned northwards; and near +the equinoctial he discovered an island, which he called _de los Pintados_, +or of the painted people, as the inhabitants were of a white complexion, +but marked with a hot iron[62]; and, from various circumstances, he +concluded that they were originally from China. A kind of boat put off +from the shore, containing a number of these islanders, making many +threatening signs and gestures, as if ordering the Spaniards to go away +from their land, and even proceeded to throw stones from slings at the +ship, but, as the stones did no harm, Saavedra would not allow his people +to fire upon them. A little beyond this island, in 10° or 12° of north +latitude, they discovered a group, consisting of many small low islands, +covered with grass, and full of palm trees, to which they gave the name of +_Los Jardines_, or the gardens[63]. Saavedra came to anchor in the midst +of these islands, where he remained several days, and concluded that the +people had come originally from China, but had, by long residence, +degenerated into lawless savages, using no labour or industry. They wear a +species of white cloth, made of grass, and are quite ignorant of fire, +which put them in great terror. Instead of bread they eat cocoas, which +they pull unripe, burying them for some days in the sand, and then laying +them in the sun, which causes them to open. They eat fish also, which they +catch from a kind of boat called _parao_, or _proa_, which they construct +with tools made of shells, from pine wood that is drifted at certain times +to their islands, from some unknown regions. The wind and weather becoming +more favourable for his return to New Spain, Saavedra resumed his voyage +thither, intending to have gone to Panama, to unload the cloves and other +merchandize he had brought from the Moluccas. His purpose was to have +carried this merchandize in carts from Panama, about four leagues, or +sixteen miles overland, to the river Chagre, which is said to be navigable, +and which discharges itself into the North Sea not far from Nombre de Dios, +where the goods could be reshipped for Spain; by which means all kind of +goods might be brought from India in a shorter time, and with less danger, +than by sailing round the Cape of Good Hope, as the voyage from the +Moluccas to Panama is almost a perfectly straight course between the line +and the tropics. But, in the present voyage, they were never able to +procure a favourable wind, and were therefore forced back to the Moluccas, +where they arrived in great affliction, as Saavedra died by the way[64]. +Had Saavedra lived, he intended to have opened a navigable communication +from sea to sea, through the land of Castilia del Oro and New Spain, which +might have been done in one or other of the following places:--1. From the +gulph of St Michael to Uraba, which is 25 leagues, or 100 miles. 2. From +Panama to Nombre de Dios, which is 17 leagues, or 68 miles, much the +greater part consisting of the river Chagre, navigable for small craft. 3. +Through the river Xaquator, now St Juan, in the province of Nicaragua, +which springs out of a lake that reaches to within three or four leagues +of the South Sea, and falls into the North Sea, being navigable by large +boats and lighters. 4. The other place is from Tecoantepec, through a +river, to Verdadera Cruz, in the bay of Honduras[65]. + +In the year 1529, Damiano de Goes, a Portuguese, travelled over all Spain, +and went from Flanders into England and Scotland, being at the courts of +the kings of these countries; after that he returned into Flanders, and +travelled through Zealand, Holland, Brabant, Luxemburgh, Switzerland, and +through the cities of Cologne, Spires, Strasburg, Basil, and other parts +of Germany, and so back to Flanders. He went thence into France, through +Piccardy, Normandy, Champagne, Burgundy, the dukedom of Bourbon, Gascony, +Languedoc, Dauphiny, and Savoy; passing into Italy by Milan, Ferrara, and +Lombardy, to Venice. Turning back, he passed through the territory of +Genoa, the dukedom of Florence, and all Tuscany, to Rome and Naples. +Thence back, through Italy, to Ulm, in Germany, and through Swabia, +Bavaria, Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, and Hungary, to the confines of Greece. +Thence through Poland, Prussia, and Livonia, to the great dukedom of +Moscovy; and thence back into Germany, and through the dominions of the +Landgrave, and the dukedom of Saxony, into Denmark, Gothland, and Norway, +penetrating to lat. 70°.N. In the course of these travels, which occupied +him during 22 years, he saw, spoke to, and was conversant with, all the +kings, princes, nobles, and chief cities of all Christendom; for which +reason, I thought the great extent of his travels was worthy of +remembrance. + +In 1529 or 1530, Melchior de Sosa Tavarez went from Ormus to Bassora, and +the islands of Gissara, with some ships of war, and sailed up to where the +Euphrates and Tigris unite together, being the first of the Portuguese who +had sailed so far on the fresh water in these parts. Not long after this, +a Portuguese, named Ferdinando Coutinho, being at Ormus, determined to +return overland from thence to Portugal. For this purpose he went to +Arabia, and up the river Euphrates, for the space of a month, and saw many +countries and kingdoms that had not been before visited by the Portuguese. +He was made prisoner at Damascus; whence he crossed the province of Syria +to the city of Aleppo. He had been at the holy sepulchre in Jerusalem, in +the city of Cairo, and at Constantinople, where the Great Turk resides. +After seeing that Court, he passed over to Venice; and, from thence, +through Italy, France, and Spain, to Portugal, he came back to Lisbon. +This person, and Damiano de Goes, were the most adventurous of the +Portuguese, who, in our time, had seen and discovered the greatest extent +of foreign realms for their own satisfaction. + +About the year 1530, Francis Pizarro, who has been already mentioned as +having gone to Spain to obtain the government of Peru, returned to Panama, +having procured all things as he wished, carrying with him four brothers, +Ferdinand, John, Gonsalvo, and Francis Martines de Alcantara[66]. They +were not well received by Diego de Almagro and his friends, because +Pizarro had not sufficiently represented his merits in the discovery of +Peru to the emperor, in which he had lost an eye, but took the whole merit +to himself. In the end, however, they agreed; and Almagro supplied Pizarro +with seven hundred pezoes of gold, providing him likewise with provisions +and ammunition, and other necessaries towards his intended expedition +against Peru. Soon after this arrangement with Almagro, Pizarro, and his +four brothers before-mentioned, set out with such soldiers and horses as +they could procure on their expedition. Being unable, from contrary winds, +to reach Tumbez, where he proposed to have landed, he was under the +necessity of disembarking at the river of Peru; whence he marched along +the coast with great difficulty, on account of many rivers and marshes, in +which some of his men were drowned in crossing. Coming to the town of +Coache, they found much gold and emeralds in that place; some of which +they broke, to see if they were perfect. From thence Pizarro sent twenty +thousand pezoes of gold to Almagro at Panama, to enable him to send +supplies of men, horses, ammunition, and provisions, and went from Coache +to the haven named _Porte Viejo_, where he was joined by Sebastian +Benalcazar, with all the supplies he had sent for. In the year 1531, after +the arrival of these reinforcements, Pizarro passed over from Porto Viejo +to the rich island of Puna, in the bay of Guayaquil, where he was +outwardly well received by the governor, who yet conspired to kill him and +his men; but Pizarro prevented him, and took many of the Indians, whom he +bound with chains of gold and silver. Such was the jealousy of the +governor of Puna, that he caused those who had the charge of his wives to +have their noses and privities cut off. In this place, Pizarro found above +six hundred prisoners belonging to king Atabalipa, who was then at war +with his eldest brother Guascar. Pizarro set these prisoners at liberty, +on promise of procuring him a friendly reception in Peru; but they forgot +their engagements afterwards, and excited the people to war against the +Spaniards. From Puna, Pizarro sent three Spaniards to Tumbez, in Peru, to +treat of amity; but the Peruvians seized them, and put them to death. On +hearing of this cruel action, Pizarro crossed over to the main, and made a +sudden attack, during the night, on the city of Tumbez, killing great +numbers of the inhabitants. The remainder submitted and made peace, +presenting him large gifts of gold and silver, and other riches. Pizarro +then built a town on the river Cira, which he named St Michael of +Tangarara, which was the first habitation of the Christians in these parts; +and he appointed Sebastian de Benalcazar to the command. After this, he +made search for a secure haven on the coast, and found one every way to +his wish at Payta. + +In the same year, 1531, Diego de Ordas went, with 600 soldiers and 35 +horses, to settle the country on the Maranon, or river of the Amazons; but, +dying on the voyage, this expedition proved fruitless. Afterwards, in the +year 1534, Hierom Artal was sent thither with 130 soldiers, yet he came +not to the river, but formed settlements at _St Michael de Neveri_, and +other places in Paria. Aries d'Acugna, a Portuguese gentleman, went +likewise to the Maranon, with ten ships, 900 men, and 130 horses, where he +spent much, and did little to purpose; but the greatest loser in this +expedition was John de Barros. This great river Maranon is in lat. 3° +S.[67], its mouth being 15 leagues, or 60 miles across, with many inhabited +islands, on which there are many trees producing incense, much larger than +those of Arabia. It produces gold and precious stones, and an emerald was +found there as large as the palm of the hand. The people of that country +make a kind of drink of a species of oats that are as large as quinces. + +Nunnez de Gusman was sent from Mexico, in 1531, with 500 soldiers, half of +whom were cavalry, and 6000 Indians to carry his baggage and provisions, +to discover and subdue the countries to the northwest of the kingdom of +Mexico. In this expedition he reduced the countries of Xalisco, +Ceintiliquipac, Ciametlan, Tovalla, Cnixo, Ciamolla, Culhuacan, and other +places. On this expedition he marched through Mechuacan, where he acquired +much gold, and 10,000 marks of silver. To the country of Xalisco he gave +the name of New Galicia, because it was rugged and mountainous, and the +people robust and hardy. He built many towns in the conquered countries; +particularly Compostella, Guadalajara, after the place of his own birth in +Spain, Santo Espirito de la Conception, and St Michael, which last is in +lat. 24° N. In 1532, Cortes sent Diego Hurtado de Mendoça in two ships +from Acapulco, which is 70 leagues from Mexico, on purpose to explore the +coast of the South Sea, as he had been ordered to do by the emperor. +Mendoça sailed from Acapulco to the harbour of Xalisco, or Xalis, on the +river Barania, in lat. 22° N. where he wished to take in wood and water. +But he was resisted there, by the orders of Nunnes de Gusman, and obliged +to proceed on his voyage. Some of his men mutinied, and he put them all on +board one of his ships, that they might return to New Spain. Being in want +of water, these people put in at the bay of Vanderas, not far south from +Xalis, where they were all slain by the Indians. In this voyage of +discovery, Hurtado sailed 200 leagues along the coast, but did nothing +worthy of being recorded. + +In 1533, Pizarro went from Tumbez to Caxamalca, where he took king +Atabalipa prisoner, who engaged to pay a vast sum in gold and silver for +his ransom. On purpose to procure this, Pedro de Varco and Ferdinando do +Sotto were sent to the city of Cusco, in lat. 17° S.[68], a journey of 200 +leagues, all upon causeways of stone, with bridges wherever necessary, and +having lodging-places at proper distances for the conveniency of the +_Yngas_, by which name the kings of Peru are distinguished. The armies of +the Peruvians are very numerous, as they often bring more than 100,000 men +into the field; and they lodge on these causeways, as already mentioned, +where they always have abundance of provisions and other necessaries, as +is said to be the custom in China. Ferdinando Pizarro went with some +horsemen to Paciacama, 100 leagues from Caxamalca, to discover the country; +and, on his return, he learnt that Guascar, the brother of Atabalipa, had +been put to death by his command; and that Ruminaguy, the general of the +army of Atabalipa, had risen in arms, in the city of Quito, against the +Spaniards. After the reception of this intelligence, Atabalipa was +strangled by the orders of Pizarro[69]. After the death of the two kings +of the Peruvians, Pizarro continually extended his authority over the +dominions of Peru, and built many cities, towns, and forts, in convenient +situations, to hold the country under subjection. He detached Sebastian de +Benalcazar, whom he had before made governor of St Michael de Tangarara, +with 200 infantry and 80 horse, to Quito, against Ruminaguy. Benalcazar +proceeded successfully in reducing the country to subjection from one city +to another, eastwards, for 120 leagues, not far from the equinoctial line; +where Peter Alvarado found certain mountains so cold, and loaded with such +quantities of snow, that 70 of his men were frozen to death. Having +reduced the city of Quito, he established himself and his people in that +place, calling it the city of St Francis; and it seemed very strange to +the Spaniards to find, in that country, abundance of cattle, wheat, barley, +and other plants, similar to those of Spain. After sending Benalcazar to +reduce the city of Quito, Pizarro himself undertook to reduce the royal +residence of Cusco, in about 13° 20' S. in which expedition he was opposed +by Quisquiz, a Peruvian general, whom he easily defeated; and he soon +afterwards took possession of Cusco, the exceedingly rich and wealthy +capital of the Peruvian monarchy. About this time Mango, a brother of +Atabalipa, joined Pizarro, who made him Ynga, or king of the country, in +name only, while he assumed the whole authority and revenues of the +kingdom to himself[70]. + +In the same year, 1534; Jaques Cartier, a native of Britanny, went with +three ships to the land of Corterealis[71], and the gulf of St Lawrence, +otherwise called _Golfo Quadrato_, or the square gulf, which he fell in +with in lat. 48° 30' N. He proceeded northwards to the latitude of 51°, in +the hope of being able to penetrate in that direction to China, by a north- +west passage, to bring drugs and other merchandize from thence to France. +Next year Cartier made a second voyage to the same regions, and found the +country pervaded by many large rivers, and abounding in provisions. He +sailed 300 leagues up one of these rivers, in a south-west direction, and +named the country New France, now Canada; but finding the water to become +fresh, he was satisfied there could be no passage that way to the South +Sea; and having wintered in the country, he returned next year to France. + +About the end of the year 1535, or beginning of 1536, Don Anthony de +Mendoça came from Spain to the city of Mexico, as Viceroy of New Spain, +being appointed to supersede Cortes, the discoverer and conqueror of that +rich and extensive territory. At this time Cortes was absent from the seat +of government, having gone to Tecoantepec, on purpose to fit out two ships +on a voyage of discovery. These he sent out under the command of Fernando +de Grijalva and Diego Bezerra de Mendoça, the former having a Portuguese +pilot, named Acosta, and the pilot to the latter being Fortunio Ximenez, a +Biscayan. On the first night after leaving Tecoantepec, the two ships +separated. Ximenez raised a mutiny against his captain, in which Bezerra +was slain, and many of the crew wounded. Some time afterwards, Ximenez +went on shore in the bay of Santa Cruz, for wood and water, where he, and +more than 20 of his people, were slain by the Indians. Two of the mariners, +who were in the boat, escaped to Xalisco, and told Nunnes de Gusman, who +commanded at that place, that they had seen indications of pearls during +the voyage. Gusman went accordingly with, a ship in search of pearls, and +explored above 150 leagues of the coast[72]. + +It is said that Grijalva sailed 300 leagues from Tecoantepec, without +seeing any land, except one small island in 20° N. to which he gave the +name St Thomas, as having been discovered on the day of that saint[73]. + +In the year 1535, Pizarro built the city which he named _Ciudad de los +Reys_, or of the kings, on the river of Lima, in lat. 20° S; to which he +removed the inhabitants of Xauxa, as a more convenient situation for the +residence; of the government, and in a better country[74]. He built also +the city of St Jago in Porto Viejo, and many other towns, both along the +coast and in the inland country; and he procured from Spain horses, asses, +mules, cattle, hogs, goats, and sheep, to stock his territories, and many +kinds of trees and plants, such as rosemary, oranges, lemons, citrons, +vines, and other fruits, wheat, barley, and other grains, with radishes, +and many other kinds of vegetables, which were disseminated all over the +country[75]. in the same year, Diego de Almagro went from the city of +Cusco to the provinces of Arequipa and Chili, in lat. 30° S. The march was +of great length, and he discovered a great extent of country; but he +suffered great extremities of cold, hunger, and fatigue, in consequence of +the ruggedness of the mountains, and the ice and snow, insomuch that many +of his men and horses were frozen to death. About this time Ferdinando +Pizarro came from Spain to the city of Lima, bringing with him the patent +of Marquis of Atanillos, for his brother, Francis Pizarro, and a +commission for Diego de Almagro, by which he was appointed governor of all +the land he had hitherto discovered, and 100 leagues beyond, under the +name of the _New kingdom of Toledo_. Ferdinando Pizarro went to the city +of Cusco, of which he was made governor, and John de Rada went into Chili +to Almagro, carrying with him the orders of the emperor. On receiving the +letters patent of the emperor, Almagro marched directly for Cusco, which +he considered to be included in his government, by which a civil war was +kindled between him and Pizarro. On this march he and his people were +severely oppressed by famine, and were even forced to feed upon their +horses which had died four months and a half before, when on their march +southwards into Chili[76]. + +In this same year, 1535, Nunnez d'Acunha, who was governor of India for +the crown of Portugal, while building a fortress, in the city of Diu, sent +a fleet, under the command of Vasquez Perez del San Paio, to the river +Indus, which is under the tropic of Cancer, 90 or 100 leagues to the north- +west from Diu. He also sent an army against Badu, the king of Cambaia, or +Guzerat, of which a renegado named Cosesofar was captain[77]. The fleet +came to the bar of the great river Indus in December, where the same +phenomena were observed as were formerly experienced by Alexander, +according to the relation of Quintus Curtius[78]. + +In the same year, Simon de Alcazava sailed from Seville, with two ships +and 240 men. Some say he was destined for New Spain, others for the +Moluccas, and others again that he meant to have proceeded for China, +where he had formerly been, along with Ferdinando Perez de Andrada. +However this may have been, he went first to the Canaries, and from thence +to the straits of Magellan, without touching at Brazil, or any other part +of the coast of South America, and entered into these straits in the month +of December, having contrary winds, and very cold weather. Under these +difficulties, the soldiers entreated him to turn back, which he refused, +and went into a haven on the south side of the straits, in lat. 53° S. +where he ordered Roderigo de Isla to land, with 60 of the people, to +explore the country; but the people mutinied against Alcazava, and slew +him; and, having appointed such captains and officers as they thought +proper, they returned back. In their voyage homewards, one of the ships +was lost on the coast of Brazil, and such of the Spaniards as escaped +drowning, were killed and eaten by the savages. The other ship went to St +Jago, in the island of Hispaniola, and thence returned to Seville, in +Spain[79]. In the same year, Don Pedro de Mendoça went from Cadiz for the +river Plata, with twelve ships and 2000 men, being the largest armament, +both of ships and men, that had ever been sent from Spain to the new world. +Mendoça died on his return to Spain, but most part of his men remained in +the country on the Rio Plata, where they built a large city, containing +now 2000 houses, in which great numbers of Indians dwell along with the +Spaniards. From this place they discovered and conquered the country to a +great extent, even to the mines of Potosi and the town of La Plata[80], +which is at the distance of 500 miles from Buenos Ayres. + +Cortes having learnt, in the year 1536, that his ship, of which Fortunio +Ximenez was pilot, had been seized by Nunnez de Guzman, sent three ships +to Xalisco, while he marched thither by land with a respectable force; and, +on his arrival there, he found his ship all spoiled and rifled. When his +small squadron was come round to Xalisco, he went himself on board, and +left Andrew de Tapia to command his land force. Setting sail from thence, +he came, on the first of May, to a point of land, which he named Cape St +Philip, and, to an island close by this cape, he gave the name of St Jago. +Three days afterwards, he came to the bay where the pilot Ximenez was +killed, which he named Bahia de Santa Cruz, where he went on land, and +sent out Andrew de Tapia to explore the country. Cortes again set sail, +and came to the river now called _Rio de San Pedro y San Paulo_, where the +ships were separated by a tempest. One was driven to the bay of Santa Cruz, +another to the river of Guajaval, and the third was stranded on the coast +near Xalisco, whence the crew went overland to Mexico. After waiting a +long while for his other two ships, Cortes made sail, and entered into the +gulf of California, otherwise called _Mar Vermejo_, or the Vermilion Sea, +and by some, the sea of Cortes. Having penetrated 50 leagues within that +gulf, he espied a ship riding at an anchor, and, on his approach towards +her, had nearly been lost, if he had not received assistance from that +other ship. Having repaired his own ship, he departed from thence with +both ships; and, having procured provisions at a very dear rate, at St +Michael de Culiacan, he went to the harbour of Santa Cruz, where he +received information that Don Antonio de Mendoça had arrived from Spain as +Viceroy of Mexico. He therefore left Francis de Ulloa with the command of +his ships, ordering him to proceed on discoveries; and going to Acapulco, +he received a messenger from Don Antonio de Mendoça, the new viceroy, +certifying his arrival, and the assumption of his authority. Mendoça +likewise sent him the copy of a letter from Francis Pizarro, stating that +Mango, the Inca of Peru, had risen in arms, and assailed the city of Cusco +with 100,000 fighting men, having slain his brother, John Pizarro, and +above 400 Spaniards, with 200 horses; and that he himself, and the Spanish +dominions in Peru, were in imminent danger, unless speedily and +effectually assisted. + +Cortes, not yet resolved on submitting to the authority of Mendoça, fitted +out two ships, under the command of Ferdinando de Grijalva and one +Alvarado, on purpose to discover the route to the Moluccas by the way of +the equinoctial line, because the islands of Cloves are under that +parallel. They went first to St Michael de Tangarara, in Peru, where they +landed succours for Pizarro, and thence, all along the line, to the +Moluccas, as they were ordered; and they are said to have sailed above +1000 leagues without sight of land on either side the whole way. At length, +in lat. 2° N. they discovered an island named _Asea_, which was believed +to be one of the islands of Cloves. Five hundred leagues farther, more or +less, they came to another, which they named _Isla de los Pescadores_, or +island of Fishers. Going still in the same course, they saw another island, +called _Hayme_, on the south side of the line, and another named _Apia_, +after which they came in sight of _Seri_. Turning one degree to the north, +they came to anchor at an island named _Coroa_, whence they came to +another under the line named _Memousum_, and thence to _Busu_, still +holding on the same course[81]. + +The people of all these islands are black, with frizzled hair, whom the +people of the Moluccas call Papuas. Most of them are witches, and eat +human flesh; and are so much given to wickedness, that the devils walk +among them as companions. Yet when these wicked spirits find any of the +Papuas alone, they kill him with cruel blows, or smother him; for which +reason they always go out in companies of two or three together. There is +in this country a bird as large as a crane, which has no wings wherewith +to fly, but runs on the ground with the swiftness of a deer, and, of the +small feathers of this bird, the natives make hair for their idols. They +have likewise a particular herb, the leaf of which, after being washed in +warm water, if laid on any member, and licked with the tongue, will even +draw out the whole blood of a mans body; and, by means of this leaf, the +natives let blood of themselves, when afflicted by sickness. + +From these islands they came to others named the _Guellas_, in lat. 1° N. +_east and west_[82], from the island of Ternate, in which the Portuguese +have a fortress. These islands are 124 leagues from the island of _Moro_, +and between forty and fifty leagues from Ternate. From thence they went to +the island of _Moro_[83], and the islands of Cloves, going about from one +island to another; but the natives would not permit them to land, desiring +them to go to the fortress, where captain _Antonio Galvano_, the author of +this work, would receive them in a friendly manner, who was, as they +stiled him, _factor_ of the country, and they could not be allowed to land +without his license. This circumstance is worthy of being noticed, that +the natives were so well affected to the Portuguese as to venture their +lives, with their wives, children, and goods, in their service. + +In the year 1537, John de Vadillo, the governor of Carthagena, went with a +powerful armament from the port called _St Sebastian de Buena Vista_, in +the gulf of Uraba, to the Rio Verde, whence he went by land, without +previously knowing any part of the way, and without carriages, to the very +extremity of Peru and the town of La Plata, a distance of 1200 leagues, a +most memorable journey. The whole country, from the Rio Verde to the +mountains of Abibe, is full of rugged hills, thick forests, and many +rivers, through which they had to pierce their way with infinite toil. The +mountains of Abibe are said to be twenty leagues broad, and can only be +passed over in the months of January, February, March, and April, as from +incessant heavy rains at all other times of the year, the rivers are so +swelled as to be quite impassable. In these mountains there are many herds +of swine, many dantes, lions, tigers, bears, ounces, large wild-cats, +monkeys, vast snakes, and other vermin. There are also abundance of +partridges, quails, turtle-doves, pigeons, and other birds of many +different kinds. The rivers also were so full of fish that they killed +them with staves; and they affirmed, if they had been provided with rods +and nets, that a very large company of men might be subsisted, without +ever being in distress for want of food. In this expedition they noted the +diversities of people, languages, dress, and other circumstances, during +the whole way, through many countries, kingdoms, and, provinces, and the +great difficulties and dangers they encountered till their arrival at the +_Villa de la Plata_, and the adjoining sea. This was the most extensive +discovery which has been ever heard of by land, and in so short a time; +insomuch that, if it had not been performed in our own days, it could +hardly have been credited[84]. + +In 1538, certain friars of the order of St Francis went from Mexico to +preach to the natives in the northern part of New Spain, and to convert +them to the Catholic faith. One Mark de Nizza penetrated farther than any +of the rest.--Passing through Culvacan, or Culiacan, he came into the +province of Sibola, or Cinaloa, where he pretended to have found seven +cities, and that the farther he went the richer was the country in gold, +silver, and precious stones, with many sheep bearing wool of great +fineness. On the fame of this wealth, the viceroy Don Antonio de Mendoça, +and Cortes, determined to send a force to take possession of the country; +but, as they could not agree on this subject, Cortes and his wife went +over to Spain in 1540, where he died seven years afterwards[85]. + +In 1538, I, Antonio Galvano, being governor of the Molucca islands, sent a +ship, commanded by Francis de Castro, towards the north, with orders to +convert as many as he could to the Christian Faith. Castro himself +baptized many; as the lords of Celebes, Maccassar, Amboina, Moro, Moratax, +and of several other places. On his arrival at the island of Mindanao, six +kings received the water of baptism from de Castro, with their wives, +children, and subjects; and I gave orders that most of these should +receive the name of John, in honour of king John III. who then reigned in +Portugal. + +The Portuguese and Spaniards who have been in these islands, affirm that +there are in them a certain species of hogs, which, besides the ordinary +teeth in their jaws, have two others growing out of their snouts, and +other two behind their ears, of a large span and a-half in length[86]. +There is likewise said to be a certain tree, that part of which that grows +towards the east is a sure antidote against all kinds of poison, while the +western half of the same tree is itself a deadly poison. The fruit of this +tree is like large pease; of which is made the strongest poison on earth. +There is another tree of a very singular nature, for if any one eat of its +fruit, he becomes twelve hours mad; and, on regaining his senses, cannot +remember any thing that happened during his madness. There are likewise +certain land-crabs, which have the same effect of producing temporary +madness when eaten. The islanders also pretend that there is a certain +stone in these islands of so wonderful a property, that whoever happens to +sit upon it is sure to be afflicted with rupture. It is farther worthy of +remark, that the inhabitants of these islands gild their teeth. + +In the year 1539, three ships which had been ordered by Cortes to discover +the coast northwards from Culiacan, and which sailed from Acapulco, under +the command of Francis Ulloa, having touched at _St Jago de Buena +Sperança_, entered into the gulf of California, which Cortes discovered, +and sailed up that gulf till they came almost to the farther end of it, in +lat. 32° N. at a place which they named _Ancon de San Andres_, because +they came there on the day of that Saint. They returned southward along +the other, or western coast of the gulf of California; and, having doubled +the point of that peninsula, called _Cabo de San Lucas_, within certain +islands, they sailed northwards, along the external coast of California, +till they again reached to the same latitude of 32° N. whence they +returned into New Spain; forced to this measure by contrary winds and want +of provisions, after having been absent a whole year on this voyage. In +these discoveries, Cortes expended 200,000 ducats, according to his own +account[87]. Cortes and his captains explored the coast of New Spain, from +the lat. of 12° N. to 32° or 700 leagues; all of which was rather warm +than cold, although snow is found on some of the mountains for the greater +part of every year. From Cabo del Enganno to Cabo de Liampa in China, the +distance is 1000 or 1200 leagues. + +In New Spain there are many trees, flowers, and fruits of various kinds, +that are useful to man. The principal tree is named _Metl_, which does not +grow either very tall or very thick. The natives plant and dress this tree +as we do our vines; and they allege that it has forty different kinds of +leaves, resembling woven cloth, which serve for many useful purposes. When +tender, these leaves are made into conserves. From it they make a kind of +paper, and a substance like flax; and it is also manufactured into mantles, +mats, shoes, girdles, and cordage. This tree produces such strong and +sharp prickles, that they are used instead of needles for sewing. The +roots are used as fuel; and their ashes make excellent ley for the +manufacture of soap. The natives open up the earth from the roots of this +tree, and, by scraping or wounding them, they extract a juice which is a +rich syrup. By boiling this juice, it is converted into honey; and, when +purified, it becomes sugar; and may likewise be made into wine and vinegar. +The fruit of this tree is called _Coco_. The rind roasted, crushed, and +applied to sores or wounds, has a most healing quality. The juice of the +roots and tops, mixed with incense, is a sovereign antidote against the +bite of a viper and other poisons. From all these useful properties, this +is the most profitable tree that is known in these parts[88]. + +There are certain birds in New Spain called Vicmalim, having a long small +bill, which live on dew and the juice of roses and other flowers; their +feathers are very small, and of beautiful colours, and are much esteemed +to work up into ornaments with gold. These birds die, or sleep rather, +every year in the month of October, sitting on a small bough in some warm +and close place; and they revive again in the month of April, when the +flowers appear. There are snakes likewise in this country, which sound as +if they had bells attached to them, when they creep along. There are other +snakes also, which are said to engender by the mouth, as vipers are +reported to do with us. There are likewise certain hogs, which have a +navel on the ridge of the back; which the hunters cut out the moment they +are killed, as otherwise the carcase would corrupt and stink, so as to be +uneatable. Besides which, there are certain fishes which are named +_Snorters_, because they make a snorting noise like hogs[89]. + +In the year 1538, a civil war broke out in Peru, between Pizarro and +Almagro; in the course of which, Almagro was taken prisoner and beheaded. +After which, in the year 1539, Pizarro sent Peter to Baldivia into Chili; +where he was at first well received, but the people afterwards rose +against him, and sought to put him to death by treason. Notwithstanding +the long and severe war he had to wage against the natives of Chili, +Baldivia explored the country to a great extent, discovering the whole +coast as far as lat. 40° S. and even further. While Baldivia was occupied +in these discoveries, he received intelligence of a king called +_Lucengolma_, who commonly brought 200,000 men into the field, when +engaged in war against another neighbouring king. Lucengolma was likewise +said to have a temple in an island, in which there were 2000 priests. It +was farther reported, that beyond the dominions of this king, there lay a +country inhabited by a nation of Amazons, whose queen was named +_Guanomilla_, which signifies _the golden heaven_. But, hitherto, these +things rest merely on report, and have not been ascertained for truth, by +actual discovery. About this time Gomez de Alvarado reduced the province +of _Guanaco_ to obedience; and Francis de Chavez subdued the _Conchincos_, +who often vexed the town of Truxillo and its adjoining country, by various +inroads. Peter de Vergara reduced the _Bracamores_, a people to the north +of Quito; John Perez de Veragara subdued the _Ciaciapoians_; Alfonsos de +Mercadiglio subdued the people of _Mulubamba_; Ferdinando and Gonsalvo +Pizarro reduced _Collao_, a country rich in gold; the lower part of which +was subdued by Peter de Candia; Peranzures went also on an expedition into +the same country. In this manner the Spaniards dispersed themselves over +the whole country, and conquered an extent of more than 700 leagues; yet +not without much labour, and considerable loss of men[90]. + +The countries of Brazil and Peru stand east and west from each other, +their coasts being almost 800 leagues distant at the nearest points, which +are the Cape of St Augustine and the harbour of Truxillo, nearly in the +same parallel of latitude. The greatest extent of Peru, measuring from the +river of Peru in the north, to the Straits of Magellan in the south, is +950 leagues. Through the whole of this country certain mountains, called +the Andes, extend from north to south, which divide Brazil on the east, +from Peru, or the empire of the Incas on the west. In the same manner, the +mountains of Taurus and Imaus divide Asia into two parts; which mountains +begin on the Mediterranean, in 36 or 37 degrees of north latitude, over +against the islands of Rhodes and Cyprus, and extend eastwards to the sea +of China. Thus, likewise, the mountains of Atlas in Africa divide the +_tawny_ moors from the _black_ moors, or negroes who have frizzled hair. +These mountains begin at Mount _Moies_, near the desert of Barca, and +extend under the tropic of Cancer to the Atlantic; The mountains of the +Andes are high and rugged, and barren in some places, without trees or +even grass; and it almost always either rains or snows on their highest +ranges, accompanied with sudden and violent tempests of wind. There is so +great a scarcity of wood in these parts, that the inhabitants use turf or +peats for fuel, as is done in Flanders. In these mountains and countries, +the soil is in some places black, in others white, or red, blue, green, +yellow, and violet; and, with some of these earths, the natives dye +various colours, without using any other mixture. From the bottoms of +these mountains, but principally on the east side, there flow many rivers, +both small and great. Among these are the rivers Amazons, St Francis, and +La Plata, and many others, which pervade the country of Brasil[91], which +are much larger than those of Peru, or of Castilia del Oro. The country of +Peru, between the Andes and the western sea or Pacific, is from 15 to 20 +leagues in breadth, all of a hot sandy soil, yet fertile, as being well +watered, and produces many excellent trees and fruits. It produces many +turnips, rapes, and other such herbs and roots; likewise abundance of +flags, rushes, herbs, and flowers, of so loose and tender a texture, that +the leaves drop off on the slightest touch. Among these herbs and fresh +flowers, the natives often dwell without beds or houses, even like cattle +in the fields, and some of them have tails[92]. These people are gross, +and wear long hair, but have no beards; and they speak divers languages. +One of the plants of this region called _aipo_, resembles rue, and bears a +yellow flower, which cures all kinds of rotten sores; yet, if applied to +sound flesh, will eat it to the bone. + +They say that these mountains abound in tigers, lions, bears, wolves, wild- +cats, foxes, dantes, ounces, hogs, and deer; and with many birds, both +ravenous and others, most of them being black; while under the north, both +birds and beasts are mostly white. There are also great numbers of large +and terrible snakes, which are said to have destroyed a whole army of one +of the Incas, that was marching this way: Yet, according to report, an old +woman did so enchant them, that they became quite harmless and gentle, +insomuch that they would allow people to sit upon them. It is reported +that, from Tumbez to Chili, there are no peacocks, hens, cocks, nor any +eagles, hawks, kites, or other ravenous birds; but there are many ducks, +geese, herns, pigeons, partridges, quails, and many other kinds of birds. +There is likewise a certain fowl like a duck, which has no wings, but is +covered all over with fine thin feathers. A certain species of bitterns +are said to make war upon the sea-wolf or seal; for when this bird finds +them on land, it tries to pick out their eyes, that they may not see their +way back to the water, and then kills them; and the fight between the +bitterns and the seals is said to be a pleasant sight. + +Those who live on the tops of the Andes, between the cold and the heat, +are mostly blind of one eye, and some are totally blind; so that hardly +can two men be found but one of them at least is half blind. +Notwithstanding the great heat of the sand in Peru, it yields good crops +of Maize and Potatoes, and an herb called _cocoa_, which the natives carry +continually in their mouths, as those in the East Indies do _Betle_, and +which they say satisfies both hunger and thirst. It is affirmed that, from +Tumbez southwards, for the space of 500 leagues, there is neither rain, +thunder nor lightning, with only some light showers. In Peru, there are +certain animals, called _xacos_[93] by the natives, and sheep by the +Spaniards, because they are covered with wool; but their shape resembles +that of deer, and they have saddle backs like a camel, and are capable of +carrying burdens of about a hundred weight each. The Spaniards ride upon +them; and, when weary, they turn their heads backward, and void a +wonderfully stinking liquor from their mouths. From the rivers La Plata +and Lima, or Rimac, inclusively to the southwards, there are no crocodiles, +lizards, snakes, or other venomous reptiles; but the rivers produce great +store of excellent fish. On the coast of St Michael on the South Sea, +there are many rocks of salt, covered with eggs. At the point of St Helena, +there are springs from which a liquor flows, that serves instead of pitch +and tar. It is said that there is a fountain in Chili which converts wood +into stone. In the haven of Truxillo, there is a lake of fresh water, the +bottom of which is good hard salt; and in the Andes, beyond Xauxa, there +is a fresh water river which flows over a bottom of white salt. It is also +affirmed that there formerly dwelt giants in Peru, of whom statues were +found at Porto Vejo; and that their jaw bones were found in the haven of +Truxillo, having teeth three or four fingers long. + +In the year 1540, the viceroy, Don Antonio de Mendoça, sent Ferdinando +Alorchon with two ships, to explore the bottom of the gulph of California, +and divers other countries. In the same year, Gonsalvo Pizarro went from +Quito to discover the _Cinnamon_ country, of which there ran a great fame +in Peru. Taking with him a force of 200 Spaniards, partly horse and part +foot, with 300 Indians to carry the baggage, he marched to _Guixos_, the +most distant place or frontier of the empire of the Incas; in which place +there happened a great earthquake, accompanied with much rain and dreadful +lightning, by which seventy houses were swallowed up. From that place they +passed over a chain of cold and snowy mountains, where they found many +Indians frozen to death, and they wondered much at finding so much snow +immediately under the equinoctial line. From thence they proceeded to a +province called _Cumaco_, where they were detained two months on account +of constant rain; and beyond this, they came to the cinnamon trees, which +are of great size, with leaves resembling those of the bay tree. The +leaves, branches, roots, and every part of this tree, tasted like cinnamon, +but this taste and flavour was particularly strong in the root; yet that +was still stronger in certain knobs, like _alcornoques_, or acorns, which +were good merchandize. This appears to have been of the same nature with +wild cinnamon, of which there is great abundance in the East Indies, +particularly in the island of _Jaoa_, or Java. From this cinnamon country, +they proceeded onwards to the province and city of Coca, where they halted +for fifty days; after which they travelled for sixty leagues along a river, +without being able to find any bridge or ford at which they could pass +over. In one place they found this river to form a cataract of 200 fathoms +in perpendicular fall, making such a noise as was almost sufficient to +deafen any person who stood near. Not far beyond this fall, the river was +found to glide in a smooth channel, worn out of the rock; and at this +place they constructed a bridge by which they passed to the other side, +and entered into a country called Guema, which was so poor, that they +could only get fruit and herbs to subsist upon. Travelling onwards from +that place, they came to a district where the people had some degree of +civilization, and wore cotton clothing of their own manufacture, and used +canoes. They here built a brigantine, in which, and in some canoes, +procured or taken from the natives, they embarked their sick, with their +treasure, provisions, and spare apparel, under the charge of Francis de +Orellana; while Gonsalvo Pizarro marched by land with the rest of the +people along the river, going every night into the boats. In this manner +they proceeded for about 200 leagues; when one night, on coming to the +river side, in hopes of joining the boats as usual, Pizarro could not see +or hear of them. He and his people were reduced, by this unfortunate +incident, to a state of almost utter despair: In a strange, poor, and +barren country, without provisions, clothing, or any other convenience, +and at a vast distance from their friends, with a prodigious extent of +difficult and dangerous road interposed between them and Quito, they were +reduced to the necessity of eating their horses, and even their dogs. Yet +holding a good heart, they proceeded onwards in their journey for eighteen +months, penetrating, as is said, almost 500 leagues, without ever seeing +the sun or any thing else to comfort them. At length, of the 200 men who +had set out from Quito, only ten returned thither; and these so weak, +ragged, and disfigured, that they could not be recognized. Orellana went 5 +or 600 leagues down the river, passing through various countries and +nations on both sides, among whom he affirmed that some were Amazons[94]. +From the mouth of that river, Orellana went home to Spain, and excused +himself for having deserted Pizarro, and those who marched by land, by +alleging, that he had been forced down the river by the strength of the +current, which he was utterly unable to stem. By some, this river is named +after Orellana, who first navigated its waters; and others call it the +river of the Amazons, on account of a female nation of warriors, who are +said to inhabit its banks[95]. + +In the year 1541, Don Stephen de Gama, the Portuguese governor of India, +went with a squadron into the Red Sea, by the strait of Mecca, or of +Babelmandel, and came to anchor off the island of Maçua, or Massoua; from +whence he sailed along the coast of Abyssinia, or Ethiopia, to the island +of Suachem, in lat. 20° N. and to the harbour of Cossier, in 27°. From +thence, he crossed over to the Arabian shore, and the city of Toro, and +sailed from that place to Suez, at the farther end of the Red Sea, and +returned from thence to India, having extended the Portuguese knowledge of +that sea farther than had ever been done before. On the way between +Cossier and Toro, Gama is said to have found an island of brimstone, which +had been dispeopled by Mahomet, wherein many crabs are bred, which +increase nature, on which account, they are much sought after by the +unchaste. + +It is true that Lopez Suarez, when governor of India, had navigated the +Red Sea, as far as Judda, the haven of Mecca, in lat. 23° N. 150 leagues +from the straits of Babelmandel; but Gama penetrated to the very northern +extremity of the gulph[96]. In the same year, Diego de Almagro killed the +Marquis Francis Pizarro, and his brother Francis Martinez de Alcantara, in +the city of Lima, or _de los Reyes_, and usurped the government of Peru. + +In the same year, 1541, Don Antony de Mendça, viceroy of Mexico, sent an +army of Spaniards and Indians from Mexico, under the command of Francis +Vasquez de Coronado, by way of Culiacan, into the province of Sibola, or +Cinaloa, which is in lat. 30° N.[97]. Coronado endeavoured to treat on +friendly terms with the natives, and requested to be furnished with +provisions; but received for answer, that they were not accustomed to give +any thing to those who came unto their country in a warlike manner. Upon +this, the Spaniards assaulted and took the town, to which they gave the +name of New Granada, because the general was a native of Granada in Old +Spain. The soldiers found themselves much deceived by the reports of the +friars who had been in those parts, as already mentioned under the year +1538, who said that the country was rich in gold, silver, and precious +stones. Not being willing, therefore, to return empty-handed to Mexico, +they went to the town of _Acuco_, where they heard of _Axa_ and _Quivira_, +the king of which was reported to worship a golden cross, and the picture +of the Queen of Heaven, or the blessed Virgin. In this journey, the +Spaniards endured many hardships, but the Indians fled every where before +them, and one morning, they found thirty of their horses had died during +the night. From _Cicuic_ they went to _Quivira_, a distance of 200 leagues +in their estimation, the whole way being in a level country; and they +marked their route by means of small hillocks of cow dung, that they might +be the better able to find their way back. At one time they had a storm of +hail, the hailstones being as large as oranges. At length they reached +Quivira, where they found the King _Tatarax_, whose only riches consisted +in a copper ornament, which he wore suspended from his neck. They saw +neither cross, nor image of the virgin, nor any indication whatever of the +Christian religion. This country, according to their report, was very +thinly inhabited, more especially in its champaign or level parts, in +which the whole people wandered about with their cattle, of which they +have great abundance, living much in the same manner with the Arabs in +Barbary, removing from place to place according to the seasons, in search +of pastures for their cattle. The cattle belonging to these Indians are +almost as large as horses, having large horns, and bear fleeces of wool +like sheep, on which account the Spaniards gave them that name. They have +abundance of another kind of oxen or cattle, very monstrous in their form +having hunches on their backs like camels, with long beards, and long +manes like horses. The Indians live by eating these oxen, and by drinking +their blood, and clothe themselves in their skins. Most of their food is +raw, or at least slightly roasted, as they have no pots in which to boil +their food. They cut their meat with certain knives made of flint. Their +fruits are damsons, hazel-nuts, melons, grapes, pines, and mulberries. +They have dogs of such vast strength, that one of them will hold a bull, +be he never so wild. When the Indians remove from place to place, these +dogs carry their wives, children, and household stuff on their backs; and +are so strong as to carry fifty pounds at once[98]. I omit many other +circumstances of this expedition, because the plan I have prescribed +requires brevity[99]. + +In the year 1542, when Diego de Frietas was in the port of Dodra, in the +kingdom of Siam, three Portuguese of his crew deserted, and went in a junk +towards China. The names of these men were, Antonio de Mota, Francis +Zeimoro, and Antonio Pexoto; who directed their course for the city of +Liampa, in lat. 30° N. or upwards[100]. Having encountered a great storm, +they were driven to a distance from land distance from land, and came in +sight of an island far to the east, in lat. 32° N. which they called Japan, +and which seems to be the isle of Zipangri, mentioned by Marco Polo the +Venetian, which in exceedingly rich in gold and silver, and other valuable +commodities. + +In the same year, 1542, Don Antonio de Mendoça, the viceroy of New Spain, +sent certain sea captains and pilots to explore the Coast of Cape del +Engannon, where a fleet, sent by Cortes, had been before. They sailed as +far as the latitude 40° N. when they came in sight of a range of mountains +covered in snow, which they name _Sierras Nevadas_, or the snowy mountains +in lat. 40°N. They here met with certain merchant ships, which carried on +their stems the images of a kind of birds called _Aleutarsi_, and had +their yards gilded, and their bows laid over with silver. These seemed to +belong to the islands of Japan or to China, as the people said that their +country was within thirty days sail[101]. In the same year, the viceroy +Mendoça sent a fleet of six ships, with 400 Spanish soldiers, and as many +Mexicans, under the command of his brother-in-law, Rui Lopez de Villa +Lobos, a person in high estimation, to the Mindanao islands. They sailed +on the eve of All Saints, from the harbour of Natividad, in lat. 20°N. and +shaping their course towards the west, they came in sight of the island of +St Thomas, which had been before discovered by Hernando de Girijalva; and +beyond that, in 17°N, they got sight of another island, which they named +_La Nebulata_ or the Cloudy Island; and from thence, they came to another +island, which they named _Roca Partalia_, or the cloven rock. On the 3rd. +of December, they discovered certain shoals, having only six or seven +fathoms water. On the fifteenth of the same month, they had sight of the +islands which were discovered by Diego de Roca, Gomez de Sequieira, and +Alvaro de Saavedra, called _Los Reyes_ or islands of the kings, because +discovered on Twelfth day. And beyond these, they found a cluster of +islands, in 10° of latitude, and came to an anchor in the midst of them, +where they took in wood and water. In January 1548 leaving these islands, +they came in sight of certain other islands, from which the natives came +off to them, in a kind of boats, bearing crosses in their hands, and they +saluted the mariners in the Spanish language, saying, _Buenos dias +Matelotes_, or, good day companions. The Spaniards were much surprised at +being thus accosted in their own language, and seeing such indications of +Christianity, at no great a distance from Spain, not knowing that many of +the natives in these parts had been baptised by Francis de Castro, at the +command of me, Antonio Galvano, an formerly mentioned. From these unlooked- +for circumstances, some of the Spaniards named these islands _Islas de los +Cruzos_, or the Islands of Crosses and others called them _Islas de los +Matelotes_, or the Islands of Companions[101]. On the first of February, +Ruy Lopez came in sight of the noble island of Mindanao, in 9º N.[102]. +But he could neither double that inland, owing to contrary winds, nor +would the natives permit him to come to anchor on their coast, because the +five or six christened kings and their people had promised obedience to me +Antonio Galvano, and were unwilling to incur my displeasure. On this +account, and constrained by contrary winds, Lopez sailed along the coast +in quest of a place of safety; and, in four or five degrees of latitude, +he found a small island called Sarangam by the natives, which he took +possession of by force, and named it Antonio after the viceroy of Mexico. +Ruy Lopez, and his people remained here a whole year, during which many +things occurred worth notice; but as these are treated of in other +histories, I refrain from mentioning them, confining myself entirely to +discoveries. + +In the month of August of the same year, 1548, Ruy Lopez, sent Bartholomew +de la Torre in a small ship to New Spain, to acquaint the viceroy of his +proceedings. Torre went first to the islands named _Siria, Gaonala, +Bisaia_, and many others, in 11° and 12° N. lat. where Magellan and de +Castro had both been formerly, and where the latter baptized many of the +natives; and the Spaniards called these the _Phillipinas_, in honour of +the prince of Spain[104]. In these islands Torre procured provisions, and +wood and water, whence he sailed for several days with a fair wind, edging +towards the north-east, till he came right under the tropic of Cancer. On +the 25th of September, they came in sight of certain islands, which they +named _Malabrigos_, or the evil roads; beyond which they discovered _Las +dos Hermanas_, or the Two Sisters; and beyond these again, four islands +which they called _las Volcanes_. On the second of October they came in +sight of _Farfana_, beyond which there is a high pointed rock, which +throws up fire in five places. Sailing in this manner, for some time, in +16° of north latitude, they were obliged by continual contrary winds, to +bear up again for the Philippine islands, and in their way back, had sight +of six or seven additional islands, but did not anchor at any of them. +They found also an archipelago, or numerous cluster of islands, in 15 or +16 degrees of north latitude, well inhabited by a white people, with +beautiful well-proportioned women, and much better clothed than in any +other of the islands of these parts; and they had many golden ornaments, +which was a sure sign that there was some of that metal in their country. +These people likewise had barks or vessels of forty-three cubits long, by +two fathoms and a half in breadth, constructed of planks five inches broad, +and which were rowed with oars. The people told the Spaniards that they +were in use to sail in these vessels to China, which was not above five or +six days sail from thence, and offered to supply them with pilots, if they +were inclined to go thither. Several of these barks, handsomely decked, +came off to the Spanish ship, in which the master, and other principal +people, sat on a high platform, while the rowers sat underneath, who were +_blackamoors_ or negroes with frizzled hair. Being asked whence they had +these negroes, they answered that they were brought from certain islands +near Sebut, where there were abundance to be had. The Spaniards wondered +much at finding negroes in this place, being above 300 leagues from the +nearest land of the negroes. It is therefore probable that these people +were not originally natives of this part of the world; but that they have +been scattered somehow in various places over the circuit of the earth, as +they are found in the islands of Nicobar and Andaman, in the bay of Bengal. +From thence, for the space of 500 leagues, we do not know of any other +black people: Yet Vasco Nunnez de Valboa pretends to have discovered them, +when he went to explore the coast of the South Sea, in a country which he +named _Quareca_; but there never were any found in New Spain, Castilia del +Oro, or in Peru. + +In the year 1544, Don Gutierre de Vargas, bishop of Placenza, the cousin +of Mendoça, sent a fleet from Seville to the straits of Magellan, +instigated by the advice of the viceroy. Some said that this fleet was +destined for the Moluccas, others for China, and others again, that it was +meant only to explore the coast from the straits along Chili to Peru. +However this may have been, the fleet was unable, from contrary winds, to +get through the straits, except one small bark which got into the South +Sea, and sailed along the whole coast, till it came to _Chirimai_ and +_Arequipa_, which is above 500 leagues, which were now explored; all the +rest of the coast having been formerly discovered by Diego de Almagro, +Francis Pizarro, and their people, at various times[105]. + +In January of the year 1545, Ruy Lopez de Villa Lobos, formerly mentioned, +came with his Spaniards to the isle of _Moro_[106], and the city of +_Camato_, where he was well received by the kings of Gilolo and Tidore, +and the people of the country; for I, Antonio Galvano, had then left the +Moluccas; and they put the governor Don George de Castro to much trouble, +and great expence. In the same year, 1545, Ruy Lopez de Villa Lobos, sent +another ship from Tidore for New Spain, under the command of Ignatius +Ortez de Rotha, and having Jaspar Rico as pilot, with orders to attempt +the passage by the south side of the line. Ortez sailed to the coast of +Papua, which he explored; and, as he knew not that Saavedra had been there +formerly, he challenged the credit and honour of the discovery. Finding +the natives of a black colour, with frizzled hair, he named the country on +that account New Guinea. Thus, the memory of Saavedra was then almost lost, +as every thing is apt to fall into oblivion, unless put upon record, and +illustrated by writing. + +In June of this year, 1545, one Pedro Fidalgo, a Portuguese, sailed in a +junk from the city of Borneo; but being driven to the north by contrary +winds, he fell in with a large island, the south extremity of which lay in +nine or ten degrees of north latitude, while it stretched to lat. 22° N. +at its other end, which is called the island of Luçones, from the name of +the nation by which it is inhabited. Perhaps it may have some other name, +of which, as yet, we have not been informed. This island runs from the +north for a great way directly south, and then takes a turn towards the +south-east. It is said that Fidalgo sailed for 250 leagues along the coast +of this island, which is in the midway-between Mindanao and China, and he +reported that the land was fruitful, and well clothed with trees and +verdure; and that the inhabitants will give two pezoes of gold for one of +silver, although so near China, in which the relative value of these +metals is so well understood. + +In the year 1553, certain ships were sent out from England, which sailed +to the northward, along the coast of Norway and Finmark, and from thence +east, in seventy or eighty degrees of north latitude, till they came to +Muscovy, to which country one of the ships penetrated; but I have not been +able to learn what became of the rest. From the land of Muscovy, a ship +may sail eastwards to Tartary, at the farthest extremity of which China is +situated. It is reported that there is a wall above 200 leagues in length, +between Tartary and China, in about lat. 50° N. + +From all the preceding discoveries, it may be concluded, that, as the +whole earth is 360 degrees, and the ancient writers allow 17-1/2 leagues +for every degree, the entire circuit of the earth would thus be 6300 +leagues; but as, in my opinion, each degree is exactly seventeen leagues, +the circuit will then be only 6120 leagues. However this may be, the whole +circuit of the globe has been discovered and sailed over, from east to +west, even almost as it is encompassed and visited by the sun in its +diurnal course. It is quite otherwise, however, in respect to the northern, +and southern parts of the earth. For, towards the north pole, there has +only been discovered hitherto to the latitude of 77° or 78°, which make an +extent of 1347 leagues; and between the equinoctial and the south pole, +there has only been discovered to the latitude of 52° or 53° south, or to +the Straits of Magellan; which amounts to no more than 960 leagues. Now, +adding these two together, their sum is just 2257 leagues: And, deducting +this sum from 6300 leagues, there still remains to be discovered, in the +north and south, 4043 leagues. + + +[1] Ferdinand was hereditary king of Arragon; but, by marrying Isabella, + queen of Castile, had united the several monarchies of Spain, under + one government. Ferdinand had no share whatever in the honour of + sending out Columbus, the sole charge being defrayed by his consort, + Isabella, hereditary queen of Castile and Leon; and who had even to + borrow money for the purpose. The contemptuous notice of _one_ + Christopher Columbus, must be pardoned to the patriotic rivalry of a + Portuguese.--E. + +[2] Galvano is here inaccurate: It will be seen in the sequel, that + Bartholomew Columbus did not accompany his brother in this voyage, + being then in England.--E. + +[3] It is certainly possible, that Columbus may have used that mode in his + course to the Canaries: But as his run across the Atlantic was nearly + on a parallel, he must have kept that part of his voyage by what is + called dead reckoning, or by the log.--E. + +[4] The middle of Guanahana is in lat. 24° 30' N. The centre of Jamaica in + 18° 10' N. The latitudes of Galvano are generally inaccurate; and he + never pretends to assign any longitudes whatever. The series, likewise, + in which he arranges the discoveries of Columbus is very inaccurate. + --E. + +[5] Cape de Verd is in 14° 30' N. Deseada in 16° 30' N. a difference of + two degrees of latitude. Dominica, in 15° 30' is the first land said + to have been discovered by Columbus in his _second_ voyage, in the + authentic original narrative by his son, which will be found in the + sequel.--E. + +[6] Counting from Dominica to the north side of Cuba, between 15° 30' and + 23° 15'.--E. + +[7] The negociators of the two crowns, as here related, seem to have been + ignorant that this loose division of the globe gave the whole + reciprocally to each of the parties.--E. + +[8] The apparent object seems to have been in search of a passage to the + East Indies by way of the north-west, a chimera long and anxiously + sought after. It is needless to make any observations on these + indistinct notices, as the voyage of Cabot will be afterwards given at + full length.--E. + +[9] The centre of Trinidada is in 10° 30'N. its S.W. point in 10° 12', and + the N.E. cape in 10º 45' N.--E. + +[10] De Barros, Dec. I. 1. 4. c. 2. and to the end of ch. 11.--Hakl. + +[11] Osorius says this voyage commenced on the 9th of July.--Clarke. + +[12] This Panama seems a blunder of some ignorant copyist, for Panarame. + --E. + +[13] The coast here is nearly N. and S. and their course must have been to + the north.--E. + +[14] The Marannon and Amazons are the same river. Perhaps by the Rio Dolce + the Orinoco may be meant; but in these slight notices of discovery it + is impossible at times to ascertain the real positions, through the + alteration of names.--E. + +[15] From the latitude indicated by Galvano, the land of Cortereal may + have been somewhere on the eastern side of Newfoundland.--E. + +[16] Barros, Dec. 1. I. 5. c. 10. + +[17] Gomara, I. 2. + +[18] About 8200 ounces, worth about L. 16,000 sterling; equal in modern + efficacy, perhaps, to L. 100,000.--E. + +[19] Probably an error for Taprobana; the same by which Ceylon was known + to the ancients.--E. + +[20] The Cakerlaka of other writers, which can only be large monkeys or + baboons, called men with tails, through ignorance or imposture.--E. + +[21] Rumi still continues the eastern name of the Turkish empire, as the + successor of the Roman emperors, in Assyria and Egypt. Hence these + Roman gold coins may have come in the way of trade from Assyria or + Egypt, or may possibly have been Venetian sequins.--E. + +[22] The author must here mean Cochin China by the coast of Patane.--E. + + +[23] About 1000 by 320 English miles.--E. + +[24] This story of the skull of a small insect is quite unintelligible, + and must have been misunderstood entirely by Hakluyt, the translator: + It is the Elephant, probably, that is here meant.--E. + +[25] Probably the bird of Paradise.--Clarke. + +[26] P. Martyr, Dec. 3. c. 10. + +[27] The island of Tararequi is in lat. 5° N. + +[28] These leagues are elsewhere explained as 17-1/2 to the degree, or + about 4 English miles: Hence the estimate of Galvano is 2000 miles + long by 1200 miles broad; certainly a very extensive dominion. China + Proper may be said to extend in length from lat. 27° to 41° N. and in + breadth from long. 97° to 121° E. not very inferior to the above + estimate; but including the immeasurable bounds of its dependencies, + Chinese Tartary, Thibet, and almost the whole of central Asia, it + prodigiously exceeds the magnitude here assigned by Galvano.--E. + +[29] Castagnada, I. 4. c. 36. 37. Osorius, I. 11. f. 315. p. 2. + +[30] Pet. Mart. IV. iv. Gomar. II. xiv. and xvii. + +[31] The text is obscure, and seems to indicate that they were unable to + pass between the island of Ascension and the main of Yucatan. The + latitudes are extremely erroneous: Cozumel is in lat. 20° N. The + island of Ambergris, perhaps the Ascension of the text, is in 18° 30'. + From errors in latitude and alterations of nomenclature, it is often + impossible to follow distinctly the routes of these early voyagers.--E. + +[32] Pet. Mart. IV. vi. Gomar. II. xviii, &c. + +[33] Gomar. II. xxi, xxii, xxiii, xxiv. + +[34] This certainly ought to be called the Molucca islands; but Galvano + uniformly applies the same name, Malacca, both to the spice islands + and the city of Malacca on the Continent.--E. + +[35] Gomar. IV. iii. Pet. Mart. V. vii. + +[36] Ramusio, I. 874. + +[37] This seems to mean the Straits of Babelmandel. Having lost sight of + Prester John in Tartary, the Portuguese were delighted with the + discovery of a Christian king in Africa, the Negus of Abyssinia; and + transferred to him that popular fable.--E. + +[38] These countries, with the river and cape mentioned in the text, are + now unknown, these arbitrary names having merged in the nomenclature + of more recent settlers. If the latitude be nearly accurate, it may + have been on the confines of Georgia and South Carolina.--E. + +[39] Gomar. II. l. + +[40] Id. II. lx. + +[41] Malacca of the text ought certainly to be Molucca: Bouro is in lat. + 3° 20' S. Timor between 8° 30' and 10° 20' S.--E. + +[42] Gomar. IV. viii. + +[43] Id. VI. iv. li. + +[44] Gomar. IV. viii, and xii. Castagn. VI. xli. + +[45] Gomar. VI. xii. + +[46] Castagn. VI. xlii. + +[47] Gomar. II. lxi. The text, in Hakluyt's translation, has the absurd + number of 76,000 Castilians lost in this war; 76 is a more probable + number, and is considerable out of his small force: yet, the text may + mean 76,000 _Castellans_ of gold, as the sum expended on the + expedition; and which Hakluyt, or his printer, changed to that number + of _Castilians_.--E. + +[48] Gomar. Conqu. de Mex. f. 226. + +[49] Id. 242. This bay reaches no farther to the S. than 148 10' N.--E. + +[50] Id. f. 229. 230. + +[51] Id. f. 233. + +[52] Gomar. Conqu. f. 234. and Hist. Gen. III. xxi. + +[53] Id: Hist. Gen. II. vii. + +[54] In this latitude, on the shore of Costa Rica, there is a town now + called Porto Cartago; but whether that indicated in the text it is + difficult to say, as Galvano is not always perfectly accurate in his + latitudes.--E. + +[55] Gomar. Hist. Gen. II. lxv. and Conqu. f. 243. + +[56] Gomar. Hist. Gen. II. lxvi, and Conqu. f. 256-261. + +[57] The Spanish leagues are 17-1/2 to the degree of latitude, hence this + march exceeded 2000 English miles.--E. Gomar. Hist. Gen. II. lxvi. Id. + Conqu. 246-273. + +[58] Gomar. Hist. Gen. V. i. and ii. + +[59] The ambiguity of the language is here utterly inexplicable.--E. + +[60] Meaning probably the lake of Titicaca in Peru. It is hardly necessary + to say that this slight survey of the Plata must be erroneous, + especially in its reports. The Rio San Francisco, alludes to one of + the sources of the Great Maranon, or river of the Amazons.--E. + +[61] Ramusio, III. 310. Ramusio gives a long and minute account of this + unfortunate expedition, entitled, Relation made by Alvaro Nunez, of + what befel the armament sent to the _Indies_ (America) under Pamphilo + Narvaez in the year 1527, to the end of 1536; when he returned to + Seville with _three_ only of his companions.--Clarke. + +[62] The inhabitants of this island were most probably _tatooted_, of + which custom a particular description will be given hereafter, in the + particular voyages of discovery in the South Sea.--E. + +[63] The longitudes being altogether neglected in these relations by + Galyano, it is impossible to form any conjecture as to the islands + indicated in text. They may possibly have belonged to the Carolines of + modern maps, which extend between long. 135° and 180° E. and about the + latitudes of the text.--E. + +[64] The account which Galvano gives of this voyage is very vague and + inconclusive. We shall find afterwards that the Spaniards found out + the means of counteracting the perpetual eastern trade winds of the + Pacific within the tropics, by shaping a more northerly course from + the Philippine islands, where they established the staple of their + Indian commerce, between Acapulco and Manilla.--E. + + +[65] Galvano certainly mistakes here in assigning Tecoantepec, which is at + least 340 miles from the nearest part of the bay of Honduras. If a + navigation were practicable from Tecoantepec, it would more probably + be towards Tabasco, at the bottom of the bay of Campechy. Perhaps he + ought to have said from Guatimala to the gulf of Dolse, at the bottom + of the bay of Honduras. This splendid navigation between the Atlantic + and Pacific, within the tropics, like that between the Mediterranean + and Red Sea, still remains an unsolved problem. It will be resumed + hereafter, among the voyages and travels to Spanish America.--E. + +[66] These seem all to have been brothers to Pizarro, and named from the + town of Alcantara in Spain.--E. + +[67] The mouth of the Maranon is exactly under the line.--E. + +[68] The latitude of Cusco is only 13° 30' S.--E. + +[69] Gomar. Hist. Gen. V. vi. vii. viii. ix + +[70] Gomar. Hist. Gen. V. xvi. xviii. xix. + +[71] So named from the two brothers, Caspar and Michael Cortereal, who are + said to have been lost on this coast of North America in 1500, as + formerly mentioned by Galvano.--E. + +[72] Xalis, or Xalisco, the residence of Gusman is in lat. 21°45'N. The + mouth of the river St Francis, on the north-eastern shore of the gulf + of California, is in lat. 26° 40' N. so that the discovery on the + present occasion seems to have comprised about 350 miles to the north + of Xalis.--E. + +[73] Gomar. Hist. Gen. II. Lxxiv. xcviii. + +[74] Xauxa or Jauja, stands on the high table land of Peru; Lima, or de + los Reys, near the coast of the South Sea, in the maritime valley, or + low country, and on the river Rimac, called Lima in the text.--E. + +[75] Gomar. Hist. Gen. IV. xxiii. and V. xxii. + +[76] Gomar. H. G. V. xxiv. and xxv. Almagro appears, both on his march to + Chili and back to Cusco, to have gone by the high mountainous track + of the Andes, and the carcases of his dead horses must have been + preserved from corruption amid the ever during ice and snow of that + elevated region.--E. + +[77] The text seems ambiguous, and it appears difficult to say whether + Galvano means, that Cosesofar, or Coje Sofar, was captain under + D'Acunha, or general of the Guzerat army, belonging to Badu.--E. + +[78] This probably refers to the _Bore_, or great and sudden influx of + the sea, after a great recession.--E. + +[79] Gomar. H. G. IV. xiii. + +[80] Probably a mistake for La Paz, the principal town of the north- + western district, or mining province, belonging to the Viceroyalty of + La Plata.--E. + +[81] The only island mentioned in this voyage, which can be traced by the + names in our modern maps, is the Piscadores, about lat. 11° N. long. + 167° E.--E. + +[82] This strange expression is quite inexplicable, and must have been + misunderstood by Hakluyt.--E. + +[83] Probably Morty, of our present maps.--E. + +[84] Chron. del Peru, c. ix, xx. + +[85] Ramus. III. 356. + +[86] This obviously refers to an inaccurate description of the Babyroussa. + --E. + +[87] Gomar. H. G. II. lxiv. Ramus. III. 329. + +[88] Gomar. H. G. VI. xvii. + +[89] In this paragraph we have very vague indications of humming birds, + rattlesnakes, and of the animal now called Pecari.--E. + +[90] Gomar. H. G. V. xxxv. and Chron. del Peru, c. 103. + +[91] The word Brazil in the text obviously includes the whole flat country + to the east of the Andes, Guiana, Brazil, Paraguay, Buenos Ayres, and + Patagonia.--E. + +[92] This idea, ever since the time of Lord Monboddo, has been renewed, + and occupies the attention of the explorers of Africa; links may exist, + in creation, with which we are yet unacquainted.--Clarke. + + The fancy of tailed men has probably arisen from inattentive observers, + seeing people clothed in the skins of beasts, with the tails hanging + down. The natives of New South Wales wear tails in imitation of the + Kangaroo: Yet, having been closely observed, are not described as + tailed men--E. + +[93] This word ought to have been _Pacos_. Of these animals, with the + Llamas and Vicugnas, different species of the camel genus, a more + extended account will occur, when we come to the particular travels in + Peru.--E. + +[94] It will be seen afterwards, in the account of the West India Islands, + and the Continent of Guiana, that there are many warlike tribes of + Caribs, or Caraibs, constantly engaged in predatory warfare; whose + women, when their husbands are absent in search of prisoners for + _food_, take arms for the protection of themselves and children; + whence they have been reported as nations of female warriors, or + Amazons.--E. + +[95] Gomar. H.G.V. xxxvi. + +[96] The true latitudes of the places mentioned in the text are, Suakim, + 19º 30', Massoua, 15º 20', Cossier, 26° 16', Judda, 21º 20', Suez, 30°. + --E. + +[97] The latitude of 30° N. would lead to the idea of Sonora being the + district, or province, indicated in the text by Sibola; Cinaloa is + only in 26° N. yet, from the context, appears to be the country + intended by Galvano--E. + +[98] The idea that a dog, even able to bear a load of fifty pounds, should + carry a woman, is truly absurd. If there be any truth in the story, + the dogs must have performed the services in the text by drawing + sledges; yet nothing of the kind has hitherto been found in North + America, though common in North-east Asia.--E. + +[99] Gomar. H.G. VI. xviii. and xix. + +[100] In other writers Liampa and Siampa, or Tsiompa, are synonimous; but + that place is in lat. 12° N. The latitude of the text would lead us to + the eastern coast of China, between Ningpo and Nankin.--E. + +[101] Gomez, H. G. VI. xviii. This story, which Galvano has reported from + Genoa, seems altogether unworthy of credit.--E. + +[102] The Matelots are laid down in our modern maps, in lat. 9° N. Long + 137° E. not far E.N.E. of the Pelew, or Pillelew islands.--E. + +[103] This great inland of Mindanao, to the south of the Philippines, + reaches from 9° 30' N. to 5° 30', and from long. 122° to 126° 20' E. + being about 300 miles long, by 270 miles broad.--E. + +[104] The Philippines, exclusive of Mindanao and Palawa, extend from Lat. + 9° to 18º 40' both N. and are in E. long. 122º but their present + geographical names, Luzon, Samar, Leyte, Zebu, Negros, Pany, Mindora, + and several other smaller isles, have no resemblance whatever with + those of the text.--E. + +[105] Gomar. H.G. IV. xiv. + +[106] Probably Morty, the most north-easterly of the Moluccas.--E. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE JOURNEY OF AMBROSE CONTARINI, AMBASSADOR FROM THE REPUBLIC OF VENICE +TO UZUN-HASSAN, KING OF PERSIA, IN THE YEARS 1473, 4, 5, AND. 6, WRITTEN +BY HIMSELF. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +This relation of a journey into Persia, between the years 1473 and 1477, +is from a collection of voyages and travels, principally in Asia, made in +the _twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth_, and _fifteenth centuries_, which +was published at the Hague, in the French language, in 1735. That +collection usually goes under the name of _Bergeron_, whose name appears +on the title somewhat equivocally as the author; but who is mentioned in +the advertisement as a writer belonging to the middle of the preceding +century; and the only part of the work that can, be attributed to him, is +a _Treatise of Navigation, and of the Modern Voyages of Discovery and +Conquest, especially those made by the French, &c._ which serves as an +introduction to this compilement. The editor of this collection gives no +account of himself, or of the sources from whence he has derived his +different articles; and only says, that the journal of Contarini was +translated into French, that it might be published along with the other +contents of his volume. From the _Bibliotheque Universelle des Voyages_, +by G. Boucher de la Richarderie, a new work of great research, published +at Paris in 1808, we learn that the journal of Contarini was published in +Italian at Venice, in a duodecimo volume, in 1543. So far as is known to +us, it now appears for the first time in an English translation. This +article might have been more aptly placed towards the close of _first_ +part of the present collection, but escaped notice in proper time and it +appears of too much importance, both in itself, and as an early document, +to be omitted from punctilious attention to rigid systematic arrangement. + +PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR. + +"The illustrious republic of Venice, having done me the honour to appoint +me ambassador to Uzun-Hassan, king of Persia, I accepted the employment +with much pleasure, both that I might do acceptable service to my own +country and for the general good of Christendom. I neither considered the +difficulties nor the dangers of the journey, but placed my trust solely +on the assistance of God; preferring the interests of my country, and of +the Christian world, to my own ease and safety. On purpose to render my +discoveries useful to the public, I have carefully and briefly recorded +every circumstance deserving of attention, that occurred during my long +and laborious journey; as relative to the provinces, cities, and places +through which I travelled, and the manners and customs of the different +nations among whom I sojourned. In short, I have omitted nothing +deserving of notice, that occurred during my three years journey, having +left Venice on the first day of Lent, in the year 1473, and having +returned to my beloved country on the 24th of February in the year +1476[1]." + + + +SECTION I. + +_The Ambassador, after passing through Germany, Poland, Russia, and the +Tartarian Deserts, or Upper European Sarmatia, arrives at Caffa or +Theodosia._ + +I left Venice on the 23d of February, in the year 1473, accompanied by the +venerable priest Stephen Testa, who acted as my chaplain and secretary, +and by Demetrius de Seze, my interpreter, together with two servants, +Maffei de Bergamo, and John Ungaretti, all of us disguised in ordinary +German dresses, our money being concealed in the clothes of Stephen Testa. +We went by water in the first place to the church of _St Michael in +Murano_, where we heard mass, and received the benediction of the prior; +after which, we mounted our horses, which were there in waiting, and +reached Treviso[2] the same day. I anxiously wished to have procured some +person to accompany us on the journey who knew the road, but could not +meet with any, nor could I even procure a guide for hire. Leaving Treviso +on the 24th, we arrived that day at Cogiensi, now called Cornegliano[3]; +and knowing the dangers and difficulties we must experience during our +long journey, we here confessed, and partook of the holy sacrament of the +eucharist, after which we resumed our journey. We fortunately overtook a +German, named Sebastian, who said he knew me and the object of my journey, +and offered to keep us company to Nuremburgh. I gladly accepted of this +person as a companion of our journey, inwardly thanking God for affording +us a guide. We continued our journey to the frontiers of Germany, passing +through several cities and castles, belonging to different princes and +bishops, vassals of the empire, among which the city of Augsburg seemed +one of the most beautiful. Not far from that place our German companion, +Sebastian, left us, taking the road for Francfort. We parted from him with +many embraces, giving him thanks for his numerous attentions, and mutually +wishing each other a good journey. + +Having procured a new guide, we arrived at Nuremburg on the 10th of March. +This is a fine city, having a river running through the middle of it, and +is defended by an excellent citadel. While here, I inquired of my landlord +if there were any travellers going our way. He informed me that there were +two ambassadors from the king of Poland then in the city, who, he was +certain, would be happy to receive a visit from me. I therefore sent my +chaplain, Stephen Testa, to inform these gentlemen of my being in +Nuremburg, and of the purpose of my journey, and of my desire to pay them +a visit. They received my message with much civility, and I accordingly +went to wait upon them. These gentlemen were counsellors of state to his +Polish Majesty, one of whom was an archbishop, and the other a knight, +named Paul. After mutual compliments, I informed them that I proposed +paying my respects to their sovereign, and was furnished with a passport. +Notwithstanding the sorry equipage in which I travelled, they received me +with much honour. I remained four days in Nuremburg, during which I formed +a friendly intimacy with the Polish ambassadors, and then resumed my +journey in their company, being likewise accompanied by an ambassador +belonging to the king of Bohemia, eldest son of the king of Poland. + +Departing from Nuremburg on the 14th of March, now nearly sixty horsemen +in company, we crossed through Germany, always lodging in good cities or +castles, some of which were extremely beautiful, both in respect to their +situation and the excellence of their fortifications; but I omit +describing them, as they are well known to travellers. The journey across +Germany took us twelve days, during which we passed through the greater +part of the dominions of the Maregrave of Brandenburg, and arrived at the +imperial city of Francfort, a tolerably good and well fortified city on +the Oder. We rested here till the 29th of March. As this city is near the +confines of Poland, we had an escort of cavalry belonging to the Maregrave +of Brandenburg, which accompanied us to the frontiers. These soldiers were +well mounted and armed, and marched in good order. On the last day of +March we arrived at Miedzyrzyez[4], which is a small city, but strong and +pleasant, and is the first place on the frontiers of Poland. From that +place till we reached _Stragone_, or Poznan, which took us three days +journey, we saw no place worth notice. Poznan is particularly remarkable +on account of a great fair, which is resorted to by many merchants. +Leaving Poznan on the 3d of April, we arrived on the 9th at Lenczycz[5], +where Casimir, king of Poland, then resided. In this journey we found +neither cities nor considerable castles, and had much reason to remember +Germany with regret, both on account of bad lodgings and every other +circumstance. When my arrival was announced to the king, he sent two of +his gentlemen to wait upon me, who assigned me a tolerably commodious +lodging. Next day being Easter, when no business of any kind is transacted, +I rested after the fatigues of the journey. On the following morning the +king sent me a robe of black damask, according to the custom of the +country, that I might go to court, which I did, accompanied by several +persons of distinction, and had the honour to pay my respects to the king, +according to the ceremonies of that court; after which I presented the +letters of our illustrious republic to his majesty, and explained to him +the nature of my commission. The king was pleased to invite me to dinner, +which was served much in the same manner as with us, the dishes being in +great abundance, and well dressed. As soon as dinner was over, I asked +permission to retire, which was accordingly granted. Two days afterwards I +was again sent for to court, when the king gave orderly answers to all the +proposals which I had made in the name of our republic, and with so much +benevolent attention towards me, that I learned by experience that he +justly deserved the character of the best king who had reigned in Poland +for a great many years. He was pleased to appoint me two guides, one of +whom was to accompany me through Poland, and the other through lower +Russia, to Kiow[6], or Magrano, which is the key of the kingdom. I humbly +thanked his majesty in the name of the republic, and took my leave. + +I left Lenczycz on the 14th of April, on my journey through Poland, which +is a flat country, ornamented with many forests; but the great want of +convenient lodgings is a sure proof that it is not very fertile, nor much +abounding in the necessaries of life. On the 19th I arrived at Lublin, a +tolerable city, defended by a citadel. The three sons of the king resided +there at this time for their education. The eldest of these princes was +about fourteen years of age, and the two others considerably younger. +Learning that they wished to see me, providing that their father had not +forbidden, I waited upon them, and was received with much politeness, the +eldest conversing with me in the most obliging manner, and I observed that +they behaved with much respect to their preceptor. I took my leave of them, +returning thanks for their civilities, and they parted from me with as +much courtesy as I had experienced in my reception. Leaving Lublin, and +continuing our journey through Poland, we arrived on the 20th of April in +lower Russia, which is subject to the king of Poland. In this part of our +journey we travelled five whole days through thick woods, and, except +meeting with a very few castles, we lodged for the most part in country +houses. On the 25th, we came to a town named _Jusch_, which is defended by +a wooden castle. We rested here for some time, yet not without danger, as +the inhabitants were quite mad with drunkenness, on account of celebrating +certain marriages. This country produces no wine, but the natives prepare +a liquor from honey, which is stronger and more intoxicating even than +wine. Leaving this place, we came to another village named _Aitomir_, in +which likewise there is a wooden castle. During the whole of our journey +of the 29th, we travelled through forests, in constant danger of robbers +who infested all the roads, and we knew not where to pass the night, or to +procure any refreshments, insomuch that we had to sleep in the woods, +keeping strict watch lest we might be surprised by the banditti. On the +30th of April we reached _Belligraoch_, which signifies the _white_ fort, +where we were lodged in the royal palace, and passed the night with much +inconvenience. + +On the first of May we reached the city of _Kiow_[7], or Magraman. The +governor of this city, which stands beyond the frontiers of Polish Russia, +was a Polander and Catholic, named _Pamartin_. Immediately on learning my +arrival from the guides sent along with me by the king, he appointed me a +lodging, which was sufficiently small, considering the size of the city. +He here visited me, and sent me a sufficient supply of provisions. This +city serves as a barrier or frontier garrison against the Tartars, and is +celebrated for a great fair, to which the merchants bring rich furs, and +other goods from Upper Russia. From hence the merchants travel in a large +caravan to Caffa or Theodosia in the Crimea; but are often surprised and +very ill treated by the Tartars during their journey. The country about +Kiow abounds in grain and cattle. The inhabitants of this place occupy the +whole day in their affairs till three o'clock, employing all the rest, +till night, in drinking and quarrels, the natural consequence of +drunkenness. On the day of my arrival, governor Pamartin sent some of his +gentlemen to invite me to dinner, which I accepted with as much politeness +as I could express. He received me very honourably, offering me every +service in his power, in the most obliging manner; saying, that he was +ordered by the king of Poland to treat me in every thing as well as +possible; on which I thanked him for his polite attentions, and +endeavoured to recommend myself to his friendship. From him I was informed +that he was in daily expectation of the arrival of an ambassador from +Lithuania, going with presents to the prince of the Tartars, who was to +have an escort of 200 Tartar horse; and, if I were inclined to take +advantage of this opportunity, by which means I should travel in much +greater safety, I had better wait the arrival of this ambassador. I +accepted of this offer most willingly; and we then sat down to a +magnificent entertainment; at which the bishop of Kiow, who was brother to +the governor, and many other persons of consequence were present. We +wanted nothing which could contribute to make the dinner pleasant. Good +company, good cheer, and music during the repast. The only circumstance I +did not like was, that it lasted too long; as I had more need for sleep +and rest, after my fatiguing journey, than of all the good cheer that +could be offered. In consequence, as soon as dinner was ended, I took my +leave, and retired to my lodgings in the city; the governor living in the +castle, which is only of wood. The city of Kiow stands on the river named +anciently Boristhenes, and Danambre by the natives, which we Italians call +Lerissa, and which falls into the Euxine. + +On the 10th of May[8], the ambassador of Lithuania arrived; and, as he was +to set out next day after mass, I went to pay him my compliments, +accompanied by M. Pamartin; who directed him, on the part of the king of +Poland, to take care of me, and to conduct me in perfect safety to +Theodosia. To this the ambassador answered, that he had every respect for +the orders of his majesty, the sovereign arbiter of his life and death, +and would carefully obey his orders. I thanked M. Pamartin for all his +kindnesses, as he had frequently visited me, and had supplied me with +every thing I needed for subsistence during my stay; and, as some token of +my gratitude, I made him a present of a tolerably good German horse, which +had carried me hitherto. We here parted with the rest of our horses, which +were quite unfit for our farther use, and procured horses of the country +for the remainder of our journey; and, on parting with the guides who had +accompanied us to Kiow by orders of the king, I rewarded them for their +attention and good conduct. + +I left Kiow on the 11th of May, along with the Lithuanian ambassador; and +as I was unable to travel on horseback, on account of pains in my feet, I +travelled in a carriage, which had served me for that purpose ever since I +left the king of Poland at Lenczycz. The first place we came to was +_Cerca_, belonging to the king of Poland, where we waited till the 15th, +for the Tartar horse who came to escort us on our journey. After their +arrival we set out on our journey through the great desert of Tartary, and +came to the Boristhenes, which separates Tartary from Russia, and which is +some miles broad[9]. As it was necessary to pass the river, our Tartars +cut down some trees, the stems of which they fastened together into a raft, +which was covered over by the branches, and upon which the whole of our +baggage was placed. They fastened their horses by the tails to this raft, +by which means it was dragged across the river, they themselves swimming +along-side of their horses, and holding by their manes. We had likewise to +swim our horses across, in which we succeeded, by the blessing of God, but +in much fear and danger at this, to us, unusual mode of navigation. When +we got over, we had to remain a whole day on the other side to collect and +replace our baggage. + +While among the Tartars, their officers eyed me with much attention and +suspicion; and, during our new journey through the desert beyond the river, +the Lithuanian ambassador informed me, by means of the interpreter, that +the Tartar officers had come to a resolution to carry me to their prince, +as they could not allow a person of my appearance to go on to Theodosia +without his permission. I was much alarmed by this intelligence, believing +that I should incur considerable risk of having the purposes of my journey +frustrated by this measure, and, therefore, earnestly recommended to the +ambassador to keep in mind the orders he had received on the part of the +king of Poland respecting me, and the promises he had made to Pamartin; +and I promised to make a present of a sword to the interpreter if he +succeeded to extricate me from my embarrassment. The interpreter reported +my fears and wishes to the ambassador, who succeeded, after drinking with +the Tartars, in persuading them that I was of Genoa; and, by means of a +present of fifteen ducats, he obtained permission for me to go direct for +Theodosia. Our journey through the desert continued till the 9th of June, +during which we suffered many hardships, having, at one time, been a whole +day and night without water. At length it became necessary for us to part +company, the Lithuanian ambassador and his escort taking the direct road +to Bachiserai[10], at which place the prince of the Tartars resided. On +this occasion, a Tartar was appointed to be our guide to Theodosia, and we +parted from the escort, not without considerable apprehensions of some +sudden attack from the Tartars, yet much satisfied at getting rid of that +crew, for they smelt so abominably, from feeding on horse flesh, that it +was quite intolerable to come near them. + +Our whole company passed the ensuing night in carts covered with skins, in +which we were soon surrounded by a great number of persons, inquiring who +we were. On being informed by our Tartar guide that I was of Genoa, they +supplied us with milk, and left us. Resuming our journey next morning +early, we arrived that day, which was the 16th of June, at the suburbs of +Theodosia, otherwise called Kaffa. Filled with gratitude for our +preservation through so many dangers, we went privately into a church to +give thanks to God for our safe arrival; and from thence I sent my +interpreter to inform the Venetian consul of my arrival. He immediately +sent his brother to wait upon me, advising me to remain where I was till +night, when he carried me privately to a house belonging to him in the +same suburb, where I was exceedingly well received. I here found Paulus +Omnibamus, who had left Venice three months before me, under the orders of +our illustrious republic. + + +[1] In the latter part of this journey, the date of his return to Venice + is the 10th of April.--E. + +[2] Called Tarvisin, in the original.--E. + +[3] Called Conigiano, in the edition of Bergeron.--E. + +[4] This small city stands on a small river which runs into the Werta, at + the western extremity of what was Poland, about sixty-seven miles from + Poznan. It is called Messaricie in the original.--E. + +[5] Lausicie in the original.--E. + +[6] Named Chio in the original. The second name, Magrano, is afterwards + called Magraman by Contarini, or his French translator.--E. + +[7] Named Chio in the original, but which must necessarily be Kiow, or + Kieu, now belonging to Russia. The three formerly mentioned stages + Jusch, Aitomir, and Belligraoch, must either be villages of too little + importance to find a place in geographical maps, or their names are so + corrupted as to be unintelligible. The direct road from Lublin to Kiow, + passes through the palatinates of Russia, Wolhynia, and Kiow, + provinces of ci-devant Poland, now annexed to the Russian empire.--E. + +[8] The original says April, but attention to the context distinctly + points out this necessary correction.--E. + +[9] From this circumstance it evidently appears that the journey from Kiow + had hitherto been on the right or west of the Dnieper or Boristhenes, + through the country of the Nogais Tartars, now forming the western + portion of the Russian province of Catharinoslau; and we may suppose + the wide part of that river they had now to cross to have been + somewhere about Cherson.--E. + +[10] Named Arcercheriher in the French translation of Contarini; but which + must necessarily be some corruption of Baschiserai, the residence of + the khan of the Crim Tartars.--E. + + + +SECTION II. + +_Contarini, leaving Kaffa, crosses the Euxine to the city of Phasis, +whence he pursues his journey through Mingrelia, Georgia, and part of +Armenia, into Persia_. + +It is impossible for me to give any exact description of the city of Kaffa, +or Theodosia, or of its government, as the danger of incurring suspicion +obliged me to remain continually at home; on which account I can only +mention such particulars as I learned from others. It is situated on the +Euxine, and is celebrated for a great fair, which is much frequented, on +which account the city is very populous, and is said to be very rich and +powerful. I hired a vessel belonging to Anthony Valdat, which lay in the +Palus Meotis, to carry me to the city of _Phasis_. When I was ready to +embark, I met with two Armenians, one of whom had been on an embassy to +Rome, from Uzun Hassan, and was persuaded by them to prefer disembarking +at _Tina_, about an hundred miles from Trebisond, instead of Phasis, +alleging that from Tina it was only four hours journey to a castle named +_Arrius_, which depended upon the king of Persia, and promising to conduct +us to that place in safety. Although I was by no means satisfied with this +advice, I allowed myself to be guided by the consul and his brother, who +agreed in opinion with the Armenians. I accordingly left Kaffa on the 4th +of June[1], accompanied by the consul, who went with me to the river, +where our vessel was in waiting. I had formerly agreed with the master for +our passage to Phasis at seventy ducats, but on occasion of the change in +our destination, I was now obliged to pay an hundred. Being aware that I +should not be able to meet with any person to serve us at the place we +were going to, I used the precaution to hire nine men from Kaffa, to +assist the mariners of our vessel, and to procure provisions for us in our +journey through Georgia and Mingrelia. + +We embarked on the 15th of June, and made sail across the Euxine, direct +for Tina, but had hardly got twenty miles on our voyage, when a contrary +wind sprung up from the east. Observing the mariners consulting together +in an extraordinary manner, I became curious to know the purpose of their +discourse. Accordingly, one Bernard, the brother-in-law of our captain, +said to me that he understood we proposed going to Tina, but advised me by +no means to do so; as a certain _Subassa_ roamed about that neighbourhood +with a band of cavalry, who would certainly make us slaves if we fell into +his hands. On this advice I changed my purpose, and the wind becoming more +favourable, we made sail for Liasi and Phasis, and arrived at _Varsi_ on +the 29th of June, where I disembarked my horses and baggage, and sent them +from thence by land to Phasis, which is sixty miles from that place. +_Varsi_ is a castle, with a small village in Mingrelia, belonging to a +lord named _Gorbola_, to whom likewise _Caltichea_[2], a place of small +importance on the coast of the Euxine, is subject. The inhabitants of this +country are very miserable, and the only productions are hemp, wax, and +silk. + +On the 1st of July we arrived near Phasis, followed by a vessel filled +with Mingrelians, who seemed all to be fools or drunk. Quitting the vessel, +we went up the river in a boat, passing an island in the mouth of the +river, where Oetes, the father of Medea the enchantress, is said to have +reigned. On this island we spent the night, and were sadly infested by +midges. Next day we went up the river in the boat, passing the city of +Asso, which stands on its banks in the midst of a forest. I here found one +Nicholas Capella, of Modena, who commanded in these parts, and a +Circassian woman named Martha, who had been the slave of a person of Genoa, +but was now married. This Martha received me with much kindness, and with +her I staid two days. Phasis is a city of Mingrelia, subject to prince +Bendian, whose dominions extend only about three days journey in length. +The country is very mountainous, and full of forests. The inhabitants are +so fierce and savage, that they might be accounted wild beasts. Their +principal drink is beer; they have some corn and wine, but in very small +quantities; boiled millet being their ordinary food, which is a very poor +kind of nourishment. They sometimes procure wine and salted fish from +Trebisond, and import salt from Kaffa, without which they could not exist. +Their only productions consist in a small quantity of hemp and wax. If +they were industrious, they might procure abundance of fish, which are +very numerous in their river. They are Christians, according to the Greek +ritual, to which they have added many gross superstitions. + +I left Phasis on the 4th of July, accompanied by Nicholas Capella, and +crossed the river _Mare_ on a float. That day and the next, we travelled +through a considerable portion of Mingrelia, always among woods and +mountains. Towards the evening of the 5th, we came to the habitation of +prince Bendian, whom we found, with all his court, reclining on a plain, +under the shade of some trees. I sent Nicholas Capella to inform him of my +quality, and to ask permission to pay him my respects, which was +accordingly granted. I saluted him, therefore, with great respect, as he +sat on the ground with his wife and children, and he made me sit down +beside him. After explaining the purpose of my journey, I requested he +would have the goodness to appoint me a guide. He expressed his +satisfaction at my arrival in his dominions, and granted my request. He +afterwards sent me some bread, a piece of beef, and the head of a sow, but +so under done, that it required the extreme necessity in which we then +were to induce us to eat of his provisions; but when we cannot get what we +like, we must put up with what can be had. We had to wait a whole day for +the promised guide. The plain in which we found prince Bendian, is +surrounded by very fine trees, resembling box, but much more lofty. The +prince seemed about fifty years of age, and had a tolerably handsome +countenance, but his manners were perfectly ridiculous. + +On the 7th of July we continued our journey, always among woods and +mountains, and next day passed the river which divides Mingrelia from +Georgia, having to pass the night in the open air, and, what was worse, we +had nothing to eat. On the 9th, we arrived at a small city named +_Cotachis_[3], which is defended by a stone fort, and where we saw a +temple that seemed very ancient. We had here to pass a bridge over a large +river, before reaching the plain in which the huts of Plangion, king of +Georgia, are situated. The fort and city of Cotachis belong to Plangion. I +waited upon the commander of this place who invited me to dinner. He was +seated on the ground, on which I, and those of my suite who accompanied me, +and some friends of the governor, all sat down. Before us was laid a +greasy skin, on which they served us with bread, radishes, some flesh, and +other execrable articles with which I was not acquainted. They continually +offered me wine in large goblets, to fill me drunk, according to their +abominable customs, as they are as foolish and beastly as the Mingrelians. +Finding that I would not join them in deep drinking, they held me in great +contempt, insomuch that I found it extremely difficult to get leave to +retire and to continue my journey. But at length they brought me a guide +to conduct me to the king of Georgia. + +I left Cotachis on the 12th of July; and, after travelling the whole day +through woods and mountains, we rested for the night in a meadow at the +foot of a mountain, near a castle named _Scandes_[4], in which king +_Pangrates_[5] resides. My guide here left me on purpose to inform the +king of my arrival; promising to return immediately with another guide to +serve me during the rest of the journey. We had accordingly to pass the +whole night in the wood, starving of hunger, and full of anxiety. The +guide came back early in the morning, accompanied by two of the kings +secretaries, who informed me that the king was gone to Cotachis, and had +ordered them to make an inventory of all our baggage, and of every thing +we had about us; after which we should be provided with a passport, to +travel free from payment of any duties through the whole country. They +proceeded accordingly in their examination and inventory with the most +rigorous exactness, even noting down the very shirts we then wore. After +this they ordered me to mount my horse, and to go along with them to the +king, leaving all my people behind. I used my best endeavours to be +excused from this; but, instead of listening to me, they loaded me with +insolence; and the only favour I could obtain, and that with the utmost +difficulty, was permission to take my interpreter along with me. We +accordingly resumed our journey, without meat or drink, and arrived much +fatigued at Cotachis towards night; where my interpreter and me were left +all night to our repose under a tree, where, indeed, they sent us some +bread and fish. + +The remainder of my people were taken to a miserable village, where they +were left in charge of the priest; and our mutual anxiety may be easily +guessed. + +Next morning I was carried before the king, whom I found sitting on the +ground in a hut, surrounded by several of his nobles. After paying my +respects, he asked me a great number of questions, and among the rest, how +many kings there were in the world? It came into my fancy to answer that +there were twelve. On which he signified that I was right, and that he was +one of the number; and that he was much surprised that I should come into +his dominions without bringing him a letter from my sovereign. To this I +answered, that when I left my own country, I did not expect to travel +through his dominions, otherwise my sovereign would assuredly have given +me letters in charge for his majesty; and with this answer he seemed +satisfied. He asked many other extraordinary questions, from which I +conjectured that my guide had maliciously represented me as carrying many +valuable things; and it is probable, if this had been the case, that I had +never been allowed to escape out of their hands. The royal secretaries +endeavoured to persuade me that I ought to make the king a present of any +article that might strike his fancy among my small baggage; but I got off +without making any present, except compliments, and requesting him to +appoint some one to conduct me through his dominions. This he was pleased +to promise, as likewise to give me a free passport, without paying any +duties, as I carried no merchandize. Accordingly, I took my leave of the +king on the 14th of July, returning to the tree I formerly mentioned as my +lodging, where the secretary brought me the promised passport and a guide. +I then returned to my people at the village where they were kept in my +absence, and was received with much joy, as the priest had represented the +king as the cruellest tyrant in the world. My people could not contain +themselves for excess of joy at my safe return, and even the miserable +priest was so touched at the scene, that he provided us with something to +eat, and we slept there that night as well as we could. + +Next day, being the 15th of July, we provided ourselves with some bread +and wine, to comfort ourselves on the way, and resumed our journey through +thick forests and terrible mountains, which continued for two days. In the +evening of the 16th, we stopt near a spring, where we remained during the +night in the open air, being obliged to light a fire on account of the +coldness of the weather, though in the middle of summer. On the 17th of +the same month we arrived at _Goride_[6], which belongs to the king of +Georgia. This city is built on a plain, watered by a large river, and is +defended by a citadel which is built upon a rock. Our guide notified our +arrival to the commandant, who ordered us a house for our lodgings, +apparently for the purpose of extorting a present; for shortly afterwards +he informed me that he had letters from the king, by which he was ordered +to receive twenty-six ducats from me for himself, and that I should pay +six to my guide. I endeavoured to evade this demand, by saying that the +king had received me favourably, to whom I had already given seventy +ducats, and could not give any thing more, and urged my free passport. But +he would listen to nothing I could urge, and I was forced to comply with +his extortion. He even detained me till the 19th of the month, and even +then I had extreme difficulty to get leave to depart. The inhabitants of +the city, who deserve rather to be ranked among beasts, looked at us with +as much astonishment as if they had never seen any other men than +ourselves. They told us that, on the top of a high mountain in a +neighbouring forest, there was a great church, in which was an image of +the Virgin, which worked many miracles, and that the church was served by +forty monks, whom they named _Calojeriens_[7]. But our anxiety to get out +of this abominable country, prevented us from paying our devotions at that +famous church. Georgia, indeed, is a somewhat better country than +Mingrelia, but the manners of the people and their way of living is +equally brutal; and such were the distresses and difficulties I +encountered in travelling through both, that it would be tedious to relate +them. On the 20th of July we left the abominable city of Goride, where we +had suffered so many vexations, and continued, our journey through forests +and over mountains, occasionally falling in with villages where we +purchased provisions. We had always to pass the nights on the ground near +some spring or rivulet, during most part of our journey through Mingrelia +and Georgia. + + +[1] We have already seen that it was the 16th of that month when Contarini + arrived at Kaffa. Much confusion has occurred in the dates of this + journey, which we have no means of correcting, and must, therefore, be + contented with them as they are--E. + +[2] The names of places in this journal are so corrupted as to be often + quite unintelligible. Varsi may possibly be Vardon, in the district to + the northwest of Mingrelia, named Abkhas; and Caltichea may perhaps be + Sulhuali, a sea port about 30 miles to the east. Phasis probably + refers to some town on the river of that name, perhaps Subastei.--E. + +[3] Probably Cutais in Imeritia, on the river Riene.--E. + +[4] Perhaps Sarassan, about forty miles S. E. from Cutais.--E. + +[5] Apparently the same prince named Plangion a little before.--E. + +[6] Gori in Georgia, on the river Kur. The journey hitherto must have been + through Mingrelia, then apparently subject to the prince or king of + Georgia.--E. + +[7] Probably Caloyers.--E. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Arrival of Contarini at Tauris or Ecbatana, the royal city of Uzun- +Hassan, and continuation of his journey through Persia to Ispahan, where +the king then resided._ + +On the 22d of July we began to ascend a mountain of prodigious height, +insomuch, that when night came on we had scarcely reached the top, where +we had to pass the night without water. Resuming our journey in the +morning, we descended the other side of the mountain, and entered the +province of Armenia, which is under the dominion of Uzun-Hassan[1]. In +the evening we were conducted to a fort named Reo, which stands in the +plain, between a deep river and a high mountain, and which is garrisoned +by Turks in the service of Uzun-Hassan, but the neighbouring village is +inhabited by Armenians. We rested in this place till the 25th of July, +waiting the arrival of a guide to direct us in the remainder of the +journey, and being well treated by the inhabitants, we rewarded them to +their satisfaction. The Armenian who had joined us at Kaffa, under +pretence of being an ambassador from Uzun-Hassan to the Pope, was +recognized by the inhabitants of this village as an impostor and a +notorious robber, and many were astonished how we had escaped from his +machinations: I got rid of him therefore immediately, and made him +restore me a horse which I had lent him for the journey; after which I +procured a priest of an honest character to conduct me to Tauris. Leaving +Reo with my new guide on the 26th of July, we ascended a mountain, and +came on the other side to a plain surrounded by hills, where we found a +village inhabited by Turks, near which we had to pass the night in the +open air, though the inhabitants treated us with decent civility. Next +morning we departed before day, having to pass another mountain, on the +side of which was a village inhabited by Turks, among whom we should have +run extreme hazard of our lives if they had seen us; but by using much +diligence we avoided this danger, and got down into an extensive plain, +full of fine pastures, and travelled with great expedition that we might +pass the night at a respectable distance from the lawless inhabitants of +the hills. On the 29th we passed the mountain of Noah, or _Ararat_, which +is so lofty that it is covered with snow the whole year. We were told +that many who had attempted to reach the top of this mountain had never +been more heard of, while others, on making the same attempt, said, on +their return, that it was quite inaccessible. + +From this place forwards we travelled through extensive plains intermixed +with hills, and arrived on the 30th of July at a castle named _Chiagri_, +inhabited by Armenians. Finding abundance of bread, wine, and poultry in +this place, we rested here for a day, and then set out with a new guide +for Ecbatana or Tauris. Leaving Chiagri towards evening of the 1st August, +we came next day to an Armenian village at the foot of a mountain, where +we had to cross a river in boats, and were informed that Uzun-Hassan had +formerly gained a great victory near this place over the Tartars, having +hemmed them into a corner, where their army wasted away with famine and +disease. The ruler of these Tartars, named Sultan _Buzech_[2], was made +prisoner, and was afterwards put to death. We here saw, on our left hand, +eleven Armenian villages, near each other, who were Catholic Christians, +their bishop being under submission to the Roman pontiff. The country is +extremely agreeable, and is the most fertile of all the provinces of +Persia. We arrived on the 3d of August at a large village called Marerich, +near which we passed the night, and had to ride all the next day through +a plain country exposed to great heat, which was greatly aggravated, as +we could not procure a single drop of water for ourselves or our horses. +On the way we met several Turkmans, whose custom it is to encamp here and +there about the country, wherever they can find pasture for their cattle, +and to change their residence as the pastures become exhausted. These +people are abominable robbers, and look upon rapine as their highest +glory; and as we had great reason to be afraid of them, I gave orders to +all my people to tell whoever we met, that I was journeying to wait upon +their sovereign, which was the only expedient for saving us from their +violence. + +We arrived on the 4th of August at the city of Ecbatana or _Tauris_[3], +which stands in a plain, and is surrounded by an earthen rampart in bad +repair. There are high mountains in its neighbourhood, which are said to +be the Taurus of the ancients. I here lodged with a very good man, who +gave us two sleeping chambers, a convenience we had been long unused to. +He was quite astonished how we should have been able to escape the +dangers of our journey, as all the roads were blocked up; and on asking +him the reason, he told us that Ogurlu Mohammed[4], the eldest son of +Uzun-Hassan, had rebelled against his father, and had taken possession of +_Sylas_[5] or Persepolis, of which he had appointed his younger brother +_Khalil_[6] as governor. Uzun-Hassan had assembled an army to reduce +Persepolis and his sons to obedience; but a certain satrap named +_Zagarli_ who commanded in the neighbouring mountains, favoured the cause +of Ogurlu, and had ravaged the whole country, to the very gates of Tauris, +with a body of 3000 horse, owing to which, all the roads were obstructed +and unsafe. He farther informed us, that the governor of Tauris had one +day issued forth to endeavour to put a stop to the marauders, but had +been defeated by Zagarli, with the loss of most of his troops, and had +even great difficulty in escaping back to the city. I inquired why the +inhabitants of Tauris did not take arms in their own defence, in a time +of so much danger; but he answered, although they were obedient to the +governor, they were quite unused to war. On learning the state of affairs +in this place, I resolved to leave it as soon as possible, that I might +get to the king; but I could neither procure a guide, nor prevail on the +governor to shew me any favour. By the advice of my landlord I kept +myself very much concealed, and employed my interpreter and Augustin of +Pavia, whom I had brought with me from Kaffa because he understood a +little Persian, to purchase our provisions, in which employment they were +exposed to much ill treatment, and were often in hazard of their lives. + +Some days afterwards, one of the sons of Uzun-Hassan, named Masu-beg[7], +came to Tauris with 1000 horse, to defend the city from the incursions of +Zagarli. I waited on this prince, having great difficulty to obtain an +audience, telling him that I was sent as ambassador to his father, and had +need of guides, whom I prayed him to provide me; but it was quite +ineffectual, as he hardly deigned to answer me, and took no kind of +interest in me or my affairs, so that I was obliged to return disappointed +to my lodgings. Masu-beg endeavoured to raise money from the inhabitants +of Tauris for the purpose of levying soldiers, but they resisted his +demands, and all the shops of the city were shut up. In this emergency, +being unable to procure provisions, I was obliged to quit my lodgings, +with all my people, taking refuge in an Armenian church, where they gave +us a small place in which to keep our horses; and I ordered all my people +to keep constantly within doors, to avoid meeting with injury. My +apprehensions on this occasion may easily be conceived; but God, who had +already protected us in so many dangers, was mercifully pleased to deliver +us from that which now hung over us. On the 7th of September, _Bertonius +Liompardus_[8], whom I had before seen at Kaffa, and who had been sent by +our illustrious republic, arrived at Tauris. He was accompanied by his +nephew, named _Brancalione_, and having come by way of Trebisond was a +month later than me in reaching Tauris. I now dispatched Augustin de Pavia, +of whom I have before made mention, with letters to the republic of Venice, +in which I gave an account to the senate of all that had happened to us +hitherto. I sent this man by way of Alapia, where he at length arrived in +good health, after having escaped many dangers. + +Although I remained in Tauris till the 22d of September, I was not able +to acquire any exact knowledge of the city, having been forced to conceal +myself the whole time. It is a large city, but its territory in some +places is uncultivated, and I believe nowhere very populous; it abounds, +however, in all the necessaries of life, but these are dear. Much silk is +produced in this neighbourhood, which is exported by way of Alapia. A +considerable quantity of cloth is manufactured in the place, which +likewise abounds in various merchandize, but I did not hear of any pearls +or precious stones. Fortunately for us a Cadilaskir, one of the +counsellors of Uzun-Hassan, arrived about this time at Tauris, who +returned from an embassy into Turkey, where he had unsuccessfully +endeavoured to negociate a peace between his master and the Turkish +government. Immediately on learning the arrival of this person, I used +every effort to procure an interview, in which I succeeded, and by means +of a present, I prevailed on him to admit me and my retinue into his +suite. He received me with much civility, and granted all I asked, +assuring me that, with the blessing of God, he would conduct me in safety +to the king. Among his slaves there were two Illyrian renegadoes, who +formed a strict intimacy with my people, to whom they promised to give +every assistance in their power, and to give us due notice of the +departure of their master, which they faithfully performed, and for which +I rewarded them. + +On the 22d of September we departed from Tauris with the Persian +counsellor, accompanied likewise by a great many merchants and others, +who took the advantage of travelling under his protection, from fear of +being plundered by the rebels. This country in which we now travelled was +quite level, with very few hills, so dry that we saw no trees except +along the sides of rivers, and having only a few small villages, in which +we purchased what was necessary for our journey, and always rested before +mid-day in the open air, being unable to travel during the height of the +sun, on account of the great heat. Travelling in this manner, we arrived +at _Sultanie_ on the 27th of September. This city appeared to be very +handsome, surrounded by walls, and defended by a good citadel. We saw +here three most curious brazen gates, which had been made at Damascus, +the finest things I ever beheld, which must have cost a great deal of +money. The city of Sultanie stands in a plain at the foot of a range of +mountains, some of which are exceedingly steep and precipitous, and the +inhabitants of which are forced to remove into lower situations during +winter, on account of the severity of the cold. We remained there for +three days, and resumed our journey on the 30th of September, travelling +sometimes in plains, and sometimes among hills, but always taking up our +quarters for the night in the open air. + +On the 6th of October we arrived at _Sena_[9], a city without walls, +situated in a plain on the banks of a river, and surrounded by trees, in +which city we passed the night in tolerably bad quarters. We departed +from thence on the 8th, and stopping, according to our usual custom, in +the fields, I was seized with a violent intermittent fever, insomuch that +I could hardly get on horseback next day, and that with infinite distress. +We arrived early next day at Kom, where I was forced to stop, all my +attendants being seized in a similar manner with myself, except our +priest Stephen Testa, who took care of us all. Our fever was so malignant +that we were all delirious during the height of the access or hot fit. I +was afterwards informed that the royal counsellor sent to visit me, +begging my excuse that he could not wait for me, because it was necessary +for him to repair without delay to the king; but that he had left one of +his attendants with me as a guide, and that I need not now be under any +apprehension, as there were none in that part of the country to do me +harm. I remained here a long time sick. The city of Sena or Sava is not +large, and has mud walls, being situated in a champaign country, which is +well peopled, and abounds in every thing necessary to life. + +On the 24th of October, being much recovered, we resumed our journey, +though I was still so weak as to find much difficulty in sitting on +horseback. Next day we arrived, at the city of Cashan[10], which very +much resembles Kom, except that it is somewhat handsomer. On the +following day, we came to _Nethas_, or Nathan. This city stands likewise +in a flat country, which produces much wine. I remained here one day, +both to recruit my strength, and because I felt some return of my fever. +On the 28th of October, I prepared as well as I was able to finish my +journey, which was all on plain ground, and arrived at Ispahan, where +Uzun-Hassan then resided, on the 3d of November, having employed twenty- +four days in our journey from Tauris to this place. I immediately sought +out the dwelling of Josaphat Barbaro[11], the ambassador of Venice, and +went to him. He received, me with much joy, and many embraces were +mutually given and received, and we rejoiced together on my safe arrival. +But as I had much need of rest, I very soon went to bed. When the king +heard of my arrival, he sent some of his slaves to congratulate me, who +presented me with some refreshments sent by his majesty. + +Early in the morning of the 4th November, some of the kings slaves came +to require that Josaphat Barbaro and I should come to court. On being +introduced to an audience, we found the king attended by eight of his +principal officers. Having made my obeisance after the manner of the +country, I presented the letters of the republic, and explained the +subject of my mission[12]. When I had finished speaking, he answered me +in every point, and in few words; and, among other things, he excused his +conduct in having been obliged to retire to this part of his kingdom. +After this we were ordered to be seated, and his courtiers gave us an +entertainment according to the Persian fashion, which consisted of many +dishes tolerably well dressed. After the repast, we took leave of the +king, and retired to our quarters. Two days afterwards, we were again +sent for to court, when most of the royal apartments were shewn me. The +king then resided in a very pleasant country palace, situated on the +banks of a river. In one of the rooms, there was a painting of Ogurlu- +Mohammed, the kings eldest son, leading the sultan _Busech_, or Abu Saïd, +tied with a rope; and in another picture the decapitation of _Busech_ was +represented. We were again invited to an entertainment, at which many +different kinds of confections were served up. We remained at Ispahan +till the 25th of November, during which period we were frequently invited +to court. The city of Ispahan, like the rest of the Persian cities, is +surrounded by earthen-ramparts. It stands in a plain, and is abundantly +supplied with all the necessaries of life. Having rebelled against the +king, it was besieged and suffered much injury; for, being obstinately +defended, it was subjected to the resentment of the conqueror and the +fury of the soldiers. + +Persia is a very flat and arid country, in many parts of which there are +salt lakes. In such parts as can be supplied with water, grain and other +fruits of the earth are produced in abundance, and there are plenty of +beasts of all kinds, as it is everywhere intersected and surrounded by +fertile mountains, but every thing is very dear. The Venetian quart of +wine is sold for three or four ducats; but bread is not so dear in +proportion. A camels load of wood costs a ducat. Flesh is dearer than +with us, and seven hens cost a ducat; but other articles of provisions +are cheaper. The Persians are a civil and humane people; and though +Mahometans, they do not hate the Christians. The women are very modestly +dressed, and ride on horseback with even more grace than the men; and, +judging from the good appearance of the men, the women are probably +handsome. + + +[1] Uzun-Hassan in the Turkish language signifies Hassan the long, which + prince was likewise named Hassan-beg, or Lord Hassan, and Ozun-Azembeg, + or the long lord Azem or Hassan. By different European writers his + name has been corrupted into Unsun Cassan, Uxun-Cassan, and Usum- + Chasan. He was a Turkman emir of the Ak-koyunla dynasty, or white + sheep tribe, whose ancestor, the governor of a province under the + descendants of Timor, had rendered himself independent in the north + and west of Persia.--E. + +[2] This prince, whose real name was probably Abu Said, was the emir of + the Kara-koyunla dynasty, or black sheep tribe of the Turkmans, who + had risen to independence after the death of Timor, and who had long + contended with the prince of the white sheep tribe for ascendancy. + These two tribes derived their distinctive appellations of the black + and white weathers, from some peculiarity in their ensigns or dress, + equivalent to the distinguishing uniforms and banners of our European + armies.--E. + +[3] Called Tebriz in modern times.--E. + +[4] In the original this name is corrupted to Gurlumamech; but we learn + from the Modern Universal History, that his real name was that + expressed in the text of our translation.--E. + +[5] The ruins supposed to be those of Persepolis are situated near Istakar, + about forty miles north from the modern city of Shiraz, in the + province of Fars or Persia proper; but the names in the original are + often so corrupted as to defy even conjecture. Sylas is probably meant + for Shiras.--E. + +[6] Named Chali in the original; but it is to be noted that the _ch_ of + the Italian is pronounced as _k_ in English.--E. + +[7] It is difficult to determine whether Contarini here means Maksud-beg + or Masih-beg, as Uzun-Hassan had two sons of these names; Maksad was + the elder, and may have been the person named in the text Masu. Bec or + Beg signifies Lord or Prince.--E. + +[8] The person mentioned before by Contarini as a messenger from Venice, + and whom he met with at Kaffa, was named on that occasion Paulus + Omnibamus, totally dissimilar from the name in this part of the text. + --E. + +[9] Assuredly the Sava of modern maps, a city of Irac-agemi, which stands + upon one of these extraordinary rivers, so numerous in Persia, which + lose themselves in the sands, after a short but useful run.--E. + +[10] About sixty miles S. S. E. from Kom. I am disposed to think that + Contarini has slumpt his journey on the present occasion; as it is + hardly to be believed a person in the weak state he describes himself + could have travelled with so much rapidity. Besides, so far as we can + learn from his journal, he travelled always with the same set of + horses. Indeed the sequel immediately justifies this suspicion, as + the subsequent dates are more distant than the travelling days of the + text would warrant.--E. + +[11] See Travels of Josaphat Barbaro to Asof in 1436, in our Collection, + Vol I. p. 501, in the introduction to which article, it will be seen + that he had been sent on an embassy from Venice to Uzun-Hassan in 1572, + two years before Contarini; and appears to have remained in the east + for fourteen years in that capacity, after the departure of Contarini + on his return to Venice.--E. + +[12] This nowhere distinctly appears; but we may easily understand + incidentally, and from the history of the period, that the Venetian + republic endeavoured to stir up enemies to the Turkish empire in the + east, being unable to resist its power, now exerted against them in + the Morea and the Greek islands; and we may even surmise that Uzun- + Hassan was subsidized by the Venetians to make war upon the Turks.--E. + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Contarini accompanies Uzun-Hassan from Ispahan to Tauris, where he finds +Ambassadors from the Duke of Burgundy and the Prince of Muscovy, and gets +leave to return to Venice._ + +The king left Ispahan with all his court on the 25th of November for +Tauris, and we travelled along with him, passing through most of the +places which we had seen in going to Ispahan. In this journey we always +slept in tents in the fields, and the camp was well supplied with +provisions, as many merchants had received orders to provide grain, +victuals of all kinds, and all sorts of necessaries. On the 14th of +November we arrived at Kom, where we remained two days under tents, +exposed to extremely cold weather, and experienced much difficulty to +procure a small house in which to shelter ourselves. We continued at this +place till the 21st of March 1474, during which interval we went +frequently to court, to pay our respects to the king, on which occasions +we were generally invited to dinner. The Persian court is very magnificent, +being attended by many high officers of state, and every day 400 persons +dine along with the king. These are all seated on the ground, and are +served in copper basons with boiled rice, or some other mess made of flesh +and grain boiled together; but the king is served in great magnificence at +a separate table, with a great variety of dishes of different kinds of +meat. During his meals, the king is often served with wine, and then the +musicians sing and play upon flutes such songs and tunes as the king +pleases to order. The king is of a good size, with a thin visage and +agreeable countenance, having somewhat of the Tartar appearance, and +seemed to be about seventy years old. His manners were very affable, and +he conversed familiarly with every one around him; but I noticed that his +hands trembled when he raised the cup to his lips. It is not needful that +I should enumerate all the audiences which I had on the subject of my +mission, of which I shall make occasional mention hereafter. + +On the 21st of March the king and all the court left Kom, on their +journey towards Tauris, the baggage being carried by camels and mules. +Each day we hardly exceeded ten or twelve, or at the most twenty Italian +miles, and always stopt at each encampment till the forage in the +neighbourhood was consumed. The Persian mode of travelling is thus: The +women always arrive first at the new camp, where they set up the tents +and cook provisions for their husbands. They are well clothed and ride +upon good horses, which they manage with much dexterity. The Persian +nation is very magnificent, and exceedingly fond of pomp, and shew, and +it is very agreeable to see their march at some distance. They are very +careful of their camels, of which they have great numbers, even the +poorest seldom travelling with less than seven of these animals; by this +means, the prodigious train which attends the court appears to consist of +many more persons than it actually contains. When the king entered +Ecbatana, his suite consisted of about 2000 persons, but many left the +camp on the march, as it suited their fancy or convenience, and the king +never had above 500 horse along with him. The royal tents were +exceedingly beautiful and magnificent, and his bed was ornamented with +scarlet hangings. The merchants who attended the camp sold every thing at +a high price. All of our party were accommodated with tents, as we +belonged to the suite of the king, who often honoured us with an +invitation to supper, and at other times frequently sent us refreshments. +We were always treated with much civility, and never received any +injuries or affronts. + +On the 31st of May the king encamped about fifteen miles from Tauris, +when a certain monk of the Boulonnois named Louis, who called himself +patriarch of Antioch, and envoy from the Duke of Burgundy, arrived at the +camp, attended by five horsemen. The king asked if we knew him, and we +accordingly told what we knew without dissimulation. Next day the king +gave him an audience, at which we were present by command. This patriarch +presented to the king three robes of gold tissue, three others of scarlet +silk, and some of fine cloth, and opened his commission, making many +great offers of service from his prince, and many fine promises in very +magnificent terms, which do not appear proper for me to repeat, and which +the king did not seem to care much about. We were all invited to dinner, +during which the king started many questions, to which he gave very +pertinent answers himself. After dinner we returned to our tents. + +On the 2d of June we arrived at Tauris, in which place lodgings were +appointed for us. Six days afterwards, Uzun-Hassan sent for the patriarch +and us to court; and although he had three or four times informed me +already that I must prepare to return into Italy, leaving my colleague +Barbaro at his court, I could not reconcile myself to the journey, and +had done every thing in my power to put off my departure. When we went to +court, the king addressed himself first to the patriarch, whom he ordered +to return to his prince, and to say from him, that he, the king, would +very shortly declare war against the Turks, having already taken the +field with that view, and that he never failed in performing his promises. +He then turned to me, saying, "Return to your country, and tell your +masters that I shall very soon make war upon the Ottomans, and desire +them to do their duty as I shall do mine. I know no one better fitted to +carry this message than you, who have accompanied me from Ispahan, and +have seen my preparations; so that you are able to inform the Christian +princes of all that you have seen, and of my good intentions." I offered +several reasons for excusing myself from obeying these commands, which +gave me much vexation; but the king looked at me with a severe expression +of countenance, saying, "It is my pleasure for you to go, and I command +you. I shall give you letters for your masters, which will inform them of +my sentiments and the reasons of your return." In this state of +embarrassment, I was advised by the patriarch and M. Josaphat to comply +with a good grace; on which I replied to the king as follows: "My +departure, Sir, gives me much distress; but since you judge it proper, I +make no more objections, and am ready to obey your orders. Wherever I may +go, I shall speak of your great power and goodness, and the honours I +have received from your majesty, and shall exhort all the princes of +Christendom to join their forces with you against the common enemy." My +speech pleased the king, and he answered me kindly according to his +wonted manner. After retiring from this andienqe, the king sent some +Persian robes to the patriarch and me, made of fine stuff and very +beautifully ornamented, and presented each of us with a horse and some +money to assist us during our journey. + +We remained two days at Tauris after the kings departure, and set out on +the 10th of June to rejoin the court, which was then encamped in a +pleasant spot among excellent pastures and plenty of fine wells; about +twenty-five miles from Tauris. We remained there till the pastures were +eaten bare, and then marched about fifteen miles farther. On the 27th of +June the king gave us our final audience, at which he gave us presents +for our respective sovereigns; that is to say, to the patriarch for the +Duke of Burgundy; to myself for the republic; and to one Marcus Ruffus, +who had come with an embassy from the prince of Muscovy. The presents +consisted in certain pieces of workmanship made in the European fashion, +two swords, and certain ornaments for the head, which are usually +fastened to bonnets. There were two Persian ambassadors in the audience- +chamber, one of whom was destined on a mission into Russia. At length the +king turning towards the patriarch and me, addressed us nearly as follows: +"You will return with all speed to your masters, and will tell them and +all the other Christian princes from me, that I have used all diligence +in taking the field to make war on the Turks, as it had been concerted +between them and me. The emperor of the Turks is at present in +Constantinople, and will make no enterprize of importance this year. As +for myself, I propose sending one part of my army to reduce my rebellious +son, and another against the Turkish generals, while I shall remain here +at hand, to act against the enemy as occasion may require." He gave +orders, both to us and to his own ambassadors, to report this to all the +princes of Christendom. I did not receive these orders with more +satisfaction than I had done the former; but I had no means of escape and +must necessarily obey. Wherefore, having taken our leaves, we prepared +for our departure, and were unexpectedly commanded to remain till next +day. In the mean time, he conveyed a great part of his infantry during +the night to the other side of a mountain. Next morning early, the +_Ruiscasson_, or conductor of ambassadors, carried us to the top of the +hill, as meaning to confer with us on some important subject, and on the +appearance of the Persian infantry under march, he pointed them out to us +as if he had been surprised at seeing so many additional troops coming to +the royal camp. The better to favour this deception, some of his slaves +exclaimed as astonished, that there were a great many soldiers, and that +at least 10,000 were coming to reinforce the army. But we easily saw +through the contrivance, and were certain that these pretended new troops +were merely the ordinary royal escort, which had only changed their +position to impose upon us. After this little comedy, the _Ruiscasson_ +gave us the royal letters for our masters, and we returned to our tents. +From the information of M. Josaphat and others, the military force of +this king cannot exceed 20,000 cavalry, some of whom have wooden bucklers +about eighteen inches long. Others have a kind of cuirasses made of very +thin plates of steel, which they wear over their ordinary habits. Their +usual arms are bows and arrows, and cimeters, while some have small +leathern targets covered with silk, and others carry helmets and +cuirasses. Their horses are beautiful and vigorous, and very numerous. In +regard to the manners of the Persians, and the state of the kingdom, I +shall mention what I know of these subjects as occasion may offer during +the recital of my travels; but I do not think it proper to weary my +readers with any lengthened detail. + + + +SECTION V. + +_Journey of Contarini from Persia, through Georgia and Mingrelia, to the +city Phasis._ + +Being entirely ready to depart on the 1st of July, we took leave of M. +Josaphat Barbaro in his tent, when we mutually shed tears in sincere +grief at our separation. Having recommended myself to the protection of +God, I mounted on horseback, and began my journey, accompanied by the +patriarch of Antioch, Marcus Ruffus the Muscovite, and the two Persian +ambassadors, intending to return by way of Phasis, which is under the +dominion of Uzun-Hassan. To this route we were advised by certain birds +of bad augury, who were omens of the terrible dangers we had to encounter +in the sequel. Coming to the villages of the catholic Armenians, formerly +mentioned, we were well received by their bishops, and attended the mass +regularly during three days that we had to remain here, laying in a stock +of provisions for the journey. From thence we came to the frontiers of +Georgia, travelling through plains interspersed with hills, and arrived +on the 12th of July at _Typsi_[1], which is subject to the king of the +Georgians. This city stands upon a hill, at the foot of which runs the +river _Tigre_, and it is defended by a good castle on the summit of an +eminence. It was formerly a celebrated place, but is at present almost +utterly ruined, though beginning to revive, and contains many good +catholics. In this place we took up our lodgings with a person named +Arminius, of the catholic faith. In travelling through Georgia, we found +a few villages composed of huts, and some castles among the mountains, +but these were rare and distant. + +On the 19th of July, being near the frontiers of Mingrelia, we chanced to +meet with Pangratius, king of Georgia, in the midst of a forest +surrounded by mountains, and went to pay our respects to him, when he +invited us to dinner. We had to sit on the ground, having a skin spread +before us instead of a table-cloth, and were served with roasted meat and +fowls, very ill dressed; but, by way of making amends, they frequently +presented us with large goblets of wine, as they seem to place all +dignity and merit in deep drinking. For this reason it is their custom, +at the conclusion of their meals, to challenge one another to drink, and +he who empties the greatest number of goblets, is held in highest esteem. +As the Turks drink no wine, their presence was some restraint that day on +their usual bacchanalian contests, and as we neither could nor would +compete with them, we were held in great contempt. The king was about +forty years old, and of large make, with a strong resemblance to the +Tartar countenance. We parted from the king of Georgia next day, and on +the 22d of July, on the confines of Mingrelia, we fell in with a Georgian +commander at the head of some troops, both cavalry and infantry who was +posted in this place to prevent injury from the disorders that had broke +out in Mingrelia, in consequence of the death of Bendian, prince of that +country. These people stopped, and frightened us with, many cruel menaces; +but at length, after being robbed of two quivers full of arrows, and +having to gratify them with some money, we escaped from them, and made +the best of our way to a distance. Leaving the public road, we struck off +into a thick wood, where we passed the night in prodigious apprehension. + +On the following day, while approaching the city of _Cotati_[2], we met +some peasants in a narrow pass, who prevented us for some time from going +forwards, and even threatened to put us to death. After much altercation, +and many threats, they seized three horses belonging to the Turks[3], +which were with great difficulty redeemed for twenty ducats. On the +evening we reached Cutais, which is a royal fortress. While passing a +bridge over a river, early in the morning of the 24th of July, we were +again attacked by robbers, who came upon us suddenly, and, after many +threats, forced us to pay the full value of our horses, before they would +allow us to continue our journey. After passing this bridge, we entered +Mingrelia, where we followed our wonted custom of sleeping under the +canopy of heaven, though we had many worse inconveniencies and dangers to +encounter: for, on the 25th of July, having passed over a river by means +of rafts, we were conducted to the dwelling of a certain lady, named +_Maresca_, sister of the deceased prince Badian, who received us at first +with much civility, and treated us with bread and wine, after which we +were conducted into a field belonging to her, which was close shut on all +sides. On the morrow, when we were about to depart, we offered her a +present of twenty ducats, as a return for her hospitality, which at first +she pretended to refuse; but we soon discovered her treachery, as she +insisted on our paying two ducats as a ransom for each of our horses. We +expressed our astonishment at this rapacity, and endeavoured to represent +our inability to comply with such exorbitant demands, but all to no +purpose, and we were forced to comply, being afraid that she might even +have plundered us of every thing. + +Leaving this rapacious dame, we arrived at _Phasis_ on the 27th of July, +some on horseback and others in boats, where we again lodged with +_Martha_ the Circassian lady, whom I formerly mentioned. After having run +many risks in our journey, we here learnt a piece of most afflictive news, +that the Turks had taken possession of Kaffa or Theodosia in the Crimea, +by which we were deprived of our last resource, and shut out apparently +from every hope of continuing our voyage homewards. Our distress on +receiving this intelligence may easily be conceived, and, in fact, we +were so much cast down, as not to know what measures to pursue, or to +which hand to turn us. Louis, the patriarch of Antioch, resolved upon +going through Tartary and Russia, with which route he was acquainted. It +was to no purpose that I urged the promises we had mutually come under at +the beginning of our journey, never to separate on any account. To this +he answered, that the unforeseen circumstances which had occurred, were a +sufficient warrant to every one to consult his own individual safety. I +insisted and beseeched him not to treat me with such unfeeling cruelty, +but all in vain, for he prepared to set off along with the Turkish +ambassador, who had been sent by Uzun-Hassan as his particular companion. +In this extremity I went to Marcus Ruffus, and the Turkish ambassador who +was joined with him by the king of Persia, to whom I mentioned my +intention of returning back to Uzun-Hassan. They pretended to approve my +plan, and even to join me, and we embraced as entering, into promise of +keeping together; but they secretly came to a determination of taking +their journey through the province of _Gorgore_, which is subject to +_Calcicanus_, and to the city of _Vati_,[4] which is on the frontiers of +the Turks, and pays tribute to the Grand Signior. + +The patriarch set out on the 6th of August, and the next day Marcus +Ruffus followed him, accompanied by several Russians, partly on horseback, +and partly by means of boats. Their intentions were to travel from Vati, +by Shamaki, anciently Cyropolis, and thence into Tartary. Thus left alone +in a strange land, I leave any reasonable person to think what were the +embarrassments with which I was surrounded. I was unacquainted with a +single individual, having no company but that of my domestics, and had +very little money remaining. In short, I was reduced almost to despair, +of ever being able to get out of the country. In this state of distress I +fell into a violent fever, and could get no other nourishment but bread +and water, and a pullet occasionally with much difficulty; and my fever +increased to such a degree that I became delirious. All my domestics were +attacked soon after with the same fever, the priest Stephen only excepted, +who had to take care of us all. My only bed was a wretched mattress, +which had been lent me by a person named John Volcan; and my life was +despaired of by every one, till the 9th of September, when, by the cares +of Stephen and of Martha, my good hostess, or rather through the mercy of +God, the fever abated, and I soon recovered my former health, to the +astonishment of every one. My domestics likewise recovered, and we began +again to consult on the best means of escaping out of our present +situation. Some proposed to take the road of Syria, but I deemed this too +dangerous; and we at length came to the determination, of going by +Shamaki, into Tartary, and thence by Russia, Poland, and Germany. I got +accordingly on horseback on the 10th of September, but had hardly rode +two miles when I was forced to dismount and rest myself on the ground. I +was, therefore, obliged to return to my lodging in Phasis, where we +remained till the 17th, when, being all of us restored to health and +strength, we again resumed our journey, after having implored the +protection and assistance of God. I now took a certain Greek into my +service, who could speak the Mingrelian language, who occasioned me a +thousand troubles, which it were tedious to recount. + + +[1] This in all probability is a corruption of Tiflis, or Teffliz, the + capital of Georgia Georgia, which is situated on the river Kur or + Cyrus, erroneously named _Tigre_ in the text. The proper name of this + country is Gurgi-stan, or the country of the Gurgi which has been + corrupted by the Europeans into Georgia.--E. + +[2] Cutais in Imeritia, named Cotachis on a former occasion in the text. + --E. + +[3] These Turks must have been the Persian ambassadors of Uzun-Hassan;--E. + +[4] This proposed route seems to have been through the province of _Guria_ + to Batum; and, from the sequel, to have returned to Georgia and + Shirvan, passing through Derbent and the Caspian gates, or Daghisten, + into western Tartary. But the names in the text are too corrupt for + any certainty. Calcicanus, in the text, is probably a corruption of + Kalo Johannes, who was then prince, or emperor, of Trebisond.--E. + + + +SECTION VI. + +_Leaving Phasis, Contarini travels through Mingrelia and Georgia, into +Media, and, passing the Caspian, arrives in Tartary._ + +Leaving Phasis, as before mentioned, on the 17th of September; and taking +the road of Mingrelia, we came to _Cotati_, or Cutais, on the 21st of +that month, extremely worn out through the consequences of our late +illness, and the fatigues of the journey; and as the Greek whom I had +hired never ceased to give me vexation, I here parted with him as +handsomely as I could. We remained two days at Cutais, among people who +knew us not, and whose language we were quite ignorant of. Leaving that +place, and tracing back our former steps, we passed over several +mountains in much fear, and arrived at Tiflis on the 30th of September, +where we took shelter in the chapel of a certain Armenian catholic, who +had more the appearance of a dead person than of a living man, but who +rendered us every possible service. This man had a son who lived with him, +and who, unfortunately for us, was seized with the plague, which had +raged in that part of the country this year. From him one of my servants, +named Maffeo of Bergamo, caught the distemper, who still kept about me +during two days, though ill, as he was my own particular domestic. At +length, growing worse, he had to take to his bed, when the distemper +shewed itself; and as he lay in the same room with me, and the house +could not afford me another, I was forced to take refuge in a hovel where +some cows were kept at night; and as the Armenian refused to allow Maffeo +to remain in his house, I was constrained to take him into the same place +with myself, where Stephen took care of him, till God pleased to take him +out of the world. After the death of Maffeo, I experienced great +difficulty to procure another stable for myself, that I might get away +from the morbid air of that in which my poor servant died. In this +extremity we were utterly abandoned, except by one old man, who +understood a little of our language, and who served us with much +affection. + +We remained at this place till the 21st October, and on the evening +before our intended departure, the Persian ambassador, who had +accompanied the patriarch, came to Tiflis. He complained grievously of +having been plundered, through the fault of the patriarch, with whom he +had travelled to _Lavógasia_, where he had left him, and was now on his +road to complain to Uzun-Hassan. We agreed to travel in company from +Tiflis, a city belonging to Pancratis[1]. From thence in two days we +entered the territories of Uzun-Hassan, as we took the road towards +Shamaki, or Cyropolis, which is situated in a fertile and pleasant +country. On the 26th of October we separated, as the Persian went to Uzun- +Hassan at Tauris, and I took the road for the dominions of _Sivanse_, in +which Shamaki stands; but by means of the Persian ambassador I procurred +a _molah_, or Mahometan priest, to guide me on the road to Shamaki. This +country is greatly more beautiful and more fertile than the dominions of +Uzun-Hassan, and is ruled over by _Sivanse_, king of Media[2]. Of this +country Shamaki is the capital, at which place I arrived on the 1st +November 1474. This city is not so large as Tauris, but, as far as I +could judge, surpasses that place in the goodness and abundance of every +thing, especially in excellent cattle. It produces great quantities of +excellent silk, of which they manufacture various kinds of very slight +stuffs. While here, I had the good fortune to be rejoined by Marcus +Ruffus, the Muscovite ambassador, who had parted from me at Phasis, as +formerly related. Immediately on learning that I was in the city, he came +to visit me, and we embraced with cordiality. I now earnestly entreated +him to receive me and my domestics into his society for the remainder of +the journey, to which he very readily agreed. + +We left Shamaki on the 6th of November, for the city of Derbent, which is +called, in the language of the country, the Caucassian Gates, or the Iron +Gates. This city is under the dominion of _Sivanse_, and stands on the +frontiers of Tartary. On our journey we travelled sometimes over plains +and sometimes on mountains, and were tolerably well treated by the +Turkish inhabitants, with whom we lodged by the way. About mid-way +between these two cities we came to a large village, where we found great +abundance of excellent fruits, particularly admirable apples. We arrived +on the 12th of November at Derbent, and were advised to pass the winter +in that place; as it was necessary, in our way to Russia, to cross the +desert of Tartary, which is much easier in the spring of the year, and +likewise because it was proper for us to cross over the Caspian to the +Tartar city of Citracan. The city of Derbent is situated on the shore of +the Caspian, which the Mardians call the sea of Bachaan or Bacou. This +city is said to have been built by Alexander the Great, and is called the +_Iron Gate_, because it entirely closes up the only passage from Tartary +into Media and Persia, by means of a deep valley reaching from Circassia. +Derbent is fortified with a thick well built wall, reaching from the +castle at the foot of the mountain all the way to the sea; but not above +a sixth part of the space within the walls is inhabited, all that end +nearest the sea being in ruins, among which are several tombs. The +country about this city produces abundance of all kinds of fruits, among +which are plenty of grapes, from which the inhabitants make wine. + +The Caspian, or Sea of Hircania, which has no communication whatever with +the ocean, is about the same size with the Euxine or Black Sea, and is +very deep. They catch in this sea great quantities of sturgeons, and sea- +wolves as they are called; and there are prodigious quantities of sea- +dogs, or seals, having the head, feet, and tail like ordinary dogs. The +only other remarkable fish is of a round form, about a yard and a half in +diameter, with no perceptible head or other member, from which the +natives extract a great quantity of oil, which they use in their lamps, +and with which they anoint their camels. The inhabitants of this country, +who are all Mahometans, are neither cruel nor barbarous, and used us +exceedingly well; having once asked us who we were, and being answered +that we were Christians, they troubled us with no farther inquiries. My +dress at this time consisted of coarse and much worn cloth, lined with +lambs skin, above which I wore a leathern robe, and my hat was of skin; +in which dress I frequently went to the market to purchase flesh and +other provisions, which I carried home myself. On one of these occasions +a person eyed me attentively, and, turning to some of his comrades, said, +this man was not born to the employment of carrying meat. Marcus Ruffus, +who happened to be along with me, explained what the man had said; and I +was astonished at being recognized in so shabby a dress, which I thought +must have proved a sufficient concealment: but, in truth, as I have said +before, they are a very good kind of people. + +During my residence in Derbent, I was anxious to learn some certain +intelligence respecting the state of affairs at the court of Uzun-Hassan, +for which purpose I sent Demetrius de Seze, my interpreter, with letters +to Josaphat Barbaro at Tauris, which is twenty days journey from Derbent. +He returned at the end of fifty days, bringing answers from Barbaro, +informing me that the king still remained at Tauris, but that he was +utterly ignorant of his affairs. + +Spring being arrived, we began to think of pursuing our journey, and +Marcus procured a boat for transporting us to _Curere_[3]. The boats +which are used in this country are drawn up on the shore all winter, as +the sea is then too rough for their use. They are sharp at both ends, and +wide in the middle, their planks being fastened with tree-nails, and +their bottoms payed over with pitch; and as the natives use no compasses, +or other maritime instruments, they always creep along the coast. These +boats, which are very crazy and dangerous, are moved forwards by means of +oars; and the people are very ignorant of navigation, though they believe +themselves the best mariners in the world. + +On the 5th of April 1475, we embarked, and departed from Derbent, being +thirty-five persons in all, including the master of the boat and the crew. +The rest of the passengers were merchants, carrying rice, silk, and +silken goods to _Citrarchan_[4], where they proposed to sell their +commodities to the Russians and Tartars, or to barter them for other +articles. Having coasted along during three days, with a favourable wind, +always keeping about fifteen miles from the shore, the wind became +contrary on the third evening, and increased during the night to so +violent a tempest that we expected to have been lost. Although we had all +reason to believe our bark would be dashed to pieces on the shore, we +made every effort to gain the land, and fortunately our vessel ran into a +kind of ditch or dock between sand banks, very near the beach, where she +stuck fast, impelled by the united force of the winds and waves, and of +our oars. Between us and the shore there was a pool, through which we had +to wade, carrying our baggage on our shoulders; and we were almost +perished with cold, owing to the wind, and our being drenched with water; +yet we unanimously agreed to refrain from making a fire, lest that +circumstance might attract the notice of the Tartars, whom we feared to +meet with. At day light we noticed traces of horses having been on the +spot, and the recent fragments of a ruined skiff, from which we were led +to conclude, that some persons must have been here; but some other +circumstances gave us reason to believe that the Tartars were not near +the shore. + +We remained undisturbed at this place till the 14th of April, when the +wind and weather becoming favourable, we got our bark from the creek, and +again resumed our voyage, and advanced near thirty miles the same day. +Towards evening the wind became again contrary, but we avoided the +dangers of an impending storm, by taking refuge amidst some reeds, among +which our mariners hauled the boat, so as to be out of danger from the +waves, and we made our way to the land through the reeds, in doing which +we were much fatigued and thoroughly drenched in water. We rested here +all that night and the day following, which was Easter day, having +nothing on which to commemorate that festival, except some butter, and a +few eggs which we fortunately gathered on the sandy beach. The mariners +and passengers were often inquisitive to know who I was; and, pursuant to +the advice of Marcus Ruffus, I passed myself among them as the physician +and servant of _Despima_, the consort of the grand duke of Moscovy, to +whom I was going. A short time after this, one of our mariners happened +to be afflicted by a large boil, and came to consult me in my assumed +character; and as I had the good fortune to discover some oil in our bark, +I made a poultice for him with bread and flour, by which he was soon +cured. From this circumstance they actually believed me to be a physician, +and were very anxious that I should remain among them; but Marcus drew me +out of this difficulty, by saying that I had no medicinal preparations +with me, but would soon return from Russia with a proper assortment. + + +[1] This name is probably corrupted for Bagration, or Bagrathion, which + was once the family name of the sovereigns of Georgia, and, if I + mistake not, there is, or was lately, a prince of that family and name + in the service of Russia.--E. + +[2] The kingdom of Media in the text, is obviously meant to indicate the + province of Shirvan, on the west of the Caspian.--E. + +[3] Perhaps Saray, on the eastern branch of the Wolga.--E. + +[4] Probably Astracan is here meant.--E. + + + +SECTION VII. + +_Arrival of Contarini at Citracan, and journey from thence, through +several dangers among the Tartars, to Muscovy along with some merchants_. + +On the 15th of April we put again to sea with a favourable wind, and +coasting along a series of reedy islands, we arrived on the 26th of that +month at the mouth of the Wolga, a large river which flows from Russia +into the Caspian. From the mouth of this river it is computed to be +seventy-six miles to the city of Citracan[1], which we reached on the +30th. Near this city there are excellent _salines_[2], from which all the +neighbouring provinces are supplied with salt. The Tartars who commanded +in the city would not permit us to enter that evening, so that we had to +pass the night in a hut without the walls. In the morning three broad- +faced Tartars came and ordered us to go along with them to their prince. +They treated Marcus with respect, saying that he was a friend of their +sovereign; but alleged that I was his slave, as they consider all the +Franks or Christians as their enemies. These news were most cruelly +mortifying for me, and afflicted me severely; but I was obliged to submit +in spite of me, and Marcus advised me to allow him to speak for me. +Forced in this manner to return disconsolate to my hut, I was long +exposed to every indignity and danger, to my great mortification and +distress. The Tartars insisted that I was possessed of pearls, and even +plundered me of some merchandize I had purchased in Derbent, intending to +have bartered it in this place for a good horse to carry me during the +rest of my journey. They informed me afterwards, by means of Marcus, that +they intended to sell us all to certain people whom they waited for, and +who were to go into Muscovy with other merchants. After many +mortifications and distresses, it was resolved to hold a grand +consultation concerning us at a large village named _Alermi_, about two +miles from the city, where their lord resided. At this time I was not +possessed of a single farthing, and was obliged to borrow money from the +Russian and Tartar merchants, at a high interest, to supply our urgent +necessities, for which Marcus became my bondsman. + +One day, while Marcus was absent, the khan or prince of the Tartars[3], +broke open the door of our hut, and endeavoured to compel me by threats +to deliver up the pearls which he believed I was possessed of, and I had +infinite difficulty to escape out of his hands, and to persuade him not +to put me to death. The Tartars used often to come to our hut in the +night, when drunk with mead, demanding with loud outcries to deliver up +the Franks to them, and the bravest among us were terrified at the +dangerous situation in which we were among these savages. In this +horrible situation we remained from the 1st of May to the 10th of August. +The city of Citracan belongs to three brothers, who are sons to the +brother of the Tartar emperor, and the inhabitants often make plundering +inroads into the plains of _Cinassia_[4], and along the borders of the +Don. During the height of summer they travel with their flocks in search +of pasturage, to the northern parts of Russia, and hardly spend above a +month every year in Citracan. That city, which stands on the banks of the +Wolga, is by no means large, its houses being built of earth: It is +surrounded by a slight wall, and does not appear to have had any better +buildings for a long time past. It is said to have had a very +considerable fair formerly, and that the perfumes and spiceries which +used to be brought to Venice, came first to this place from the east, +whence they were carried to the Tanais or Don, which is only eight days +journey from the Wolga. The prince of Citracan, whose name is _Casinach_, +sends every year an ambassador to the grand duke of Muscovy, on purpose +to extort a present; and on this occasion, several Tartar merchants +accompany the ambassador, carrying silk, silken vestments, and other +articles of trade, which they barter for saddles, furs, and other things +which are in request among their countrymen. + +The only way of travelling into Russia from this place, is through +extensive deserts, on which account travellers have to go in large bands +or caravans for mutual security, and to carry provisions for the journey. +The Tartars care little for the latter precaution, as they have always +plenty of spare horses, and kill one when needed, as they live entirely +on flesh and milk, without caring for any other food. They use no bread, +and only a few of their merchants who have been in Russia know any thing +of this article. Previous to the commencement of our journey[5], we +provided provisions for the journey as well as we could. In this view we +procured some rice with much difficulty, which, boiled in milk, and then +dried in the sun, makes, when afterwards boiled in water, an excellent +and nourishing food. We had likewise some onions, a small quantity of +biscuit, and some other trifles, and I bought, during the journey, the +salted tail of a sheep[6]. The usual road from Citracan to Russia lay +between two branches of the Wolga, but the roads were then exceedingly +dangerous, as the Tartar emperor was then at war with his nephew, who +pretended a right to the throne, as his father had once been emperor. On +this account it was proposed to pass over to the other side of the river, +and to travel towards the straits between the Don and the Wolga, which +are about five days journey from Citracan, after which it was presumed we +should be out of danger. Our baggage was accordingly carried across the +river on rafts, and Marcus desired me to keep always along with him and +the Tartar ambassador, named _Auchioli_. I and my interpreter accordingly +set out about mid-day along with the ambassador, to go to the place where +the boats waited for us, which was about twelve miles from the city, our +other companions having already gone there. On our arrival about sunset, +while I prepared to go into one of the boats on purpose to cross the +river, Marcus seemed suddenly struck with an extraordinary panic, and +commanded the interpreter and me to take to flight instantly to avoid +inevitable danger. We mounted therefore immediately, having likewise a +Russian woman along with us and a Tartar guide of a most horrible aspect, +and set out at full speed. In this manner we followed our guide the whole +of that night and part of the next day, without being ever allowed to +stop. I frequently asked our guide, by means of my interpreter, what was +the reason of all this, and where he proposed to carry me? At length he +explained the cause of Marcus having made us set off, with such +precipitation; as the khan had sent an order to examine all the boats, +and he was apprehensive they would have detained me as a slave if I had +been found. + +About mid-day of the 13th of August 1475, we arrived at the banks of the +river, and our Tartar guide endeavoured to find a boat in which to carry +us into an island in which the flocks of Auchioli were kept; but not +finding one, he cut down some branches, which he tied together so as to +form a raft. On this he placed the saddles of our horses, and tying this +raft to his horses tail, he mounted the horse, on which he swam across +the river to the island, which lay a bow-shot from the shore. He then +came back with the raft, on which he carried over the Russian woman; +after which he came back for me, and I stripped myself naked before +trusting myself to the crazy raft, that I might be in readiness to save +myself by swimming, in case of any misfortune. He afterwards returned for +our horses; and my interpreter swam across. The passage of the river +being thus happily effected, the Tartar carried us to a wretched hovel, +covered by a miserable woollen cloth, where he gave us some sour milk, +which we found very refreshing, as we had been long without food, and +were much fatigued. Immediately on our arrival in the island being known, +several Tartars left their flocks to come and see us, seeming infinitely +surprized and much gratified by the sight, as we were probably the first +Christians who had ever been on the island. Being exceedingly fatigued +and distressed in mind, I did not care to speak with them, yet our Tartar +guide treated me with much kindness, and made me as good cheer as he was +able. Next day, being the eve of the festival of the Virgin, he killed a +fat lamb to entertain me, part of which he roasted, and part was boiled; +and though contrary to the rules of our religion to eat meat on that day, +I made a hearty meal, notwithstanding that every thing was disgustingly +dirty. We had likewise sour milk to drink, and the Tartars drank mares +milk, of which they are very fond; but I would not drink this, though I +could easily perceive my dislike did not please the Tartars. + +I remained here two days; and at last, on the 26th of August, Marcus and +the rest made their appearance on the other side of the river, and sent a +boat for me in which were two of his servants, a Russian and a Tartar. +Stephen Testa and John Ungaret, my two attendants, were very much +rejoiced at seeing me again, as they believed me entirely lost, and we +rested two days at this place before entering upon the desert. Marcus had +been so attentive as to provide a horse for me, of which I stood in great +need. In this caravan, which was under the command of the Tartar +ambassador, there were about three hundred persons, Russians and Tartars, +who carried with them above two hundred[7] horses, partly intended to +serve as food by the way, and partly for sale in Russia. We arrived in +good order at night on the banks of the river, and we rested every day at +noon during the fifteen days of our journey, as we were now considered to +be out of danger from any attack by the Tartars. I do not recollect the +name of the emperor of the Tartars who inhabit this part of the country +between the Wolga and the Tanais. This nation has no fixed place of abode, +but shift their encampments from place to place, wherever they can find +pasture and water for their cattle, on which they have their whole +dependence, as they subsist entirely on flesh and milk. They have cows, +heifers, and sheep of admirable beauty, the flesh of which is excellent, +as they feed on fine pastures; but these people prefer mares milk to +every other delicacy. Though I have not been in the country of these +Tartars, I have been informed that it is flat and agreeable, having +neither hill nor mountain; but the inhabitants addict themselves +excessively to robbery and plunder, as their sole occupation, and +continually infest the borders of Russia and Circassia by predatory +incursions. Their horses are very wild and unmanageable, and are never +shod. We were told that there is another tribe of Tartars beyond the +Wolga, named wild Tartars, who allow their hair to grow extremely long. +In the middle of winter they often make inroads to the very skirts of the +city of Citracan, whence they carry off cattle, but do no other damage. +These people, like all the Tartars, shift their encampments in search of +pasturage and water. + +After travelling for fifteen days along the eastern bank of the Wolga, we +came to a small forest, where the Tartars and Russians of the caravan cut +down trees to construct rafts for crossing the river. While they were at +this work, we discovered a small bark which was by no means in good +repair, by means of which our company proposed to convey our baggage +across. Marcus crossed over with a part of our baggage, leaving me in +charge of the rest, and sent back the boat when he was landed. In my trip +with the remainder of our baggage, the boat began to leak when we were +about half way over, the breadth of the river at this place being about +two miles. Stephen and two Russians accompanied me in the boat, leaving +Demetrius, my interpreter, and John Ungar in charge of the horses. We had +much ado to bale out the water, but by the blessing of God, we got over +in safety. After our baggage was landed, the Russians put off, to go back +for the rest of our people and the horses; but the boat fell to pieces. +This necessarily delayed our other servants and the horses from getting +over till next day, during which interval they were badly off, as all our +provisions were on our side. It was fortunate that I now examined the +state of our provisions, which I found diminished much beyond expectation, +so that we were under the necessity of abridging our allowance for the +remainder of the journey, that we might not run short altogether. Our +principal food consisted of millet, with garlic and onions, and some sour +milk; and we found some wild apples at this place, which we roasted. In +the course of two days, the whole baggage of the caravan was transported +to the western side of the river by means of seven rafts, drawn by horses, +and directed by the Tartars, the horses swimming and having the rafts +tied to their tails. The sight of this was very amusing, but seemed very +dangerous to those who were employed. After resting some time, we quitted +the banks of the river, and resumed our journey. This river Wolga is +certainly the largest and deepest river in the world, being, as well as I +could judge, two miles broad, and has very high banks. + + +[1] Called Citrarchan in the former section, but certainly what we now + call Astracan, then the capital of a Tartar principality, which now + forms one of the provinces of the vast Russian empire.--E. + +[2] These are large shallow ponds, in which sea water is exposed to + evaporation, to procure salt.--E. + +[3] In the original this person is called the cham of the _Camercheriens_. + The Tartar government of Astracan belonged to one of the Mongal tribes + of Kipschak; but the word used in the original may have been a local + term, not now explicable.--E. + +[4] Perhaps the kingdom or province of Cazan, higher up the Wolga.--E. + +[5] Contarini has forgot to give us any account in what manner he procured + leave to quit Astracan. Perhaps, by means of Marcus, he was permitted + to pass for one of his attendants.--E. + +[6] It may be necessary to remark, that the tails of a peculiar species of + sheep, O. Platyurus, or the broad-tailed sheep, common among the + Tartars, and other parts of the world, are said sometimes to weigh + twenty-five pounds.--E. + +[7] Probably an error for 2000.--E. + + + +SECTION VIII. + +_Contarini, after crossing European Sarmatia, arrives at Moscow, the +capital of White Russia, and is presented to the Grand Duke._ + +After recommending ourselves to the protection of God, we continued our +journey, through immense and terrible deserts, sometimes towards the +north, and sometimes westerly[1], always resting at noon, and taking up +our quarters for the night on the bare ground, without any protection +against the weather. To prevent us from being surprized in the night by +the wandering Tartars, outguards were placed every night in three +directions around our resting-place. During the greater part of this long +and dreary journey, we were very ill off for water both for ourselves and +our cattle, and we never saw any wild animals. One day we saw about forty +horses, which we were told had escaped from a caravan of merchants the +year before. We fell in one day with a small horde of Tartars, having +twenty waggons, but I was not able to learn where they were going. As our +provisions decreased rapidly, we were forced to use the remainder very +sparingly, and were consequently reduced to a very short allowance. + +On the 22d of September 1475, we entered Russia, and discovered a few +huts in the middle of a wood. On the inhabitants learning that Marcus, +their countryman, was in our caravan, they came to see him that he might +protect them from the Tartars, and brought him a present of honey and wax, +a part of which he gave to us. This was a most providential supply, as we +were so much reduced by fatigue and spare diet, that we were hardly able +to sit on horseback. The first city we came to in this country was +_Rezan_[2], the prince of which place had married a sister of the Grand +Duke of Russia. The castle and all the houses of this city are built of +wood. We here procured bread and meat, and mead in abundance, to our +great comfort and satisfaction. The next city we came to was _Kolomna_, +passing a very large bridge over the _Monstrus_[3] which flows into the +Wolga. At this place, Marcus quitted the caravan, which travelled too +slowly in his opinion, and pushed on for Moscow, where we arrived on the +26th of September, after a journey of forty-seven days through the desert, +from the 10th of August, on which day we left Citracan. In a great part +of this journey we found no wood, and were forced to cook our victuals +with fires made of dried cow dung. We returned thanks to God on our +arrival, for our preservation through so many and great dangers. On our +arrival, Marcus procured a dwelling for us, consisting of a small stove- +room and some chambers, with stabling for our horses. Though small and +mean, I felt as if lodged in a palace, when I compared my present state +of tranquil security with the dangers and inconveniences I had been so +long subjected to. + +Marcus made me a visit two days afterwards, and supplied me with some +necessaries, exhorting me, as on the part of his sovereign, to keep a +good heart. I returned his visit next day; and being very desirous to +return home to Venice, I requested him to introduce me to the grand duke, +which he promised to do as soon as possible, and I soon afterwards was +desired to go to court. Immediately on my getting there, I was conducted +to an audience; on which I made my obeisance in due form to the grand +duke, to whom I returned thanks for all the attentions I had received +from his ambassador, Marcus, in the course of my journey, by whose +assistance and advice I had escaped a thousand dangers; assuring his +highness that I attributed these marks of kindness as done to the +republic of Venice, whose ambassador I was, and that the republic would +unquestionably evince a due sense of the obligations, to which I owed my +life and safety. The grand duke interrupted my harangue, by complaining +with much emotion of the conduct of _John Baptista_ of Treviso, and said +a great deal on this subject, which is not proper for me to report. After +a conversation of some length, in which I spoke to his highness about my +departure, he closed my audience, postponing his answers to my requests +to a future opportunity. The grand duke was very shortly to quit Moscow, +on purpose to visit several parts of his dominions, and particularly the +Tartar frontier, where one of his officers was stationed, with the +command of 500 horse[4], to repress the incursions of robbers on that +side: I therefore endeavoured to procure an answer about my departure, +and solicited a second audience for that purpose. On this occasion I was +very politely received by the grand duke, accompanied by three of his +principal barons. At first they expatiated at some length on the subject +of John Baptista, formerly mentioned; but at length I received liberty to +remain or to depart as I thought proper. They dismissed me with this +vague answer, and the grand duke set out from Moscow soon afterwards. I +owed a great deal of money to Marcus, which he had expended for me and my +people, as he had defrayed the whole expences of our journey, and had +supplied me with many things of which I stood in need. I requested +permission from him to go away, giving him the most solemn assurance that +I would transmit full payment to him immediately after my arrival at +Venice. But he declared this was not in his power, as he was under the +necessity of repaying the Tartarian and Russian merchants, who had +advanced all these things for us, and to whom he had become security for +payment. Finding every application to the duke and Marcus on this subject +ineffectual, as I could not procure the necessary funds for my journey +from either, I was under the necessity of sending Stephen Testa to Venice, +to solicit a remittance from our illustrious senate, by which I might be +enabled to pay my debts. Stephen left Moscow on the 7th of October, +accompanied by one _Nicolas Leopolitain_[5], who knew the country. + +I became acquainted at Moscow with one Triphon, a goldsmith, a native of +Ascravia or Cathara, who was employed in making several articles of +silver plate for the grand duke. I likewise formed acquaintance with a +very ingenious architect of Bologna, named Aristotle, who was building a +new church in the market-place. As the house in which I lodged was small +and disagreeable, I went to live with this person by the advice of Marcus: +But I was soon after obliged to change my quarters by order from court, +to a house near the castle, in which I remained for the rest of my stay +at Moscow. This city, which is the capital of the Russian dominions, and +the residence of the grand duke, or sovereign, is built on a small +elevation, on the banks of the Mosqua, over which there are several +bridges; the castle and all the houses of the city being built of wood, +which is procured from several thick forests near the place. The soil of +this country is fertile, and produces abundance of corn of all kinds, +which sell here much cheaper than with us; The country abounds in cattle +and swine, and with incredible numbers of poultry, ducks, geese, and +hares; but they have no venison, either because there are no deer, or +because the natives are ignorant of the art of taking them. But they have +no vines, and their only fruits are cucumbers, wild apples, and nuts. The +country is extremely cold, and the inhabitants are under the necessity of +living for nine months of the year in stoves. They provide during winter +for their living in summer[6]. When the whole country is enveloped in +frost and snow, they use sledges drawn by horses, which are very +convenient and useful for travelling; and are even used in summer on +account of the miry bad roads, which are exceedingly difficult and +unpleasant. The river ordinarily freezes over about the end of October, +when the merchants erect booths on the ice, in which they expose their +wares of all kinds for sale, as in a fair or market; and they here sell +great numbers of cattle and swine, and great quantities of corn, timber, +and all other necessaries of life; every thing being procurable in great +abundance all the winter. About the end of November, they kill all the +cattle, sheep, and other animals that are required for winter provision, +and expose them for sale on the river in a frozen state; and the rigour +of the season preserves these provisions for two or three months, without +any risk of spoiling. Fish, poultry, and all other articles of food, are +kept in the same manner. The horses run with great ease and swiftness on +the ice yet they sometimes fell and break their necks. Both men and women +of this country have very good faces, but their manners are exceedingly +bad. + +The Russian church is ruled over by a patriarch, whose election or +appointment is dependent on the grand duke, and who does not acknowledge +subjection to the Roman pontiff; and they hold all sectaries in +abhorrence, as people doomed to perdition. The natives are much addicted +to drunkenness, and he who excels in drinking is much esteemed among them. +They have no wine, as I have said before, instead of which they drink +mead, made of honey and water, which is very pleasant when sufficiently +kept. It is not allowed to every one to make this liquor, for which +purpose a license or permission must be had from the grand duke; for if +every person had liberty to make mead, they would drink perpetually like +so many beasts, and would kill one another. From morning till noon, they +are employed in the market-place, occupied in their various businesses +and employments, after which they adjourn to the taverns, in which they +spend all the rest of the day. Every winter, great numbers of merchants +come to Moscow from Germany and Poland, who purchase furs of all kinds, +which are indeed exceedingly beautiful. Among these furs, are the skins +of foxes, wolves, martins, sables, ermines, and many others, from Scythia +and the alpine regions, many days journey to the north of Moscow. Many of +these are likewise carried for sale to Novogorod[7], a city towards the +frontiers of Germany, eight days journey west from Moscow. The government +of that city is democratic, and only pays a stipulated yearly tribute to +the grand duke. + +The country subject to the grand duke of Russia is of vast extent, and an +infinite number of people are subject to his dominions, but they are by +no means warlike. This empire extends from the north towards the west, to +that part of Germany which is under the dominion of the king of Poland[8]; +and some reckon among his subjects a wandering nation of idolaters, who +acknowledge no sovereign, not even submitting to the authority of the +grand duke, but when it suits their own convenience. These wandering +tribes are said to worship during the day whatever first presents itself +to their view, on going out in the morning; many other ridiculous things +are reported of them, which I do not repeat, as I have not seen them, and +can hardly give credit to the reports. The grand duke[9] appeared to be +about thirty-five years of age, was handsomely made, and had very +dignified manners, and an air quite royal. His mother was still alive, +and he had two brothers. By a former wife he had two sons, who did not +agree with Despina, the reigning grand duchess, and were not therefore on +very friendly terms with their father. Despina, his second wife, had +brought him two daughters, and was said to be again with child. + +The grand duke returned to Moscow from his journey to the frontiers about +the end of December; and, as I could not reconcile myself to the manners +and mode of life of the Russians, I became exceedingly impatient to leave +the country, and could not persuade myself to stay for the return of +Stephen from Venice with money. For this reason, I made interest with one +of the lords of the court, to prevail on the grand duke to supply me with +money, and to give me leave to depart. A few days afterwards, the grand +duke sent for me to court and invited me to dinner, when he agreed, from +respect to the republic, to lend me as much money as was necessary to +clear all my debts to the Tartarian and Russian merchants, and to enable +me to return to Venice. The dinner was quite magnificent, consisting of +every delicacy, and of abundance of exquisitely dressed dishes. When the +repast was finished, I retired according to custom. Some days afterwards, +I was again invited to court, and the grand duke gave orders his +treasurer to give me all the money necessary for paying my debts, besides +which, he presented me with 1000 ducats, and a magnificent dress of +Scythian squirrels skins, to wear in his presence when I came to court. +Before returning to my quarters, he ordered me to be presented to the +grand duchess, who received me very graciously, and desired me to offer +her respectful salutations to our illustrious republic, which I promised +to do. + + +[1] This journey appears to have been through the country on the west of + the Wolga, which they probably passed about Czariein, through the + provinces of Saratov, Woronez, and Penza, avoiding the Ilafla, to + Rezan or Riazan.--E. + +[2] Rezan or Riazan, in the province of that name, on the Oka. In a + considerable, part of the track of this journey, there are now towns + and villages; but the whole of this south-eastern frontier of European + Russia, appears to have been then entirely waste, and pervaded by the + wandering Tartars. We are quite in the dark respecting the particulars + of the route from Astracan to Rezan. It was certainty on the east of + the Wolga at the first, to avoid the Tartars which occupied the + country between the Caspian and Euxine. The passage of that vast + river may have been at Czariein, at its great elbow, in lat. 48° 30'N. + or about Saratov in 51° 20'N. neither of which towns seem to have then + existed. From thence they would probably proceed, to avoid the larger + rivers, between where Penza and Tchenbar now stand, and by the scite + of Morbansk, towards Riazan.--E. + +[3] In the original this large bridge is said to have been at Kolomna, + which is on the river Mosqua, of very inferior magnitude; and flows + into the Oka, which most probably is the Monstrus of the text.--E. + +[4] In the original, the commander of this body of cavalry is said to have + been a Tartarian general--E. + +[5] The word Leopolitain, may possibly be a corruption for Neopolitan, or + a native of Naples. Perhaps it may refer to Leopol, in that part of + Poland now belonging to Austria, and called Galicia.--E. + +[6] Such is the expression in the original, which ought perhaps to be + reversed. Yet Contarini possibly meant to say, that the inhabitants of + Moscow laid up a sufficient stock of money from the profits of their + long winter labours, for their subsistence during summer; when, by the + absence of the court, they had little employment.--E. + +[7] There are two cities named Novogrod or Novgorod in Russia, nearly at + equal distances from Moscow, one to the northwest, and the other to + the southwest; the latter of which, named Novgorod Sieverskov, is + probably meant in the text, and which ought rather to have been + described as towards the frontiers of Poland. The other Novgorod did + not then belong to the Russian sovereignty.--E. + +[8] The geographical ideas of Contarini are very vague and superficial. + This is perhaps the only instance wherein Poland; a portion of + European Sarmatia, is considered as belonging geographically to + Germany.--E. + + +[9] The reigning sovereign of Russia at the period was John III. who began + to reign in 1463, and was succeeded in 1505 by Basil IV.--E. + + + +SECTION IX. + +_Contarini leaves Moscow, and having passed through Lithuania, Poland, +and Germany, arrives at Venice._ + +On the day before that which I had fixed for my departure, I was invited +to dine at court. Before dinner, I was taken into one of the halls of the +palace, where I found the grand duke, accompanied by Marcus and a +secretary. His highness addressed me very graciously, and desired me to +report all the marks of esteem and friendship he had shewn me, from +respect to our illustrious republic, and offered me every thing I could +desire, and which lay in his power to grant. While speaking, I drew back +from respect; but as I retired he always advanced. I answered every thing +to his satisfaction, and humbly offered my most grateful thanks for all +his benevolence to me. He treated me with the utmost politeness and +familiarity, and even condescended to shew me some robes of gold tissue, +magnificently lined with Scythian sables; after which we went to dinner. +The repast was extraordinarily magnificent, at which several of the +barons and great officers of state assisted. When we rose from table, the +grand duke called me to him, and gave me my audience of leave in the most +gracious terms, speaking so loud as to be heard by all the company, and +expressing his high esteem for the illustrious republic of Venice. After +this, by his order, a silver cup was brought to me filled with mead, of +which he made me a present, as a mark of high regard with which he +honours ambassadors, and other persons to whom he shews favour. This +present was to me a matter of very serious consideration, as the +etiquette required me to empty its contents, and the cup was very large. +When I had drained about a quarter of the liquor, knowing the sobriety of +the Italians, and perceiving that I was much difficulted, the grand duke +had the goodness to order the remainder to be emptied, and the goblet +given to me. Having thanked the grand duke in as respectful terms as I +was able, I took my leave and retired, accompanied by several barons and +other persons of rank. + +Every thing was now in readiness for my departure, but Marcus would by no +means hear of my leaving Moscow, without taking a dinner with him, and +accordingly gave me a magnificent entertainment. Louis, the patriarch of +Antioch, of whom I have before made mention, came about this time to +Moscow, and was detained there by order of the grand duke; but I made +interest through Marcus for his release, which I obtained, and he was to +have travelled along with me. But as he delayed too long, I set off +without him. At length, on the 21st January 1476, we set out from Moscow +in sledges, made like small huts, each drawn by a horse, and guided by a +driver. In these sledges we carried our baggage and provisions along with +us, and in them, journeys of great length may be made in a wonderfully +short time. By order of the grand duke, I had a guide appointed to +conduct me on the right road, and this was continued from place to place +all, through his dominions. We slept the first night in a small village, +where we found our lodgings exceedingly cold, but that was the smallest +of our inconveniencies, and on this account I hastened our journey as much +as possible. On the 27th of January, we arrived at _Vieseme_, and a few +days afterwards at Smolensk on the frontiers of Lithuania, in the +dominions of Casimir king of Poland. From Smolensk, till we arrived at +_Trach_[1], a city of Lithuania, we travelled continually in a plain +interspersed with some hills, the whole country being covered with wood, +and our only lodgings were in miserable hovels; dining always about noon +wherever we could meet with a fire, which had been left burning by +travellers who had passed before us. We had generally to break the ice to +procure water for our horses; we lighted fires to warm ourselves; and our +sledges served us instead of beds, as without them we must have slept on +the ground. We went with such expedition, over the frozen snow, that we +were assured we had travelled 300 miles in three days and two nights. + +Casimir king of Poland, who then resided at _Troki_, immediately on +learning my arrival, sent two of his gentlemen to compliment me in his +name, and to congratulate me on my safe return. They likewise invited me +to dine with his majesty on the following day, which was the 15th of +February, and presented me on the part of the king with a robe of purple +damask, lined with Scythian furs, in which I dressed myself to go to +court. On this occasion, I went in a coach and six, accompanied by four +noblemen and several other persons. The king himself did me the honour to +receive me, and conducted me into a magnificent apartment, where he +introduced me to two of his sons in presence of many nobles, knights, and +gentlemen of the court. A chair was placed for me in the middle of the +room; and when I offered to kneel on one knee while addressing the king, +his majesty had the goodness to insist that I should sit down in his +presence, which I did after some hesitation. I then gave a recital of all +that had occurred in my travels, with some account of the dominions of +Uzun-Hassan, and of the number of his forces, and of the empire and +manners of the Tartars. The king and his courtiers listened to me with +much attention during my whole speech, which lasted more than half an +hour. I then thanked his majesty for the present he had made me, and for +all his kindnesses to me, attributing his attentions to the esteem he +entertained for our illustrious republic. His majesty was pleased, by +means of an interpreter, to express great satisfaction at my safe arrival, +as he hardly expected I should ever have been able to return; and that he +was much pleased with the information I had given him respecting Uzun- +Hassan and the Tartars, which he believed to be more authentic than any +he had received before. After some other discourse, I was conducted to +the hall where the dinner was served; soon after which his majesty came +into the hall with his two sons, preceded by several trumpets. The king +sat down at the head of the table, having his two sons on his right hand; +the primate of the kingdom sat next on his majestys left, and I was +placed next the bishop. The remainder of the table was occupied by about +forty of the nobles. Each service was ushered in with the sound of +trumpets, and all the meats were served on large silver dishes. + +After dinner, which lasted two hours, I rose to depart, and asked the +king if he had any farther orders to honour me with; when he was pleased +to say very graciously, that he charged me to assure the senate that his +most anxious desire was to cultivate perpetual friendship and good-will +with our illustrious republic, and he was pleased to make his sons +express the same friendly wishes. Having respectfully taken leave of the +king, I was conducted back to my lodgings by several of the courtiers. + +Being supplied with a guide, I departed from Troki on the 16th of +February, and in nine days, passing through the city of _Ionici_, I +arrived at Warsaw on the 1st of March. The country of Poland appeared +very pleasant, and abundant in every, thing except fruit. During our +journey we saw many villages and castles, and were well received +everywhere, but we found no considerable city. After remaining four days +in Warsaw, where I purchased horses for the rest of our journey, we set +out from that place on the 5th of March, and came that day to a town call +_Messarig_, where we began to travel with less assurance of safety, as +this place is on the frontiers towards Germany. On the 9th I arrived at +Frankfort on the Oder, from which place we found more commodious lodgings +in traversing Germany, than we had been accustomed to for a long time. +While passing the city of _Gia_[2], on the 15th of March, I had the good +fortune to meet with Stephen Testa, whom I had sent from Moscow to Venice +for money. I was quite delighted at this meeting, as from him I received +good accounts from home. We now entered the city of _Gia_, where we +rested two days. On the 22d we reached Nurenburgh, where we remained four +days; from whence we went by Augsburgh, and several other fine cities of +Germany, and arrived at Trent on the 4th of April, where we celebrated +the festival of Easter. Being extremely anxious to revisit my beloved +country, I set out from thence after three days stay, and reached _Scala_, +in the dominions of our republic. In discharge of a vow that I had +entered into, I went to visit the church of the blessed Virgin on Mount +Arthon, and presented the offerings which I had promised at her holy +shrine. I had already sent notice to my brother Augustine, that he might +expect me in Venice towards evening of the 10th of April; but my extreme +desire of getting back to my country, made me get home considerably +earlier. Embarking at break of day, I arrived at three in the afternoon +at _Lucafusina_; and, before going to my own house, I went, in the +discharge of another vow, to the church of our _Lady of Grace_, and met +my brother on my way in the Jews street. We embraced with great affection, +and went together to the church. After finishing my devotions, I went to +the palace, as the _Pregadi_ were then assembled, it being on a Thursday. +I was admitted into the council, to which I gave an account of the +success of my embassy; after which, as our serene Doge was indisposed, I +paid my respects to him in his apartment, and gave him a short history of +my travels, and particularly concerning those things on which I had been +commissioned. From thence I went to my own house, where I gave thanks to +God for his infinite mercy, in having permitted me to return in health +and safety, after so many dangers. To conclude: Although I might have +composed this narrative of my travels in a more eloquent style, I have +preferred truth in few words, to falsehood dressed up in ornamented +language. I have been very brief in relation to Germany, as that country +is in our neighbourhood, and is therefore well known to many, on which +account it would have been both superfluous and tiresome to have given a +minute description of what every one knows. + + +[1] This almost certainty a corruption of Troki--E. + +[2] Though this place must assuredly be a town in Germany, between + Frankfort on the Oder and Nurenburgh, its name is so disguised as to + be quite unintelligible.--E. + + + +SECTION X. + +_Recapitulation of some circumstances respecting Persia._ + +The empire of Uzun-Hassan is very extensive, and is bounded by Turkey and +Caramania, belonging to the Sultan, and which latter country extends to +Aleppo. Uzun-Hassan took the kingdom of Persia from _Causa_[1], whom he +put to death. The city of Ecbatana, or Tauris, is the usual residence of +Uzun-Hassan; Persepolis, or _Shiras_[2], which is twenty-four days +journey from thence, being the last city of his empire, bordering on the +Zagathais, who are the sons of Buzech, sultan of the Tartars, and with +whom he is continually at war. On the other side is the country of Media, +which is under subjection to _Sivansa_, who pays a kind of yearly tribute +to Uzun-Hassan. It is said that he has likewise some provinces on the +other side of the Euphrates, in the neighbourhood of the Turks[3]. The +whole country, all the way to Ispahan, six days journey from Persepolis, +is exceedingly arid, having very few trees and little water, yet it is +fertile in grain and other provisions. The king seemed to me about +seventy years of age, of large stature, with a pleasant countenance, and +very lean. His eldest son, named Ogurlu Mohamed, was much spoken of when +I was in Persia, as he had rebelled against his father. He had other +three sons; Khalil Mirza, the elder of these was about thirty-five years +old, and had the government of Shiras. Jacub beg, another son of Uzun- +Hassan, was about fifteen, and I have forgotten the name of a third +son.[4] By one of his wives he had a son named _Masubech_, or Maksud beg, +whom he kept in prison, because he was detected in corresponding with his +rebellious brother _Ogurlu_, and whom he afterwards put to death. +According to the best accounts which I received from different persons, +the forces of Uzun-Hassan may amount to about 50,000 cavalry, a +considerable part of whom are not of much value. It has been reported by +some who were present, that at one time he led an army of 40,000 Persians +to battle against the Turks, for the purpose of restoring _Pirameth_ to +the sovereignty of Karamania, whence he had been expelled by the +infidels.[5] + + +[1] Uzun-Hassan, as formerly mentioned, was prince of the Turkmans of the + white sheep tribe, and acquired the dominion of western Persia, by the + defeat of Hassan-ali prince of the black sheep Turkmans, who is + probably the person named Causa in the text.--E. + +[2] This is a mistake, Persepolis is supposed to have been at, or near + Istakar, above twenty miles N.N.E. from Shiras.--E. + +[3] Diarbekir, with the cities of Arzunjan, Mardin, Roha, or Orfa, and + Siwas, are said to have been committed by Timour to the government of + Kara Ilug Ozman, the great grandfather of Uzun-Hassan, who may have + retained the original possessions of his tribe after the acquisition + of western Persia.--Mod. Univ. Hist. VI. 111. + +[4] According to the authors of the Modern Universal History. B. VIII. ch. + i. sect. 3. Uzun-Hassan had seven sons: Ogurlu Mohammed, Khahil Mirza, + Maksud beg, Jakub beg, Masih beg, Yusuf beg, and Zegnel. Contarini + strangely corrupts almost every name that occurs. Uzun-Hassan, he + makes Unsuncassan; Ogurlu Mohammed, Gurlu mamech; Kalil mirza, Sultan + chali; Yakub beg, Lacubei; Maksud beg, or Masih beg, Masubech; and + omits three of the seven.--E. + +[5] Uzun-Hassan is said to have been defeated in battle by the Turks, in + 1471, near Arzenjan.--Mod. Univ. Hist. VI. 113. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY BY THE PORTUGUESE ALONG THE WESTERN COAST OF AFRICA, +DURING THE LIFE, AND UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DON HENRY.[1] + +INTRODUCTION. + +The knowledge possessed by the ancients respecting India, will be the +subject of discussion in a future portion of this work. We have now to +contemplate the tedious, yet finally successful efforts of the Portuguese +nation, in its age of energetic heroism, to discover a maritime passage +to that long famed commercial region, some general knowledge of which had +been preserved ever since the days of the Persian, Macedonian, and Roman +empires. Of all the great events which have occurred in the modern ages, +previous to our own times, the voyages and discoveries which were made by +the Europeans, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries of the Christian +era, are justly entitled to preference, whether we appreciate the vast +improvements which they made in navigation, and, consequently, in +commerce,--the astonishing abundance of wealth which they brought into +Europe,--the surprising feats of bravery which were performed in their +various expeditions and conquests,--the extensive, populous, and valuable +territories which were subdued or colonized,--or the extended knowledge, +which was suddenly acquired of the greater part of the earth, till then +either altogether unknown, or very partially and erroneously described. +By these discoveries, we allude to those of the southern and western +hemispheres, a new heaven and a new earth were opened up to the +astonishment of mankind, who may be said to have been then furnished with +wings to fly from one end of the earth to the other, so as to bring the +most distant, and hitherto utterly unknown nations, acquainted with each +other. In the ordinary course of human affairs, it has been observed that +similar events frequently occur; but the transactions of these times +which we now propose to narrate, were as singular in their kind as they +were great, surprising, and unexpected; neither can any such ever happen +again, unless Providence were to create new and accessible worlds for +discovery and conquest, or to replunge the whole of mankind for a long +period into the grossest ignorance. + +The merit and glory of these wonderful achievements are unquestionably +due to the Portuguese nation, and the first and principal share to the +sublime genius of their illustrious prince, the infant DON HENRY, _Duke +of Viseo and Grand Master of the order of Christ_, whose enlarged mind +first planned the fitting out of maritime expeditions for discovery, and +by the imitation of whose example all subsequent discoveries have been +accomplished. Every thing of the kind before his time was isolated or +accidental, and every subsequent attempt has been pursued on scientific +or known principles, which he invented and established. Although America +was discovered by Columbus, in the service of Spain, some years before +the Portuguese were able to accomplish their long sought route to India; +and although the discovery of America was performed infinitely quicker +than that of southern Africa and the route to India, Columbus having +accomplished his design at the very first attempt, and even without any +previous knowledge of the countries he went in search of; while the +endeavours of the Portuguese occupied a great number of years in almost +fruitless attempts, and extremely tedious progression; yet Don Henry +first set on foot the navigation of the ocean through unknown seas, and +inspired, other nations with the idea of making discoveries of distant +and unexplored regions; and ultimately great as were the discoveries of +Columbus, they may be said to have been accidentally made in the +erroneous attempt to go by a nearer route to the regions of which Don +Henry and his successors had long been in search. + +These attempts of the Portuguese had been continued for nearly fourscore +years before any of their neighbours seem to have entertained the most +distant idea of engaging in foreign discoveries, even viewing their +endeavours as downright knight-errantry, proceeding from a distempered +imagination, as well in the first promoter as in those who continued to +prosecute his scheme. In a word, the relation of these discoveries forms +one of the most curious portions of modern history, as comprizing a great +number of the most extraordinary transactions that ever happened in any +period of the world. For this reason they are well worthy of being +particularly narrated, that the curious may be made acquainted with every +successive step in such important enterprizes, and by what almost +insensible degrees such vast undertakings were ultimately accomplished. +And as the intercourse of Europeans has operated a great change in the +countries to which they penetrated, and upon their original inhabitants, +so that both now appear in a very different light from what they did +before these expeditions and discoveries; therefore, every circumstance +belonging to these transactions deserves the most serious notice. + +John 1. of Portugal, married Philippa, the eldest daughter of John of +Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son to Edward III. of England, by whom he had +several sons, of whom Don Henry was the _fifth_. After serving with great +bravery under his father at the capture of Ceuta, he was raised to the +dukedom of Viseo, and was sent back with a large reinforcement to +preserve the conquest to which his courage had largely contributed. +During his continuance in command at Ceuta, he acquired much information, +by occasional converse with some Moors, relative to the seas and coasts +of Western Africa, which raised and encouraged the project of maritime +discoveries; and these became afterwards the favourite and almost +exclusive pursuit of his active and enlarged mind. From the Moors he +obtained intelligence respecting the Nomadic tribes who border upon and +pervade the great desert, and of the nations of the Jaloofs, whose +territories are conterminous with the desert on the north, and Guinea to +the south. By one ingenious author[2], he has been supposed instigated to +his first attempts at maritime discovery, by the desire of finding a way +by sea to those countries from whence the Moors brought ivory and gold +dust across the desert. It unfortunately happens that we have no record +of the particular voyages themselves, and are therefore reduced to the +necessity of giving the relation of this great discovery historically +from the best remaining sources of information. The writings of Cada +Morto, which will be found in the sequel, form a pleasing exception to +this desideratum in the history and progress of early navigation and +discovery. + + +[1] Astley. I. 9. Clarke, I. 140. Purchas, I. 6. Harris, I. 662. + +[2] Wealth of Nations, II. 347. + + + +SECTION I. + +_Commencement of Portuguese Discoveries, from Cape Non to Cape Bojador_ + +Three years before the reduction of Ceuta, the Duke of Visco had sent a +vessel in 1412 to explore the western coast of Africa, being the first +voyage of discovery undertaken by the Portuguese, or by any other nation +in modern times. The commander was instructed to endeavour to follow the +western coast of Africa, to the southward of Cape Chaunar, called by the +Portuguese mariners Cape Nao, Non, or Nam, which, extending itself from +the foot of Mount Atlas, had hitherto been the _non plus ultra_ or +impassable limit of European navigation, and had accordingly received its +ordinary name from a negative term in the Portuguese language, as +implying that there was no navigation beyond; and respecting which a +proverbial saying was then current, of the following import: + + + Whoe'er would pass the Cape of Non + Shall turn again; or else be gone. + + +The success of this earliest voyage, fitted out for the purpose of +discovery, is not recorded; but Don Henry continued to send some vessels +every year to the same coast, with the same instructions of endeavouring +to explore the coast beyond Cape Non. Not daring to trust themselves +beyond sight of land, the mariners crept timorously along the coast, and +at length reached Cape Bojador, only sixty leagues, or 180 miles beyond +Cape Non. This cape, which stretches boldly out into the ocean, from +which circumstance it derives its name[1], filled the Portuguese mariners +with terror and amazement; owing to the shoals by which it is environed +for the space of six leagues, being perpetually beaten by a lofty and +tremendous surge, which precluded them, from all possibility of +proceeding beyond it in their ordinary manner of creeping along the coast; +and they dared not to stretch out into the open sea in quest of smoother +water, lest, losing sight of land altogether, they might wander in the +trackless ocean, and be unable to find their way home. It is not +impossible that they might contemplate the imaginary terrors of the +torrid zone, as handed down from some of the ancients, with all its +burning soil and scorching vapours; and they might consider the +difficulties of Cape Bojador as a providential bar or omen, to warn and +oppose them against proceeding to their inevitable destruction. They +accordingly measured back their wary steps along the African coast, and +returned to Portugal, where they gave an account of their proceedings to +Don Henry, in which, of course, the dangers of the newly discovered cape +would not be diminished in their narrative[2]. + +Returning from Ceuta, where his presence was no longer necessary, and +where he had matured his judgment by intercourse with, various learned +men whom his bounty had attracted into Africa, and having enlarged his +views by the perusal of every work which tended to illustrate the +discoveries which he projected, Don Henry fixed his residence at the +romantic town of Sagres, in the neighbourhood of Cape St Vincent, where +he devoted his leisure to the study of mathematics, astronomy, +cosmography, and the theory of navigation, and even established a school +or academy for instructing his countrymen in these sciences, the parents +of commerce, and the sure foundations of national prosperity. To assist +him in the prosecution of these his favourite studies, he invited, from +Majorca, a person named Diego, or James, who was singularly skilful in +the management of the instruments then employed for making astronomical +observations at sea, and in the construction of nautical charts. Some +traces of nautical discoveries along the western coast of Africa still +remained in ancient authors; particularly of the reported voyages of +Menelaus, Hanno, Eudoxus, and others. From an attentive consideration of +these, Don Henry and his scientific coadjutor were encouraged to hope for +the accomplishment of important discoveries in that direction; and they +were certainly incited in these views by the rooted enmity which had so +long rankled among the Christian inhabitants of Spain and Portugal +against the Moors, who had formerly expelled their ancestors from the +greatest part of the peninsula, and with whom they had waged an incessant +war of several centuries in recovering the country from their grasp. + + + +SECTION II. + +_Discovery of the Madeira Islands._ + +After some time usefully employed in acquiring and diffusing a competent +knowledge of cosmopographical, nautical, and astronomical science, Don +Henry resolved to devote a considerable portion of the revenue which he +enjoyed as Grand Master of the Order of Christ, in continuing and +extending those projects of nautical discovery which had long occupied +his attention. Accordingly, about the year 1418, a new expedition of +discovery was fitted out for the express purpose of attempting to +surmount the perils of Cape Bojador. In this expedition Juan Gonzales +Zarco and Tristan Vaz Texeira, two naval officers of the household of Don +Henry, volunteered their services; and, embarking in a vessel called a +_barcha_[3], steered for the tremendous cape. The Portuguese were +hitherto ignorant of the prevailing winds upon the coast of Africa, and +the causes by which their influence is varied or increased. Near the land, +and between the latitudes of 28° and 10° north, a fresh gale almost +always blows from the N.E. Long sand-banks, which extend a great way out +to sea, and which are extremely difficult to be distinguished in the +mornings and evenings, and the prevailing currents, were powerful +obstacles to the enterprise of these navigators. About six leagues off +Cape Bojador, a most violent current continually dashes upon the breakers, +which presented a most formidable obstacle to the brave but inexperienced +mariners. Though their voyage was short, they encountered many dangers; +and, before they could reach the cape, they were encountered by a heavy +gale from the east, by which the billows of the Atlantic became too heavy +to be resisted by their small vessel, and they were driven out to sea. On +losing sight of their accustomed head lands, and being forced into the +boundless ocean for the first time, the ships company gave themselves up +to despair; but, on the abatement of the tempest, they found themselves +unexpectedly within view of an island, situated about 100 leagues west +from the coast of Africa. With extreme joy they beheld the coast of this +island extending about twenty miles in length, to which they gave the +name of Puerto Santo, because first discovered upon the feast of All +Saints. This is the smaller of the Madeiras, being only about two miles +broad; and, as the only roadstead is upon the south-west side, the +Portuguese probably anchored upon that side to be under the lee shelter +of the island from the remnants of the tempest from which they had +happily escaped. + +The island of _Puerto Santo_, or of the Holy Haven, is almost directly +west from Cape Cantin; whence it would appear that these Portuguese +navigators could hardly have passed much beyond Cape de Geer, when driven +off the coast by this fortunate easterly tempest. Had they even advanced +as far as Cape Non, they would almost certainly have been driven among +the Canaries. It is perfectly obvious that they never even approached +Cape Bojador in this voyage; unless we could suppose, after having been +driven directly west from that cape, that they shaped a northern course, +after the subsidence of the tempest, and fell in with Puerto Santo while +on their return to Portugal. + +Greatly pleased with the soil and climate of this island, and with the +gentle manners of the natives, whom they described as in an intermediate +state of civilization, and entirely destitute of any appearance of savage +ferocity, Zarco and Vaz immediately returned to Portugal, where they made +a report of the incidents of their voyage; and to confirm their opinion +of the value of their discovery, they requested permission from Don Henry +to return for the purpose of establishing a settlement in Puerto Santo. +By this discovery an advanced and favourable station was secured towards +the south, whence any discoveries along the coast of Africa might be +prosecuted with greater ease and safety, and from whence the dangers of +the hitherto formidable cape Bojador might be avoided, by keeping a +southerly or S. W. course from Puerto Santo. From these considerations +Don Henry granted their request; and, yielding to the adventurous spirit +which this accidental discovery had excited, he permitted several persons +to join in a new projected voyage, among whom was Bartholomew Perestrello, +a nobleman of his household. + +Three vessels were soon fitted out[4], which were placed under the +respective commands of Zarco, Vaz, and Perestrello. These commanders had +orders to colonize and cultivate the newly discovered island, and were +furnished with a considerable assortment of useful seeds and plants for +that purpose. They happened likewise to take with them a female rabbit +great with young, which littered during the voyage; and which being let +loose with her progeny, multiplied so rapidly, that, in two years, they +became so numerous as to occasion serious injury to the early attempts at +cultivation, and to baffle every hope of rendering Puerto Santo a place +of refreshment for the Portuguese navigators; insomuch that a resolution +was formed to abandon the newly established settlement. After having +landed the different animals and seeds which had been sent out by Don +Henry, and seeing them properly distributed, Perestrello returned into +Portugal to make a report to the prince, and Zarco and Vaz remained to +superintend the infant colony. + +Soon after the departure of Perestrello, the attention of Zarco and Vaz +was strongly excited by observing certain clouds or vapours at a great +distance in the ocean, which continually presented the same aspect, and +preserved exactly the same bearing from Puerto Santo, and at length +occasioned a conjecture, that the appearance might proceed from land in +that quarter. Gonsalvo and Vaz accordingly put to sea and sailed towards +the suspected land, and soon discovered that the appearances which had +attracted their notice actually proceeded from a considerable island +entirely overgrown with wood, to which, on that account, they gave the +name of Madeira[5]. After bestowing considerable attention upon the soil +and other circumstances of this island, which was utterly destitute of +inhabitants, Gonzalvo and Vaz returned to Portugal with the welcome +intelligence, and gave so favourable a report of the extent, fertility, +and salubrity of Madeira, that Don Henry determined to colonize and +cultivate it. Accordingly, with the consent of the king of Portugal, the +island of Madeira was bestowed in hereditary property upon Zarco and Vaz; +one division named _Funchal_ being given to Zarco, and the other moiety, +named _Machico_, to Vaz. + +In the year 1420 Zarco began the plantation of Madeira, and being much +impeded in his progress by the immense quantity of thick and tall trees, +with which it was then everywhere encumbered, he set the wood on fire to +facilitate the clearing of the surface for cultivation. The wood is +reported to have continued burning for seven years[6], and so great was +the devastation as to occasion great inconvenience to the colony for many +years afterwards, from the want of timber. Don Henry appears to have been +a prince of most uncommonly enlarged and liberal views; not only capable +of devising the means of making maritime discoveries, which had never +been thought of before his time, but of estimating their value when made, +and of applying them to purposes the most useful and important for his +country. Reflecting upon the reported fertility of the soil, and the +excellence of the climate of Madeira, and comparing both with the +judicious foresight of a philosopher, politician, and naturalist, in +reference to the most valuable productions of similar climates and soils, +he wisely conceived, and successfully executed the idea of introducing +the cultivation of sugar and wines into this new colony; For these +purposes, Portugal would readily supply him with vines; and with people +conversant in their management: But he had to procure sugar canes, and +persons experienced in their cultivation, and in the process of +manufacturing sugar from their juice, from the island of Sicily, into +which that article of culture had been introduced by the Arabs. + +So great was the success of this new subject of industry in Madeira, that +the fifth part of the produce of one district only, little more than nine +miles in circumference, which proportion the prince reserved as the +patrimony of his military order, amounted, in some years, to 60,000 +arobas of twenty-five pounds each; giving the entire acknowledged produce +of one district only, of the island at 7,500,000 pounds, or 2350 tons. +This, at the modern price of eightpence a-pound, amounts to the enormous +sum of L. 250,000 value of merchantable produce, from a district which +could not contain above 5760 English acres; or above the value of L. 43 +of average yearly value from every acre of that district. This +astonishingly valuable produce was in the infancy of the sugar trade, +when that bland and wholesome condiment was still an article of luxury, +and not as now almost an indispensable necessary, even in the lowest +cottages of modern Europe. The sugars of Madeira were long famous; but +after the establishment of the sugar plantations in Brazil, and the +destructive ravages of a worm which infested the sugar canes of Madeira, +that article, of cultivation had to be abandoned, and the principal +attention of the islanders was transferred to the grape, which still +continues to supply Europe, America, and the East Indies with the justly +celebrated Madeira wine. + +At the same time with the grant of Madeira to Zarco and Vaz, Perestrello +received a donation of the island of Puerto Santo, on condition of +colonizing it and bringing it into culture. But so great was the +multitude of rabbits, all said to have been produced from one doe +transmitted in a pregnant state from Portugal, that cultivation was +attended with peculiar difficulties occasioned by their ravages; insomuch, +that in one islet only, 3000 are reported to have been killed at one time. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Prosecution of Discovery in Africa, to Cape Branco_. + +Partly diverted from the original object of prosecuting discoveries along +the African coast, by the attentions requisite for forming this first +establishment of modern colonization, but chiefly owing to the extreme +difficulties of the navigation in the infancy of that art, fifteen years +were passed from the first discovery of Cape Bojador before that +formidable obstacle could be surmounted. In all ages of the world, +ignorant and indolent men have represented new and unusual enterprises in +scientific pursuits as rash or improper deviations from the established +experience and vaunted wisdom of antiquity; and those who promoted them +have been held out as dangerous, or even impious innovators. It so fared +with Don Henry, who far outstripped the science, or ignorance rather, of +his day. At home, the discontented spirits, ignorant of his enlarged +views, perhaps envious of the reputation his very limited discoveries +had already attained, represented that the tempestuous seas, strong +currents, and whirlpools, which they fancied must prevail on the other +side of Cape Bajadore, would necessarily destroy every vessel which +should attempt to penetrate beyond that absolute limit of human +navigation; they alleged that all the country to the south of that cape +was utterly unfit for the habitation of mankind, sterile, burnt up, and +destitute of soil and water, like the sandy deserts of Lybia; and they +pretended to object on principles of patriotism, that the natives of +Portugal were improvidently wasted on idle discoveries, which, if at all +advisable, would have been undertaken by their former, wise sovereigns; +who, contented with the known world, did not, vainly seek for conquests +in the torrid zone, which was altogether unfit for the habitation of +mankind. They insinuated, that the expences which had been lavished upon +those fruitless and dangerous maritime expeditions, might lave been much +more profitably employed for the improvement of some of the more barren +parts of Portugal. Even the probable profits and advantages derivable +from the new colonies of Madeira and Puerto Santo, as they were only +eventual and contingent, did not satisfy the minds of those discontented +detractors from the merits and enlightened views of the prince. But Don +Henry despised those vain endeavours to misrepresent and counteract the +important enterprise in which he was engaged, and undismayed by the +natural difficulties which had hitherto retarded the progress of his +mariners, continued his laudable endeavours to extend his discoveries +along the coast of Africa. The people, likewise, whom he employed in his +service, frequently made predatory invasions on the coast, taking every +Moorish vessel which they were able to master, and made many slaves, by +the sale of which, the charges attending those maritime expeditions were +partly defrayed. + +About the year 1433, one Gilianez, a native of Lagos, whom the prince had +entrusted with the command of a vessel, returned from an unsuccessful +attempt to conquer the invincible obstacles which obstructed the passage +round Cape Bojador. He had been driven by stress of weather into one of +the Canary islands, and had imprudently seized some of the inoffending +natives, whom he brought captives to Sagres. Don Henry was much offended +by this conduct of Gilianez, whom he received with much coldness and +reserve; insomuch that Gilianez, on purpose to retrieve the princes +favour, and to make ample amends for the fault he had committed, made a +vow, that if entrusted with a new expedition, he would perish rather than +return unsuccessful in the enterprize which the prince had so much at +heart. The date of the second expedition of Gilianez, in which he +surmounted the terrors and difficulties of Cape Bajador, is variously +referred by different authors to the years 1433 and 1434[7]. However this +may have been, he succeeded in this herculean labour, as it was then +esteemed, and returned with great exultation to Sagres, where he was +again received into the favour and confidence of Don Henry. Contrary to +the assertions, or suppositions rather, of the discontented opposers of +the patriotic and enlightened efforts of Don Henry, Gilianez reported +that the sea beyond Cape Bojador was perfectly susceptible of navigation, +and that the soil and climate were both excellent. + +In the following year Gilianez again sailed for the coast of Africa, +accompanied by Alphonzo Gonzales Baldaya[8], cupbearer to the prince. The +weather continued favourable during the voyage, and they were able to +penetrate ninety miles to the south of Cape Bojador. On landing to take a +view of the country, and in search of inhabitants, they found the former +to consist for the most part of an extended desert plain, and they were +much disappointed in not being able to meet with any of the inhabitants, +though they saw evident traces of them in the sand. To the bay in which +they landed they gave the name of Angra dos Ruyvos, or Bay of Gurnets, +from the great abundance of fish resembling gurnets which were taken by +the seamen. + +Gilianez and Baldaya were again ordered in the year 1435 to prosecute +their discoveries, with instructions to prolong their voyage, if possible, +till they should meet with inhabitants. Having proceeded about forty +miles to the southward of the Angra dos Ruyvos, without being able to see +a single inhabitant, they adopted an expedient which had been suggested +by Don Henry, and for which they were provided with the means. Two horses +were landed, and two youths named Hector Homen and Diego Lopez d'Almaida, +who had been educated in the household of Don Henry, and were scarcely +sixteen years of age, were directed to penetrate into the interior of the +country, that they might endeavour to ascertain whether it were inhabited. +They were directed to keep close together, and on no account to leave +their horses, and if possible to bring back some of the Moors; and lest +they should rashly expose themselves to unnecessary danger, they were +only allowed each a sword and spear, without any defensive armour. After +wandering almost a whole day in the barren sandy desert, they at length +descried nineteen Africans, armed with assagays or javelins, whom they +ventured to attack, though contrary to their orders. The natives +retreated into a cave where they were safe from the farther assaults of +the rash Portuguese youths; and as one of them had received a wound in +the foot, they thought it prudent to return to the shore, which they were +unable to reach before the next morning. Gilianez and Baldaya then +dispatched a stronger force to the cave in which the Africans had taken +shelter, where nothing was found but some weapons which had been left by +the fugitives. Owing to this event, the place where the two cavaliers +were landed was named Angra dos Cavallos, or the Bay of Horses; which is +in latitude 24° N. + +The navigators proceeded along a rugged coast to the south of the Bay of +Horses, upon which the sea breaks with a terrible noise, and which, on +account of being entirely composed of a hilly shore, faced with rocks and +small rocky islands, is called _Otegado_, or the Rocky Place. At about +twelve leagues distance from the bay of Cavallos they entered the mouth +of a river, where they killed a number of sea wolves or seals, the skins +of which they took on board in defect of any other productions of the +country; these seals were found on an island at the mouth of this river, +on which the mariners are said to have seen at least 5000 asleep on the +shore. The voyage was continued to Punta de Gale, forming the western +head-land of the Rio de Ouro, immediately under the tropic, where a +fishing net was found constructed of twine, made from the inner bark of +some tree of the palm tribe, but no natives were met with; and as +provisions began to grow scarce, the adventurous mariners were +constrained to return into Portugal, after ranging for some time up and +down the rocky coast of Otegado, without making any important discovery. + +About this period, or perhaps considerably earlier, Don Henry obtained a +bull from Pope Martin V. by which the sovereign pontiff made a perpetual +donation to the crown of Portugal, of all lands and islands which had +been or might be discovered between Cape Bojador and the East Indies, +inclusively, and granted a plenary indulgence for the souls of all who +might perish in the prosecution of the enterprize, and in achieving the +conquest of these extensive regions from the infidel and pagan enemies of +Christ and the church. In this measure, the philosophical genius and +enlarged political views of Don Henry are plainly evinced; and, +undismayed by the obstacles which had so long opposed his grand project +of discoveries, and the length of time which had been employed in making +so very small progress, he shewed himself to have looked steadily +forwards to the full accomplishment of his hopes of discovering the route +by sea from Europe to India, around the still unknown shores of Southern +Africa. The date of this papal grant does not certainly appear. De Barros +and Lafitau are of opinion that it must have been posterior to 1440; +Purchas places it in 1441; and de Guyon in 1444. But Martin V. died in +1431; and these writers seem to have confounded the original grant from +that pontiff, with subsequent confirmations by his successors Eugenius IV. +Nicholas V. and Sextus IV[9]. + +The gradual progress of these discoveries were interrupted for a time by +an unsuccessful attempt of Edward I. or _Duarte_, king of Portugal, to +gain possession of Tangier in the kingdom of Fez. But the history of this +war, in which the Portuguese arms suffered much misfortune and dishonour, +are quite irrelevant to the present subject. The plague likewise, which +raged at Lisbon in 1438, contributed to the suspension of the patriotic +enterprizes of Don Henry. At length, in 1440, Don Henry resumed his +project of maritime discovery, and dispatched two caravels from Sagres, +which were forced back by unfavourable weather, apparently without even +reaching the coast of Africa. + +In 1441, a young officer named Antonio Gonzales made a voyage in a small +vessel, with a crew of twenty-one men, to the island where so great a +number of sea wolves had been seen in the former voyage of Alphonzo +Gonzales Baldaya in 1435. In this voyage Alphonzo Gotterez, a gentleman +of the bed-chamber to Don Henry, acted as secretary, and the two +adventurers were instructed to endeavour to obtain an account of the +country and its inhabitants, and to procure a cargo of the skins of the +seals or sea wolves, that the voyage might not be entirely destitute of +some commercial advantages. After accomplishing this part of his +instructions, Gonzales determined to use his utmost efforts for procuring +some of the inhabitants of the country to carry back with him to Sagres. +For this purpose, he landed at the beginning of the night with nine +associates, and having advanced about ten miles into the interior, +discovered a native following a camel. The sudden appearance of the +Portuguese rendered the astonished Moor perfectly motionless, and before +he could recover from his surprize he was seized by Gotterez. On their +return to the shore with their prisoner, they traced some recent +footsteps on the sand, which led them in view of about forty natives, who +withdrew to an adjoining hill, but the Portuguese secured a female Moor +who had strayed from the party. With these two prisoners they returned to +their vessel, not choosing to run any unnecessary risk, or to make any +needless attack upon the natives, which was contrary to the express +orders of Don Henry. + +When preparing next morning to set sail on their return to Portugal, +another Portuguese ship arrived, which was commanded by Nuno Tristan, a +gentleman of the princes household. Encouraged by this reinforcement, a +second expedition into the interior was immediately resolved upon, in +which Nuno Tristan, Diego de Vigliadores, and Gonzales de Cintra, joined +with Alphonzo Gonzales and Alphonzo Gotterez. Advancing again under night, +they soon perceived a party of the natives whom they immediately attacked, +shouting out Portugal! Portugal! San Jago! San Jago! The Moors were at +first stupified with fear and surprise; but recovering from their panic, +a struggle ensued, in which three of the Moors were slain, and ten made +prisoners, the Portuguese being indebted for their safety to their +defensive armour. After endeavouring, in vain, to establish an +intercourse with the Moors for the redemption of the prisoners, Alphonzo +Gonzales returned to Sagres with a cargo of skins and the Moorish +prisoners, and was honourably rewarded by his discerning master. The +place of this exploit was named Puerto del Cavallero, or the Knights +Harbour, on occasion of Gonzales being there knighted by Nuno Tristan. + +After careening his vessel, Nuno Tristan proceeded along the coast +according to his orders, and reached a cape in lat. 20° 50' N. to which +he gave the name of Cabo Branco, or the White Cape, on account of the +whiteness of its cliffs. He there landed and found some fishing nets on +the shore; but after repeated incursions into the country, being unable +to meet with any of the natives, he made a survey of the coast, and +returned to Portugal with an account of his proceedings. + +Three of the prisoners carried to Portugal by Gonzales were Moors of some +rank and considerable opulence; who each promised to pay ransoms for +their safe return to their native country, and to give, besides, six or +seven slaves each to the captors. Don Henry, as grand master of the order +of Christ, was eager for the acquisition of so many converts from the +religion of Mahomet, and was in hopes that the favourable report which +the Moors might make on their return to Africa, would induce the natives +to enter into trade with his navigators; and that, among the slaves which +were to be given in exchange, some certain knowledge might be acquired of +the burning regions of Africa, about which such strange reports were then +prevalent. Antonio Gonzales was therefore dispatched on another voyage in +1442, accompanied by a German gentleman named Balthazar, who had +distinguished himself in the late unfortunate attempt on Tangier, and who +was anxious to carry home some account of the newly discovered countries. +After being forced to return to port, to repair the damages they had +sustained in a dreadful tempest, they again sailed, and reached the coast +where the Moors had been made prisoners. The principal Moor was landed, +and was received with great deference and respect by his countrymen; but +he forgot all his promises on regaining his liberty, and never returned +to pay the ransom he had bargained for. It would appear, however, that he +had informed the natives of the return of the other two chiefs; as at the +end of nine days, above an hundred natives appeared on the coast, and +entered into treaty for the ransom of their two countrymen who remained +captives, and for whom ten negroes, natives of different parts of Africa, +were given in exchange. During these transactions, the sight of a +considerable quantity of gold dust in the possession of the Moors, +excited the most lively emotions in the Portuguese, as being the first +intimation of that valuable commodity being procurable on the coast of +their new discoveries. From this circumstance, Gonzales gave the name of +_Rio del Ouro_, or Gold River, to the deep arm of the sea in which he now +lay, which penetrates about six leagues N. N. E. from the tropic of +Cancer. + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Continuation of Discovery to Cape de Verd_. + +On the return from this voyage, the sight of gold placed the fame and +advantage of the enterprizes and discoveries of Don Henry beyond the +reach of prejudice and detraction, and the former murmurings and +discontents against his proceedings were changed into admiration and +applause. In 1443 Nuno Tristan was again sent out, with orders to +prosecute, the discovery of a coast which now seemed so likely to prove +advantageous to the commerce of Portugal. He now doubled Cape Blanco, or +Branco, which he had discovered in his former voyage, and, about ten +leagues farther to the south-east, fell in with an island, or rather +cluster of seven islands, called _Adeget_ by the natives, but which have +since, with the bay in which they lie, received the name of Arguim, or +Arguin. The small canoes which were used by the natives of this coast +were at first mistaken for some strange kind of birds, as the people sit +upon them astride, using their feet instead of paddles, to urge them +along. To one of the islands in this bay Tristan gave the name of _De +las_ Garças, on account of the seasonable supply which he there received. +From this place Nuno Tristan returned into Portugal, with some of the +natives of the country. + +Don Henry, in 1444, made an exchange with Massiot de Betancour, lord of +the Canary Islands, for the islands of Lancerota, Fuertaventura, and +Ferro, giving him some possessions in the island of Madeira in their +stead; and immediately fitted out a powerful squadron, commanded by the +grand master of his household, Fernand de Castro, to take possession of +this new acquisition, and to subdue the remaining islands, Canaria, Palma, +Gratioso, Inferno, Alegrazze, Santa-Chiara, Rocca, and Lobos. But, as the +king of Castile afterwards laid claim to the Canaries, Don Henry resigned +his conquests, finding the value of these islands by no means answerable +to his expectation. + +So greatly had the fame of the new discoveries extended in consequence of +the small quantity of gold which had been procured by Gonzales at the Rio +del Ouro, that several of the inhabitants of Lagos petitioned Don Henry, +in 1444, to be erected into a trading company, engaging to carry on the +discoveries along the coast of Africa at their own expence. The prince +granted their request, and a company was accordingly formed, the +prototype of those celebrated East India companies which have since +carried on trade to such vast amount. Among the partners were, Juan Diaz, +the ancestor of him who afterwards discovered and passed the Cape of Good +Hope, Gilianez, who had so boldly overcome the obstacles of Cape Bajador, +Lançerot, a gentleman of the household of Don Henry, Estevan Alfonso, and +Rodrigo Alvarez. A squadron of six caravels was fitted out under the +command of Lançerot, which sailed from Lagos in the year 1444, and +reached the isle of Garças, in the bay of Arguin, where they captivated +an hundred and fifty Africans, and returned to Lagos, after very slightly +extending their knowledge of the coast of Africa to the desart island of +Tider, in 19° 30' N. + +In 1445, the subsequent voyage of Gonzales da Cintra, likewise a +gentleman in the household of Don Henry, in some measure expiated the +wanton outrage which had been committed in that of Lançerot. The merit of +Gonzales had raised him to the rank of a gentleman in the household of +Don Henry, and his character was held in much estimation; but his +confidence was obtained and betrayed by a moor of the Assanhaji tribe[10], +whom he had taken on board to serve as an interpreter with the natives on +the coast of Africa. Misled by this crafty African, who held out great +hopes of acquiring plunder, Gonzales steered for the island of Arguin, +and put into a creek or bay on the coast, in lat. 22° 48' N. about +fourteen leagues to the south of Rio del Ouro, and forty-five to the +north of Cape Branco. The Moor got leave to go on shore, under pretence +of visiting some relations, but escaped in the night with another of his +countrymen. Gonzales was much mortified at allowing himself to be +circumvented by the cunning of his interpreter, and rashly embarked in a +boat with only twelve men, with the intention of pursuing the fugitive. +Pressing onwards with too much eagerness, he neglected to attend to the +tide, which happened then to be on the ebb. His boat stuck fast, and when +the morning broke, he was surrounded by two hundred Moors. Unable to +extricate himself, or to contend against such mighty odds, Gonzales and +seven of his men were slain; the other five made their escape by swimming +to the ship, which immediately set sail for Lagos. The clumsy +denomination of _Angra de Gonzales da Cintra_, to this bay, still +commemorates the death of this commander. + +In the subsequent year, 1446, Don Henry sent out a small squadron of +three caravels, under the command of Antonio Gonzales, assisted by Diego +Alfonso, and by Gomez Perez, the kings pilot. They were directed to +proceed for the Rio del Ouro, and were strictly enjoined to cultivate the +friendship of the natives by every possible means, to establish peace +with them and to use their utmost endeavours to convert them to the +Christian religion; among other instructions, they were urged to pass +unnoticed the insults or neglect of honour which they might experience +from the negroes. The Portuguese endeavoured, but ineffectually, to +conciliate the natives, and to remove the angry prejudices which they +entertained. They returned to Lagos with no other fruit from their voyage +except one negro whom they had received in ransom, and an aged Moor who +requested permission to accompany them to Portugal. One of their own +companions, Juan Fernandez, from an ardent desire to procure information +for the prince, got leave to remain among the Assanhaji Arabs. + +Next year, 1447, Antonio Mendez was ordered to return in search of Juan +Fernandez, from whose inquisitive disposition much information was +expected. In this expedition he was accompanied by two other caravels, +commanded by Garcia Mendez and Diego Alfonso, but they were separated by +a storm in the early part of the voyage. Alfonso was the first who +reached the coast at Cape Branco, where he landed, and set up a wooden +cross as a signal to his consorts, and then proceeded to the islands of +Arguin, which afforded shelter from the tremenduous surf which breaks +continually on the coast of Africa. While waiting at Arguin for the other +ships, Alfonso paid many visits to the continent, where he made prisoners +of twenty-five of the natives. When the other two ships of the squadron +had joined, they went to the Rio del Ouro in search of their countryman, +Juan Fernandez, who had been several days anxiously looking out for a +vessel to carry him off. + +After experiencing many hardships, Fernandez had succeeded in gaining the +friendship of a considerable person among the Moors, and was accompanied +to the shore by that mans slaves in a body. The natives exerted +themselves to procure the release of some of their countrymen who were +prisoners with the Portuguese, to whom they gave nine negroes and a +quantity of gold dust by way of ransom. To the place where this +transaction took place, the navigators gave the name of _Cabo do Resgati_, +or Cape Ransom; where likewise Fernam Tavares, an aged nobleman, received +the honour of knighthood, a distinction he had long been entitled to, but +which he would only receive upon the newly discovered coast. During the +homeward voyage, Gonzales touched at a village near Cape Branco, where he +increased his captives to ninety. + +Juan Fernandez described the natives of the coast as wandering shepherds, +of the same race with the Moor who had been brought over to Portugal by +Antonio Gonzales in the former voyage. After he had been conveyed to a +considerable distance inland, he was stripped of all his clothes, and +even deprived of all the provisions he had taken on shore. A tattered +coarse rug, called an _alhaik_, was given him instead of the clothes he +had been deprived of. His food was principally a small farinaceous seed, +varied sometimes by the roots which he could find in the desert, or the +tender sprouts of wild plants. The inhabitants, among whom he lived as a +slave, unless when better supplied by means of the chase, fed on dried +lizards, and on a species of locust or grasshopper. Water was bad, or +scarce, and their chief drink was milk. They only killed some of their +cattle on certain great festivals; and, like the Tartars, they roamed +from place to place in quest of a precarious sustenance for their flocks +and herds. The whole country presented only extensive wastes of barren +sand, or an uncultivated heath, where a few Indian figs here and there +variegated the dreary and extensive inhospitable plain. A short time +before he rejoined his countrymen, Fernandez acquired the protection and +kindness of Huade Meimon, a Moor of distinction, who permitted him to +watch for the arrival of the ships, and even assigned him a guard for his +protection. + +In the interval between these two voyages of Gonzales, Denis Fernandez, a +gentleman of Lisbon, who had belonged to the household of the late king, +fitted out a vessel for discovery under the patronage of Don Henry, with +a determination to endeavour to penetrate farther to the southwards than +any preceding navigator. He accordingly passed to the southwards of the +Senegal river, which divides the Azanhaji moors from the Jaloffs, or most +northern negroes, and fell in with some almadias or canoes, one of which +he captured, with four natives. Proceeding still farther on, without +stopping to satisfy his curiosity in visiting the coast, he at length +reached the most westerly promontory of Africa, to which he gave the name +of Cabo Verde, or the Green Cape, from the number of palm trees with +which it was covered. Alarmed by the breakers with which the shore was +everywhere guarded, Denis did not venture to proceed any farther, +especially as the season was already far advanced, but returned with his +captives to Portugal, where he met with a flattering reception from Don +Henry, both on account of his discovery of the Cape de Verd, and for the +natives he had procured from the newly discovered coast, without having +been traded for with the Moors. + + + +SECTION V. + +_Progress of Discovery from Cape de Verd to the Gambia_. + +Soon after the return of Denis from the Cape de Verd, Gonzales Pachecos, +a wealthy officer belonging to the household of Don Henry, fitted out a +ship at his own expence, of which he gave the command to Dinisianez da +Gram, one of the princes equerries, who was accompanied by Alvaro Gil, an +essayer of the mint, and Mafaldo de Setubal. After touching at Cape +Branco, they steered along the coast for the isle of Arguin, making +descents in several places, where they made a considerable number of +captives from the Moors. At the isle _De las Garças_ they found another +caravel, commanded by Lourenço Dias, which formed part of a considerable +squadron that had been lately fitted out from Lagos. Two days afterwards, +the admiral of that squadron, Lançarot, and nine other caravels arrived. +Gram informed Lançarot of his success in making fifty prisoners, whom he +had dearly purchased by the loss of seven of his men, who had been +murdered by the Moors. Lançarot immediately sailed for Arguin, bent on +revenge, and sacrificed the lives of eight, and the liberty of four of +the natives, to the memory of Gonzales da Cintra and the mariners of Gram. +On this occasion two of the Portuguese officers were knighted on the +newly discovered coast, which seems then to have been a fashionable +ambition among them, no doubt arising from the prevailing zeal for +maritime discovery. From Arguin Lançarot passed over to the isle of Tider, +whence the inhabitants made their escape to the adjacent continent; but +the Portuguese soon followed, and the astonished Moors fled on all sides, +after a sharp skirmish, in which a good many of them were slain, and +sixty taken prisoners. + +The fleet now separated, a part returning home by way of the Canaries, +while Lançarot, with several other caravels, advanced along the coast of +Africa southwards, till he got beyond what the Moors called the Çahara, +or Sahara, of the Assenaji. This Moorish nation is mentioned by Abulfeda +as the ruling tribe in Audagost, or Agadez, and as inhabiting the +southern part of Morocco. They are therefore to be considered as the +peculiar people of the great desert and its environs, at its western +extremity on the Atlantic. The latter part of their name, _aji_, or +rather aspirated _haji_, signifies a pilgrim, and is now the appropriate +title of one who has made the great pilgrimage of Mecca. In the present +case, the name of Assenaji probably signifies the _Wanderers of the +Desert_. The Sanhaga, or Assenaji tribe, is now placed at no great +distance from the African coast, between the rivers Nun and Senegal; and +this latter river has probably received its Portuguese name of Sanaga +from that tribe. Ptolemy likewise probably named Cape Verd _Arsinarium_, +from the same people, from which it may be inferred that they anciently +occupied both sides of the Senegal river, which is named _Dardalus_ by +that ancient geographer. + +Twenty leagues beyond the southern boundary of the great desert, Lançarot +came to the mouth of a large river, which had been formerly seen by Denis +Fernandez, and named by him _Rio Portugues_, or the Portuguese river; +which was called _Ouedech_ by the natives, and afterwards got the name of +Canaga, Zanaga, Sanhaga, Sanaga, or Senega, now the Senegal. Lançarot +passed in safety over the bar of this river, and endeavoured to explore +its course upwards, but the weather became unfavourable, and forced him +again to sea, when he proceeded with part of his squadron to Cape Verd, +near which place he took in a supply of water and goats flesh. The fleet +was again dispersed by a second storm, and only three vessels remained +under the command of Lançarot. With these he made a descent on the island +of Tider, where he captured fifty-nine Moors; and with these, and some +natives he had made prisoners on the banks of the Senegal, he returned +into Portugal. + +In the year 1447, Nuna Tristan made another voyage to the coast of Africa; +and, advancing beyond _Cabo dos Mastos_, or the Cape of Masts, so named +from some dead palms resembling masts, seen there by Lançarot, who made +this discovery in the former voyage, Nuna Tristan proceeded southwards +along the coast of Africa, 180 miles beyond Cape Verd, where he reached +the mouth of a river which he called Rio Grande, or the Large River, +since called Gamber, Gambra, or Gambia. Tristan came to anchor at the +mouth of this river, and went in his boat with twenty-two armed men on +purpose to explore its course. Having reached to a considerable distance +from his ship, he was environed by thirteen almadias or canoes, manned by +eighty negroes, who advanced with dreadful yells, and poured in continual +vollies of poisoned arrows, by which he, and almost every man in his boat +were wounded before they could regain the ship. Nuno Tristan and all the +wounded men died speedily of the effects of these poisoned weapons, +himself only living long enough to recount the nature of the terrible +disaster to the small remainder of the crew who had been left in charge +of the caravel; which was brought home by only four survivors, after +wandering for two months in the Atlantic, scarcely knowing which way to +steer their course. + +There appears some difficulty and contradiction in regard to the river +discovered by Nuna Tristan, from the vague name of Rio Grande. Instead of +the Gambia, in lat. 13° 30' N. some of the Portuguese historians are +inclined to believe that this fatal event took place at another river, in +lat. 10° 15' N. at least 500 nautical miles beyond the Gambia, to the S.S. +E. which was afterwards called Rio de Nuno. This is scarcely probable, +as no notice whatever is taken of the great archipelago of shoals and +islands which extend from Cabo Rosso to beyond the mouth of that river +which is still called Rio Grande. Yet it must be acknowledged that our +remaining information respecting these early Portuguese voyages of +discovery, is unfortunately vague and unsatisfactory. + +In the same year, 1447, Alvaro Fernando proceeded to the coast of Africa, +and is said to have advanced forty leagues beyond Tristan, having arrived +at the mouth of a river called Tabite[11], 100 miles to the south of Rio +Nuno. Notwithstanding the appearance of a determined opposition on the +part of the natives, who had manned five almadias, Alvaro resolved to +explore its course in his boat, and proceeded up the river for that +purpose, with the utmost circumspection. One of the almadias stood out +from the rest, and attacked his boat with great bravery, discharging a +number of poisoned arrows, by which Alvaro and several of his men were +wounded, which forced him to desist and return to his ship. Being, +however, provided with _theriac_ and other antidotes against the poison, +Alvaro and all his men recovered from their wounds. He resolved, after +leaving the river Tabite, to proceed along the coast, which he did to a +sandy point; and, apprehending no danger in so open a situation, was +preparing to land, when he was suddenly assailed by a flight of poisoned +arrows, from 120 negroes who started up from a concealment. Alvaro, +therefore, desisted from any farther attempt to explore the coast, and +returned to Lagos to give an account of his proceedings. + +In the same year, ten caravels sailed from Lagos for Madeira, the +Canaries, and the coast of Africa, but returned without making any +progress in discovering the coast. Under this year likewise, 1447, the +Antilles, or Caribbee islands, are pretended to have been discovered by a +Portuguese ship driven, thither by a storm. But the fact rests only on +the authority, of Galvano, a Portuguese historian, and is not at all +credible. Indeed the story is an absolute fable; as the inhabitants are +said to have spoken the Portuguese language, and to have had _seven +cities_ in their island. In the same year, Gomez Perez went with two +caravels to Rio del Ouro, whence he carried eighty Moors to Lagos as +prisoners. + +About this period the progress of discovery was arrested by political +disputes in Portugal, which ended in a civil war between Don Pedro, Duke +of Coimbra, and King Alphonso V. his nephew and son-in-law, in the course +of which Don Pedro was slain. Don Henry appears to have taken no share in +these disputes, except by endeavouring to mediate between his nephew and +brother; and, after the unhappy catastrophe of Don Pedro, Don Henry +returned to Sagres, where he resumed the superintendence of his maritime +discoveries. + + +[1] Explained by the celebrated Dr Johnson, as "so named from its + progression into the ocean, and the circuit by which it must be + doubled." Introduct. to the World Displayed.--Clarke. + + +[2] Cape Bojador is imagined to have been the _Canarea_ of Ptolemy.-- + Clarke I. 15 + +[3] The _barcha_ is a sort of brig with topsails, having all its yards on + one long pole without sliding masts, as still used by tartans and + settees. The _barcha longa_ is a kind of small galley, with one mast + and oars.--Clarke, I. p. 153. + +[4] Clarke says in the same year 1418. But this could not well be, as the + Discovery of Puerto Santo was made so late as the 1st of November of + that year. The truth is, that only very general accounts of these + early voyages remain in the Portuguese historians.--E. + +[5] Such is the simple and probable account of the discovery of Madeira in + Purchas. Clarke has chosen to embellish it with a variety of very + extraordinary circumstances, which being utterly unworthy of credit, + we do not think necessary to be inserted in this place. See Progress + of Maritime Discovery, I. 157.--E. + +[6] In the Introduction to the World Displayed, Dr Johnson remarks on this + story, that "green wood is not very apt to burn; and the heavy rains + which fall in these countries must surely have extinguished the + conflagration were it ever so violent." Yet in 1800 Radnor forest + presented a conflagration of nearly twenty miles circumference, which + continued to spread for a considerable time, in spite of every effort + to arrest its progress.--E. + +[7] De Barros; Lafitan; Vincent, in the Periplus of the Erythrean sea; + Meikle, in his translation of the Lusiad. Harris, in his Collection, + Vol. I. p. 663, postpones this discovery to the year 1439.--Clarke. + +[8] In Purchas this person is named Antonio Gonsalvo; but the authority of + Clarke, I. 188, is here preferred.--E. + +[9] Progr. of Nav. Disc. I. 184. + +[10] This tribe of Assenhaji, or Azanaghi, are the Zenhaga of our maps, + and the Sanhagae of Edrisi and Abulfeda. They are at present + represented as inhabiting at no great distance from the coast of + Africa, between the rivers Nun and Senegal.--Cl. + +[11] No such name occurs in the best modern charts, neither is there a + river of any consequence on the coast which answers to the distance. + The first large river to the south of the Nuno is the Mitomba, or + river of Sierra Liona, distant about 130 maritime miles.--E. + + + +SECTION VI. + +_Discovery and Settlement of the Açores_[1]. + +These nine islands, called the Açores, Terceras, or Western islands, are +situated in the Atlantic, 900 miles west from Portugal, at an almost +equal distance from Europe, Africa, and America. The Flemings pretend +that they were discovered by a navigator of their nation, John Vanderberg, +who sailed from Lisbon in 1445 or 1449. Santa Maria, one of these islands, +250 leagues west from Cape St Vincent, was first seen on the 15th August +1432, by Cabral, who sailed under the orders of Don Henry. San Miguel was +taken possession of by the same navigator on the 8th May 1444; and Ponta +Delgada its capital, received its charter from Emanuel in 1449. Tercera +was given to Jacome de Brujes in 1450, by Don Henry, in which year St +George was discovered. Pico and Gracioso were discovered about the same +time. Perhaps Fayal may actually have been first explored, as many of the +inhabitants are of Flemish descent, under the command and protection of +the Portuguese. Flores and Corvo, which lie seventy leagues west from +Tercera, are not reckoned among the Açores by some writers. In this +latter island, the Portuguese pretend that there was discovered an +equestrian statue made from one block of stone. The head of the man was +bare, his left hand rested on the mane of his horse, and his right +pointed towards the _west_, as if indicating the situation of another +continent. In addition to all this, an inscription appeared to have been +traced on a rock beneath the statue, but in a language which the +Portuguese did not understand. + +In the slow progress of discovery, the perils endured by the officers and +men employed by Don Henry, from the Moors and Negroes, frequently +occasioned murmurs against his plans of discovery; but the several +clusters of islands, the Madeiras, Cape Verd, and Açores, formed a +succession of maritime and commercial colonies, and nurseries for seamen, +which took off from the general obloquy attending the tedious and +hitherto unsuccessful attempts to penetrate farther into the southern +hemisphere, and afforded a perpetual supply of navigators, and a stimulus +to enterprize. The original prejudices against the possibility of +navigating or existing in the torrid zone still subsisted, and although +the navigators of Don Henry had gradually penetrated to within ten +degrees of the equator, yet the last successive discovery was always held +forth by the supporters of ignorant prejudice, as that which had been +placed by nature as an insurmountable barrier to farther progress in the +Atlantic. In this situation, the settlement of the Açores was of +considerable importance. In 1457, Don Henry procured the grant of many +valuable privileges to this favourite colony, the principal of which was +the exemption of the inhabitants from any duties on their commerce to the +ports of Portugal and even of Spain. + +In 1461, a fort was erected in the isle of Arguin on the African coast of +the Moors, to protect the trade carried on there for gold and negro +slaves. Next year, 1462, Antonio de Noli, a Genoese, sent by the republic +to Portugal, entered into the service of Don Henry, and in a voyage to +the coast of Africa, discovered the islands which are known by the name +of the Cape de Verd Islands, though they lie 100 leagues to the westward +of that Cape. In the same year Pedro de Cintra, and Suera de Costa, +penetrated a little farther along the coast of Africa, and discovered the +river or Bay of Sierra Liona or Mitomba, in lat. 8° 30' N. This +constituted the last of the Portuguese discoveries, carried on under the +direct influence and authority of Don Henry, the founder and father of +modern maritime discovery, as he died next year, 1463, at Sagres, in the +sixty-seventh year of his age; and, for a time, the maritime enterprise +of the Portuguese nation was palsied by his death. + +Thus, during a long period of fifty-two years, this patriotic prince +devoted almost his whole attention, and the ample revenues which he +enjoyed as Duke of Viseo end grand master of the military order of Christ, +in extending the maritime knowledge, and consequently the commercial +prosperity of his country. The incidents of the last seven years of the +life of this distinguished prince, are involved in uncertainty, and we +know very little with regard to the progress of his maritime discoveries +from 1456, the date of the second of the voyages of Cada Mosto, of which +we propose to give a separate account, till the year of his death, 1463. +From the year 1412, when he began his operations, at which time he could +scarcely exceed fifteen years of age, the navigators who had been formed +under his auspices and direction, and often instructed by himself in the +theory of navigation and cosmography, gradually explored the western +coast of Africa, from Cape Nam or Non, in lat. 28° 15', certainly to Rio +Grande, in lat. 11° N. or rather to Rio de Nuno, not quite a degree +farther south; but it is highly probable that the southern limit of +discovery in his time extended to Cabo Verga, in lat. 10° N. the northern +boundary of the country usually called the Sierra Liona, or the Ridge of +Lions, perhaps to the gulf of Mitomba, or bay of Sierra Liona, in lat. 8° +30' N. an extent of 29° 15' of latitude, or 1185 nautical miles; a mere +nothing certainly when compared with modern navigation, but a wonderful +effort in the infancy of the science, when even coasting voyages of any +extent along well known shores, and in frequented seas, were looked upon +as considerable efforts. No brilliant discovery, indeed, rewarded the +perseverance of Don Henry, and the courage of his servants; but an +indestructible foundation of useful knowledge was laid, for overthrowing +the ignorant prejudices of the age, and by which, not long afterwards, +his plans were perfected by completing the circumnavigation of Africa, +and by the discovery of the _New_ World. Dr Vincent, the learned editor +and commentator of the Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, is disposed to +limit the discoveries of Don Henry to Cape Verd[2], but Ramusio believed +that the Island of St Thomas was settled in his time; and the ingenious +translator of the Lusiad of Camoens is of opinion that some of his +commanders passed beyond the equator[3]. According to Mickle, it was the +custom of his navigators to leave his motto, _Talent de bien faire_, +wherever they came; and in 1525 Loaya, a Spanish captain, found that +device carved on the bark of a tree in the island of St Matthew, or +Anabon, in the _second_ degree of southern latitude. But this proof is +quite inconclusive, as the navigators long reared in the school of this +great prince might naturally enough continue his impress upon the +countries they visited, even after his lamented death. + +About seven years before the decease of Don Henry, two voyages were made +to the African coast by Alvise da Cada Mosto, a Venetian navigator, under +the auspices of the Duke of Viseo; but which we have chosen to separate +from the historical deduction of the Portuguese discoveries, principally +because they contain the oldest nautical journal extant, except those +already given in our First Part from the pen of the great Alfred, and are +therefore peculiarly valuable in a work of this nature. Their +considerable length, likewise, and because they were not particularly +conducive to the grand object of extending the maritime discoveries, have +induced us to detach them from the foregoing narrative, that we might +carry it down unbroken to the death of the great Don Henry. These voyages, +likewise, give us an early picture of the state of population, +civilization, and manners of the Africans, not to be met with elsewhere. + +To this we subjoin an abstract of the narrative of a voyage made by Pedro +de Cintra, a Portuguese captain, to the coast of Africa, drawn up for +Cada Mosto, at Lagos, by a young Portuguese who had been his secretary, +and who had accompanied Cintra in his voyage. The exact date of this +voyage is nowhere given; but as the death of Don Henry is mentioned in +the narrative, it probably took place in that year, 1463. + + +[1] So called from the number of hawks which were seen on these islands + when first discovered, _Açor_ signifying a hawk in the Portuguese + language; hence Açores or Açoras, pronounced Azores, signifies the + Islands of Hawks.--Clarke. + +[2] Peripl. of the Erythr. Sea, 193. + +[3] Hist. of the Disc. of India, prefixed to the translation of the Lusiad, + I. 158. + + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +ORIGINAL JOURNALS OF THE VOYAGES OF CADA MOSTO, AND PIEDRO DE CINTRA TO +THE COAST OF AFRICA; THE FORMER IN THE YEARS 1455 AND 1456, AND THE +LATTER SOON AFTERWARDS[1]. + +INTRODUCTION. + +Alvise Da Cada Mosto, a Venetian, in the service of Don Henry of Portugal, +informs us in his preface, that he was the first navigator from the +_noble city of Venice_, who had sailed on the ocean beyond the Straits of +Gibraltar, to the southern parts of Negroland, and Lower Ethiopia. These +voyages at Cada Mosto are the oldest extant in the form of a regular +journal, and were originally composed in Italian, and first printed at +Venice in 1507. This first edition is now exceedingly scarce, but there +is a copy in the kings library, and another in the valuable collection +made by Mr Dalrymple. These voyages were afterward published by Ramusio +in 1613, and by Grynæus in Latin. The latter was misled in regard to the +date; which he has inadvertently placed in 1504, after the death of +Prince Henry, and even subsequent to the discovery of the Cape of Good +Hope by Bernal Diaz. Even Ramusio, in his introduction to the voyages of +Cada Mosto, has made a mistake in saying that they were undertaken by the +orders of John king of Portugal, who died in 1433. + +Ramusio imagined that the discoveries of Cada Mosto might tend to great +importance, as he considered the rivers Senegal and Rio Grande to be +branches of the Niger, by which means the Europeans might open a trade +with the rich kingdoms of Tombuto and Melli on that river, and thus bring +gold from the countries of the Negroes, by an easier, safer, and more +expeditious manner, than as conveyed by the Moors of Barbary by land, +over the vast and dangerous deserts that intervene between the country on +the Niger and Senegal rivers, and Barbary. As, by the account of Leo, +salt is the most valuable commodity throughout the countries of the +Negroes, Ramusio proposed that the ships should take in cargoes of salt +at the island of _Sal_, one of the Cape de Verds, and thence supply the +countries on the Niger, which was reported to be navigable for 500 miles +into the interior; and that they should bring back gold and slaves in +return; the latter to be brought to market at St Jago, another of the +Cape de Verd islands, where they would be immediately bought up for the +West Indies. All this fine speculation, however, rested on mistaken +foundations; as the Niger is altogether an inland river, running to the +east, and has no communication with the Senegal and Gambia, which run +west into the Atlantic. Yet time, and the civilization of the natives on +the Senegal and Gambia, may hereafter realize this scheme of a valuable +traffic into the interior of Africa; but it is fervently to be hoped, +that the trade in slaves may never be revived. + +In his preface, after an apology for his performance, and making a +declaration of his strict adherence to truth in all the particulars he +relates, Cada Mosto gives some account of the infant Don Henriquez, or +Henry, of Portugal, the great author and promoter of maritime discoveries. +He praises him, as a prince of a great soul and sublime genius, and of +great skill in astronomy; and adds, that he applied himself entirely to +the service of Christ, by making war against the Moors. While on death- +bed, in 1432, Don John, king of Portugal, exhorted his son Don Henry to +pursue his laudable and holy purpose, of _persecuting_ the enemies of the +Christian faith, which he promised to perform; and, accordingly, with the +assistance of his brother Don Duarte, or Edward, who succeeded to the +throne of Portugal, he made war in Fez with success for many years. +Afterwards, the more effectually to harass the Moors, he used to send his +caravels, or ships of war, annually, to scour the coasts of Azafi, or Al +Saffi, and Messa, on the coast of Africa, without the Mediteranean, by +which he did them much damage. But, having in view to make discoveries +along that western coast, he ordered them every year to advance farther +towards the south. They accordingly proceeded till they came to a great +cape, which put a stop to their progress southwards for several years, +being afraid to go beyond it; whence it took the name it still retains of +Cape Non[2]; meaning, that such as went beyond should never return. Don +Henry, however, was of a different opinion, and adding three other +caravels to those which had been at the cape, sent them again next year +to make the attempt. They accordingly penetrated about 100 miles beyond +that cape, where they found only a sandy coast with no habitations, and +returned back to Portugal. + +Encouraged by this commencement of successful progress, Don Henry sent +the same fleet back next year, with orders to extend their discoveries +150 miles farther to the south, and even more if they found it proper; +and promised to enrich all who should embark in this navigation. They +went again; and, although they obeyed the instructions of the prince, +they could not improve the discoveries. Yet, firmly persuaded by the +strength of his own judgment, that people and habitations would certainly +be found at length, Don Henry continued to send out his caravels from +time to time, and they came at length to certain coasts frequented by the +Arabs of the desert, and to the habitations of the Azanaghi, a tawny race. +Thus the countries of the negroes were discovered; and different nations +afterwards, which will be mentioned in the following relation. + +Thus far the preface of Cada Mosto, as given in the collection of Astley, +from the edition of Ramusio, with which we must be satisfied in this work, +as that in the royal library is inaccessible for our use. The present +version has been carefully formed, by a comparison of Astley, with the +original in Ramusio, and with the summary by the Reverend James Stanier +Clarke, in his curious work on the progress of maritime discoveries, +which only gives a selection of what he considered to be its most +material parts. In this edition, the narrative style of Cada Mosto, in +his own person, is restored as much as possible. It may be noticed, that +Alvise is the Portuguese form of the name Louis, or Lewis. + +In addition to the two voyages of Cada Mosto himself, there is a third +voyage included in the present chapter, performed by Piedro de Cintra to +the same coast, the narrative of which was communicated to Cada Mosto by +one who had accompanied Cintra, and had been clerk to Cada Mosto in the +two former voyages. + + +[1] Astley, Col. of Voy. and Trav. I. 573. Clarke, Prog. of Marit. Disc. + I. 235. + +[2] According to De Faria, as already mentioned in Chap. II. Sect. I Cape + Non was doubled, and Cape Bojador discovered in 1415, many years + before the death of King John. The present recapitulation by Cada + Mosto has been left in his own words, without insisting on the + exactness of his chronology.--Astley. + + + +SECTION I. + +_Voyage of Cada Mosto from Venice to Cape St Vincent: He enters into the +service of Don Henry, and sets out for the New Discoveries: Relation of +the Voyage to Madeira and the Canaries; with some Account of these +islands, and their Inhabitants_. + +I, Alvise Da Cada Mosto, after visiting many parts of our Mediterranean +Sea, being in our city of Venice in the year 1454, at which time I was +about twenty-two years of age, determined to return into Flanders, a +country which I had formerly visited as a merchant; for my constant +attention was, in the first place to acquire wealth, and secondly to +procure fame. On the 8th of August in that year 1454, I embarked in one +of the gallies belonging to the republic, commanded by Marco Zen, a +Venetian cavalier. Contrary winds detained us for some days off Cape St +Vincent; during which, I learnt that Don Henry, the infant of Portugal, +resided in the adjoining village of Reposera, or Sagres, to which he had +retired in order to pursue his studies without interruption from the +tumult of the world. Hearing of our arrival, the prince sent on board of +our galley Antonio Gonzales his secretary, accompanied by Patricio de +Conti[1], a Venetian, who was consul for the republic in Portugal, as +appeared by his commission, and who also received a salary or pension +from Don Henry. These gentlemen brought on board, and exhibited to us +samples of Madeira sugar, dragons blood, and other commodities of the +countries and islands belonging to the prince, which had been discovered +under his patronage. They asked us many questions, and informed us that +the prince had caused some lately discovered and uninhabited islands to +be settled and cultivated, as a proof of which, they had shewn us the +before-mentioned valuable productions; adding, that all this was next to +nothing, in comparison of the great things which Don Henry had performed; +as he had discovered seas which had never been navigated before, and the +countries of divers strange, and hitherto unknown nations, where many +wonderful things were found. They told us farther, that the Portuguese +who had been in these remote parts, had reaped great advantages by +trading with the inhabitants; having gained as high as 700 or even 1000 +per cent, on the capitals employed. We were all much astonished at these +things; and I Cada Mosto in particular, being inflamed with the desire of +visiting these newly discovered regions, inquired if the prince permitted +any person who might be so inclined to embark for these places? To this +they answered in the affirmative; and they likewise stated to me the +conditions on which any one would be allowed to make the adventure. These +were, either to be at the whole expence of fitting out and freighting a +vessel; or at the expence of the freight only, the prince providing a +vessel. In the former case, the adventurer had to allow on his return one +quarter of his cargo, as duty to the prince, the rest remaining his own +entire propriety; in the latter case, the homeward cargo was to be +equally divided between the prince and the adventurer. In case of no +returns, the prince was at the entire expence of the voyage; but that it +was hardly possible to make the voyage without great profit. They added, +that the prince would be much pleased to have any Venetian in his service, +and would shew him great favour, being of opinion that spices and other +rich merchandise might be found in these parts, and knowing that the +Venetians understood these commodities better than any other nation. + +Influenced by all this, I accompanied the secretary and consul on shore, +and waited on the prince, who confirmed all those things which they had +said, and encouraged me to embark in the voyage to his new countries, by +promises of honour and profit. Being young, and of a constitution to +endure fatigue, and desirous to visit those parts of the world which had +never been even known to any Venetian, and likewise in hopes to advance +my fortune, I accepted of the invitation. Having, therefore, procured +information respecting the commodities which it was proper to carry with +me on such a voyage, I returned to the gallies, where I disposed of all +the goods I had shipped for the low countries, and carried to land such +things as were necessary for my intended expedition; and leaving the +gallies to pursue their voyage to Flanders, I landed in Portugal. The +prince evinced much satisfaction at my resolution, and entertained me +handsomely at Sagres for a considerable time. At length he ordered me to +fit out a new caravel, of about ninety tons burden, of which Vincent Diaz, +a native of Lagos, about sixteen miles from Sagres, was commander. The +caravel being in readiness, and furnished with every thing necessary for +the voyage, we set sail on the 22d of March 1455, having a favourable +wind at north-east, and by north[2], and steered our course for the +island of Madeira. On the 25th of that month we came to the island of +_Puerto Santo_, which is about 600 miles southward from Cape St Vincent, +whence we took our departure. + +Puerto Santo was discovered by the Portuguese on All Saints day, about +the year 1418[3], and Don Henry first sent inhabitants to settle there +under Bartholomew Perestrello, whom he appointed governor. It is about +fifteen miles in circuit[4]. It bears good bread corn, and a sufficiency +of oats for its own use; and abounds with cattle and wild hogs, and +innumerable rabbits[5]. Among other trees, it produces the drago or +dragon tree, the sap or juice of which is drawn out only at certain +seasons of the year, when it issues from cuts or clefts, made with an axe +near the bottom of the tree in the preceding year. These clefts are found +full of a kind of gum; which, decocted and depurated, is the dragons- +blood of the apothecaries[6]. The tree bears a yellow fruit, round like +like a cherry, and well tasted. This island produces the best honey and +wax in the world, but not in any quantity. It has no harbour, but a good +road in which vessels may moor in safety, being well sheltered on all +sides, except the quarters between the south and east, all of which winds +make it unsafe to ride here at anchor. There is plenty of excellent fish +on its shores; such as dentili, gilded fish, and others. + +From Puerto Santo, which was discovered twenty-seven years before, we +sailed on the 28th of March, and came the same day to _Monchrico_ or +Machico, one of the ports of the island of Madeira, forty miles distant +from Puerto Santo. In fair weather these islands may be seen from each +other. This latter island was only inhabited within the last twenty-four +years, when the prince appointed two of his gentlemen to be its governors. +Tristan Vaz having the government of that half of the island in which the +port of Monchrico is situated; and the other district of the island, in +which Fonzal, Fonchial, or Funchal stands, is under the government of +John Gonzales Zarcho. The island of Madeira is inhabited in four several +places: Monchrico, Santa Cruz, Fonzal, and Camera-di-Lupi, which are its +principal places, though there are other minor establishments; and is +able to muster about 800 men able to bear arms, of whom an hundred are +horse. There are about eight rivers, which pervade the island in +different places; by means of which they have many saw-mills, from which +Portugal and other places are supplied with boards of many different +sorts. Of these boards, two sorts are in particular estimation, and turn +most to account. The one is cedar, which has a strong odoriferous smell, +and resembles the cypress tree; of this they make fine, large, and long +boards or deals, which they employ for building houses, and for various +other purposes. The other, called nasso[7], is of a red-rose colour, and +extremely beautiful; of which they make excellent and very beautiful bows +and cross-bows, which are sent into the west. In order to clear the land, +the first settlers set fire to the woods, and the fire spread with such +fury, that several persons, with their families, and Gonzales Zarcho +among the rest, were forced to take shelter in the sea to save themselves +from the flames, where they stood up to their necks for two days and two +nights without sustenance. Though this island is mountainous, its soil is +rich and fertile, and it produces yearly 30,000 Venetian _staras_[8] of +bread corn. At first, the newly cultivated land yielded seventy for one, +but has since been reduced to thirty or forty, for want of good husbandry. +Owing to the excellence of its soil and climate, and the abundance of +springs and rivers, Prince Henry procured sugar canes from Sicily, which +he sent to this island, where they have yielded abundant produce; +insomuch, that 400 cantaros of sugar, each containing 112 pounds large +weight of Venice, have been made at one boiling, and the quantity was +likely to increase[9]. They have likewise good wines, considering how +shortly this culture has been introduced; and in such abundance, that +large quantities are exported. Among other kinds of vines, Don Henry sent +thither _Malvasia_ plants, procured from the island of Candia, which have +succeeded well. The soil has turned out so favourable for the vine, that +in general there are more grapes than leaves, and the bundles are very +large, even from two to four spans long. They have likewise the black +_Pergola_ grape, without stones, in great perfection; and so well is the +climate adapted to this culture, that they begin their vintage about +Easter, or at least by the octave after. + +We sailed from Madeira, following a southerly course, and arrived at the +Canary islands, which are at the distance of about 320 miles from Madeira. +There are seven of these islands in all, four of which have been settled +by the Christians, Lançerotta, Fuerteventura, Gomera, and Ferro; over +which Herrera[10], a Spanish gentleman, is lord. Large quantities of an +herb called _Oricello_ or Orchel[11], are annually sent from these +islands to Cadiz and Seville, which is used in dying, and is sent from +these places to all parts of Europe. Great quantities of excellent goat +skins are exported from these islands, which likewise produce abundance +of tallow, and good cheese. The original inhabitants of the four islands +that are subject to the Christians, are _Canarians_[12], who speak +various languages or dialects, not well understood between the different +tribes. These people have only open villages, without any fortifications; +except on the mountains, which are exceedingly high, and there they have +a kind of rude walls or redoubts, to flee to in case of need. The passes +of these mountains are so difficult of access, that a few resolute men +might defend them against an army. The other three islands of this group, +Grand Canaria, Teneriffe, and Palma, which are larger and better peopled +than the other four, are still unsubdued and possessed by the aboriginal +idolaters. Grand Canaria has between eight and nine thousand souls, and +Teneriffe, which is the largest of all these islands, is said to contain +fourteen or fifteen thousand, and is divided into nine separate lordships. +Palma, however, has very few inhabitants, yet it appears to be a very +beautiful island. Every lordship seems to have its own mode of religious +worship; as in Teneriffe, there were no less than nine different kinds of +idolatry; some worshipping the sun, others the moon, and so forth. They +practise polygamy, and the lords have the jus primae noctis, which is +considered as conferring great honour. On the accession of any new lord, +it is customary for some persons to offer themselves to die as a +sacrifice to his honour. On this occasion, the lord holds a great +festival on his accession day; when all who are willing to give this +cruel proof of their attachment, are attended to the summit of a high +cliff in a certain valley, where, after some peculiar ceremonies, and +certain words muttered over them, the victims precipitate themselves from +the cliff, and are dashed to pieces. In reward of this sanguinary homage, +the lords consider themselves bound to heap extraordinary honours and +rewards on the parents of the victims. + +Teneriffe, which is the largest of these islands, and the best inhabited, +is one of highest islands in the world, and is seen in clear weather from +a great distance; insomuch, that I was informed by some mariners, that it +had been descried at the distance of between sixty and seventy Spanish +leagues, which make about 250 Italian miles. In the middle of the island, +there is a prodigiously high peaked mountain, shaped like a diamond, +which is always burning. I received this account from some Christians, +who had been prisoners in the island, who affirmed that it was fifteen +Portuguese leagues, or sixty Italian miles, from the bottom of the +mountain to the top of the peak. + +They have nine lords on this island, who are called dukes, and who do not +succeed by inheritance or descent, but by force; on which account they +have perpetual civil wars among themselves, in which they commit great +slaughter. Their only weapons are stones, maces or clubs, and darts or +lances, some of which are pointed with horn, and others have their points +hardened in the fire. They all go naked, except a few who wear goat skins +before and behind. They anoint their skins with goats tallow, mixed up +with the juice of certain herbs, which thickens the skin, and defends +them against the cold, of which they complain much, although their +country is so far to the south. They have neither walled, nor thatched +houses, but dwell in grottos and caverns of the mountains. They feed on +barley, flesh, and goats milk, of which they have abundance, and some +fruits, particularly figs. As the country is very hot, they reap their +corn in April and May. + +We learnt all these things from the Christians of the four settled +islands, who sometimes go over by night to the three other islands, and +make prisoners of the natives, whom they send into Spain to be sold as +slaves. Sometimes the Spaniards are themselves made prisoners on these +expeditions, on which occasions the natives do not put them to death, but +employ them to kill and flea their goats, and to cure the flesh, which +they look upon as a vile employment, and therefore condemn their +Christian prisoners to that labour in contempt. The native Canarians are +very active and nimble, and are exceedingly agile in running and leaping, +being accustomed to traverse the cliffs of their rugged mountains. They +skip barefooted from rock to rock like goats, and sometimes take leaps of +most surprising extent and danger, which are scarcely to be believed. +They throw stones with great strength and wonderful exactness, so as to +hit whatever they aim at with almost perfect certainty, and almost with +the force of a bullet from a musket; insomuch that a few stones thrown by +them will break a buckler to pieces. I once saw a native Canarian, who +had become a Christian, who offered to give three persons twelve oranges +a-piece, and taking twelve to himself, engaged, at eight or ten paces +distance, to strike his antagonists with every one of his oranges, and at +the same time to parry all theirs, so that they should hit no part of him +but his hands. But no one would take up the wager, as they all knew he +could perform even better than he mentioned. I was on land in Gomera and +Ferro, and touched also at the island of Palma, but did not land there. + + +[1] In Grynaeus, this person is called a patrician or nobleman of Venice, + and his surname is omitted.--Astley. + +[2] _Con Veuto da greco et tramantana in poppe_; literally, having a Greek, + and _beyond the mountain_ wind in the poop. The points of the compass, + in Italian maps, are thus named, N. _Tramontana_. N. E. _Greco_. E. + _Levante_ S. E. _Sirocco_. S. _Mezzoni_. S. W. _Libeccio_. W. + _Ponente_. N. W. _Maestro_.--Clarke. + +[3] This date ought to have been 1413.--Astl. + +[4] Barbot says eight leagues; other authors say more, and some less. It + is about twelve leagues to the north-east of Madeira.--Astl. + +[5] When Sir Amias Preston took this island in 1595, it abounded in corn, + wine, and oil, and had good store of sheep, asses, goats, and kine. + There was also plenty of fowl, fish, and fruits.--Astl. + +[6] From this account it seems to be an inspissated juice.--Astley. This + tree has probably received its name from the bark being like the + scales of a serpent. About the full of the moon it exudes a vermilion + coloured gum. That which grows on the islands and coasts of Africa is + more astringent than what comes from Goa. It is found on high rocky + land. Bartholomew Stibbs met with it on the banks of the Gambia river, + and describes it under the name of _Par de Sangoe_, or blood-wood tree. + The gum is a red, inodorous, and insipid resin, soluble in alcohol and + oils; and when dissolved by the former, is used for staining marble. + --Clarke. + +[7] The woods of Madeira are cedar, vigniatico, laurus Indicus, which has + a considerable resemblance to mahogany, barbuzano, chesnut, and the + beautiful mirmulano, and paobranco.--Clark. + +[8] This measure is said to weigh about thirty-three English pounds, so + that the quantity mentioned in the text amounts to 1850 quarters + English measure.--Astl. + +[9] I suppose he means at one crop. The quantity in the text, reduced to + avoirdupois weight, amounts to twenty-eight hogsheads, at sixteen + hundred weight each.--Astl. + +[10] In Clarke, this person is named Ferrero; perhaps the right name of + this person was Fernando Pereira, who subdued Gomera and Ferro.--E. + +[11] A species of moss, or lichen rather, that grows on the rocks, and is + used by dyers.--Clarke. + +[12] Other authors call the natives of the Canaries _Guanchos_.--E. + + + +SECTION II. + +_Continuation of the Voyage by Cape Branco, the Coast of Barbary, and the +Fortia of Arguin; with some account of the Arabs, the Azanaghi, and the +Country of Tegazza._ + +Leaving the Canaries, we pursued our course towards Ethiopia, and arrived +in a few days at Cape Branco, which is about 870 miles from these islands. +In this passage, steering south, we kept at a great distance from the +African shore on our left, as the Canaries are, far-advanced into the sea +towards the west. We stood almost directly south for two-thirds of the +way between the islands and the Cape, after which we changed our course +somewhat more towards the east, or left-hand, that we might fall in with +the land, lest we should have overpassed the Cape without seeing it +because no land appears afterwards so far to the west for a considerable +space. The coast of Africa, to the southwards of Cape Bronco, falls in +considerably to the eastwards, forming a great bay or gulf, called the +_Forna of Arguin_, from a small island of that name. This gulf extends +about fifty miles into the land, and has three other islands, one of +which is named _Branco_ by the Portuguese, or the White Island, on +account of its white sands; the second is called _Garze_, or the Isle of +Herons, where they found so many eggs of certain seabirds as to load two +boats; the third is called _Curoi_, or Cori. These islands are all small, +sandy, and uninhabited. In that of Arguin there is plenty of fresh water, +but there is none in any of the others. It is proper to observe, that on +keeping to the southwards, from the Straits of Gibraltar, the coast of +exterior Barbary is inhabited no farther than Cape Cantin[1], from whence +to Cape Branco is the sandy country or desert, called _Saara_ or +_Saharra_ by the natives, which is divided from Barbary or Morocco on the +north by the mountains of Atlas, and borders on the south with the +country of the Negroes, and would require a journey of fifty days to +cross,--in some places more, in others less. This desert reaches to the +ocean, and is all a white dry sand, quite low and level, so that no part +of it seems higher than any other. Cape _Branco_, or the White Cape, so +named by the Portuguese from its white colour, without trees or verdure, +is a noble promontory of a triangular shape, having three separate points +about a mile from each other. + +Innumerable quantities of large and excellent fish of various kinds are +caught on this coast, similar in taste to those we have at Venice, but +quite different in shape and appearance. The gulf of Arguin is shallow +all over, and is full of shoals both of rocks and sand; and, as the +currents are here very strong, there is no sailing except by day, and +even then with the lead constantly heaving. Two ships have been already +lost on these shoals. Cape _Branco_ lies S.W. of Cape Cantin, or rather S. +and by W. Behind Cape Branco there is a place called Hoden, six days +journey inland on camels, which is not walled, but is much frequented by +the Arabs and caravans, which trade between Tombucto,[2] and other places +belonging to the Negroes, and the western parts of Barbary. The +provisions at Hoden are dates and barley, which they have in plenty, and +the inhabitants drink the milk of camels and other animals, as they have +no wine. They have some cows and goats, the former being greatly smaller +than those of Italy; but the number of these is not great, as the country +is very dry. The inhabitants are all Mahometans, and great enemies to the +Christians, and have no settled habitations, but wander continually over +the deserts. They frequent the country of the Negroes, and visit that +side of Barbary which is next the Mediterranean. On these expeditions +they travel in numerous caravans, with great trains of camels, carrying +brass, silver, and other articles, to Tombucto and the country of the +Negroes, whence they bring back gold and _melhegette_, or cardamom +seeds[3]. These people are all of a tawny colour, and both sexes wear a +single white garment with a red border, without any linen next their skins. +The men wear turbans, in the Moorish fashion, and go always barefooted. In +the desert there are many lions, leopards, and ostriches, the eggs of +which I have often eaten, and found them very good. + +Don Henry has farmed out the trade of the island of Arguin, under the +following regulations. No person must enter this gulf to trade with the +Arabs, except those who are licensed according to the ordinance, and have +habitations and factors on the island, and have been accustomed to +transact business with the Arabs on that coast. The articles of +merchandize chiefly provided for this trade are, woollen cloth and linen, +silver trinkets, _aldtizeli_ or frocks, and cloaks, and other things, and +above all, wheat; and the Arabs give in return negro slaves and gold. A +castle has been built on the isle of Arguin, by order of the prince, to +protect this trade, on account of which caravels or ships arrive there +every year from Portugal. + +The Arabs of this coast have many Barbary horses, which they carry to the +country of the Negroes, which they barter with the great men for slaves, +receiving from ten to eighteen men for each horse, according to their +goodness. They also carry thither silken staffs of Granada and Tunis, +with silver, and many other things, in return for which they receive +great numbers of slaves and some gold. These slaves are brought first to +Hoden in the desert, and thence by the mountains of Barka into Barbary, +whence they are transported across the Mediterranean into Sicily. Part of +them are sold in Tunis, and in other places along the coast of Barbary; +and the rest are brought to Arguin, where they are sold to the licensed +Portuguese traders, who purchase between seven and eight hundred every +year, and send them for sale into Portugal. Before the establishment of +this trade at Arguin, the Portuguese used to send every year four or more +caravels to the bay of Arguin, the crews of which, landing well armed in +the night, were in use to surprise some of the fishing villages, and +carry off the inhabitants into slavery. They even penetrated sometimes a +considerable way into the interior, and carried off the Arabs of both +sexes, whom they sold as slaves in Portugal. + +Leaving Arguin we sailed along the coast to the river Senegal[4], which +is very large, and divides the people called Azanaghi, or Azanhaji, from +the first kingdom of the Negroes. The Azanhaji are of a tawny colour, or +rather of a deep brown complexion, and inhabit some parts of the coast +beyond Cape Branco, ranging through the deserts, and their district +reaches to the confines of the Arabs of Hoden. They live on dates, barley, +and the milk of camels; but as they border likewise on the country of the +Negroes, they carry on trade with these people, from whom they procure +millet and pulse, particularly beans. Owing to the scarcity of provisions +in the desert, the Azanhaji are but spare eaters, and are able to endure +hunger with wonderful patience, as a poringer of barley-meal made into +hasty-pudding will serve them a whole day. The Portuguese used to carry +away many of these people for slaves, as they were preferred to the +negroes; but for some time past this has been prohibited by Don Henry, +and peace and trade has been established with them, as he is in hopes +they may be easily brought over to the catholic faith by intercourse with +the Christians, more especially as they are not hitherto thoroughly +established in the superstitions of Mahomet, of which they know nothing +but by hearsay. These Azenhaji have an odd custom of wearing a +handkerchief round their heads, a part of which is brought down so as to +cover their eyes, and even their nose and mouth; for they reckon the +mouth an unclean part, because it is constantly belching and has a bad +smell, and ought therefore to be kept out of sight; even comparing it to +the posteriors, and thinking that both ought alike to be concealed. On +this account they never let their mouths be seen except when eating, as I +have often had occasion to observe. They have no lords among them, but +the rich men are respected somewhat more than the rest. They are of +ordinary stature, and very lean, wearing their black hair frizzled over +their shoulders like the Germans, and grease it daily with fish oil, +which gives them a nasty smell; yet they consider this as modish. They +are extremely poor, egregious liars, the greatest thieves in the world, +and very treacherous. They have never heard of any Christians except the +Portuguese, with whom they had war for thirteen or fourteen years, in +which many of them were carried off as slaves, as has been already +mentioned. Many of these people informed me, that, when they first saw +ships under sail, which had never been beheld by any of their ancestors, +they took them for large birds with white wings, that had come from +foreign parts; and when the sails were furled, they conjectured, from +their length, and swimming on the water, that they must be great fish. +Others again believed that they were spirits, who wandered about by night; +because they were seen at anchor in the evening at one place, and would +be seen next morning 100 miles off, either proceeding along the coast to +the southwards, or put back, according as the wind changed, or the +caravels might happen to steer. They could not conceive how human beings +could travel more in one night than they were able to perform themselves +in three days; by which they were confirmed in the notion of the ships +being spirits. All this was certified to me by many of the Azanhaji who +were slaves in Portugal, as well as by the Portuguese mariners who had +frequented the coast in their caravels. + +About six days journey by land from Hoden, there is a place called +Teggazza[5], which in our language signifies a chest or bag of gold. In +this place large quantities of salt are dug up every year, and carried by +caravans on camels to _Tombucto_ and thence to the empire of _Melli_, +which belongs to the Negroes. Oh arriving there, they dispose of their +salt in the course of eight days, at the rate of between two and three +hundred _mitigals_, or ducats, for each load, according to the quantity, +and then return with their gold. + + +[1] This is erroneous, as there are several towns on the coast of Morocco + beyond this Cape, as Saffia, Mogadore, Santa Cruz, and others. + Cape Cantin is in lat. 32°30'N. and the river _Sus_ in 30°25', which + is 140 miles to the south. There are no towns on the coast beyond that + river; but the northern limit of the _Sahara_, or great desert, is in + lat. 27°40', 186 miles to the south of the river _Sus_, and is surely + inhabited by wandering Arabs. Even the great desert, which extends 750 + miles from north to south, almost to the river Senegal, is thinly + interspersed by several wandering tribes of the _Azanhaji_.--E. + +[2] Called Tombuto in the original, and Ataubat in Grynaeus.--Astl. Hoden + stands in an _ouasis_, or watered island, in the sea of sand, or great + desert, about lat. 19°20'N. and W. long. 11°40'.--E. + +[3] Under the general name of _Azanhaji_, which probably signifies the + pilgrims or wanderers of the desert, the Nomadic Arabs or Moors are + distinguished into various tribes; as Beni-amir, Beni-sabi, Hilil + Arabs, Ludajas, and Hagi; sometimes called Monselmines, Mongearts, + Wadelims, Labdessebas, and Trasarts; all named in their order from + north to south, as occupying the desert towards the Atlantic.--E. + +[4] In the text this river is named Senega, and its name probably + signifies the river of the Azanhaji. It Is called in Ramusio _Oro + Tiber_.--F. + +[5] The name of this place is explained as signifying a chest or bag of + gold. There is a place marked in the Saharra, or great sandy desert; + under the name of _Tisheet_, where there are salt mines, in lat. 17° + 40' N. and long. 6° 40' W. which may possibly be Teggazza. The + distance of Tisheet from Hoden in our maps is about 375 miles E. S. E. + But there are other salt mines in the desert still farther to the east. + --E. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Of the Empire of Melli, and some curious particulars of the Salt Trade: +Of the Trade in Gold: Of the, Azanhaji; and concerning swarms of Locusts_. + +The empire of Melli, of which some mention has been made in the preceding +Section, is situated in an extremely hot climate, and affords very bad +nourishment for beasts; insomuch, that out of an hundred camels which go +from the desert into that country, scarcely twenty-five return; several +even of the Arabs and Azanhaji, belonging to the caravans, sicken and die +likewise every year. There are no quadrupeds kept by the natives of the +country, as indeed none can live there for any time. It is reckoned to be +forty days journey on horseback from Tegazza to Tombuctu, and thirty from +thence to Melli[1]. Having inquired what use the merchants of Melli made +of this salt, the traders of the desert informed me, that a part of it +was consumed in that country, which lying near the line, where the days +and nights are of equal length, certain seasons of the year are so +excessively hot that the blood of the inhabitants would putrify, if it +were not for the salt, and they would all die. They have no art or +mystery in its use; but every one dissolves a small piece every day in a +porringer of water, and drinks it off, which in their opinion preserves +their health. + +The remainder of the salt is carried a long way in pieces on mens heads, +every piece being as large as a man can well bear. As brought from +Teggazza, the salt is in large pieces as taken out of the mine, each +camel being loaded with two pieces, and the negroes break these down into +smaller pieces, for the convenience of carrying them on their heads, and +muster a large number of footmen for this yearly traffic. These porters +have each a long forked stick in their hands; and, when tired, they rest +their loads on these sticks. They proceed in this manner till they arrive +on the banks of a certain water, but whether fresh or salt my informer +could not say, yet I am of opinion that it must be a river, because, if +it were the sea, the inhabitants could not be in want of salt in so hot a +climate. The negroes are hired to carry it in this manner for want of +camels or other beasts of burden, as already mentioned; and, from what +has been said, it may easily be concluded that the number, both of the +carriers and consumers must be very great. When arrived at the water side, +the proprietors of the salt place their shares in heaps in a row, at +small distances, setting each a particular mark on his own heap; and when +this is done, the whole company retires half a days journey from the +place. Then the other negroes, who are the purchasers of the salt, who +seem to be the inhabitants of certain islands, but who will on no account +be seen or spoken to, come in boats to the place where the heaps of salt +are placed, and after laying a sum in gold on each heap as its price, +retire in their turns. After they are gone, the owners of the salt return, +and if the quantity of gold on their heaps is satisfactory to them, they +take it away and leave the salt; if not, they leave both and withdraw +again. In this manner they carry on their traffick, without seeing or +speaking to each other, and this custom is very ancient among them, as +has been affirmed to me for truth by several merchants of the desert, +both Arabs and Azanhaji, and other creditable persons[2]. + +On inquiring how it came to pass that the emperor of Melli, whom they +represented as a powerful sovereign, did not find means, by friendship or +force, to discover who these people were who would not suffer themselves +to be seen or talked to, I was informed that this emperor, not many years +ago, resolved to procure some of these invisible people, and held a +council on the occasion, in which the following plan was devised and +carried into execution. Before the salt caravan returned the half days +journey from their salt heaps, some of the emperors people made certain +pits by the water side, and near the place where the salt was left, and +when the negroes came to deposit their gold on the salt, those who were +concealed in the pits attacked them suddenly and took four of them +prisoners, all the rest making their escape. Three of those who were thus +taken were immediately set free by the captors, who judged that one would +be quite sufficient to satisfy the curiosity of their emperor, and that +the negroes would be the less offended. But after all, the design proved +abortive; for though spoken to in various languages, the prisoner would +neither speak or take any victuals, and died at the end of four days. On +this account, the Melli negroes concluded that these other negroes were +dumb; but others were of opinion, that being endowed with the human form, +they must necessarily have the power of speech; but, that finding himself +treated in this manner, so contrary to ancient custom, he refused to +speak from indignation. This untoward result was much regretted by the +negroes of Melli, because it prevented them from gratifying the curiosity +of their emperor; who, on being informed of this persons death, was much +dissatisfied, yet asked what manner of men the prisoners were. He was +accordingly informed that they were of a deep black colour, well shaped, +and a span taller than the natives of Melli. That their under lip was +thicker than a mans fist, of a very red colour, and hung down on their +breasts, with something like blood dropping from it; but that their upper +lips were small, like those of other men. That the form of the under lip +exposed their gums and teeth, which were larger than their own, having +great teeth in each corner of their mouth, with large black eyes, and +altogether a terrible appearance, as the gums dropped blood continually, +as well as the great hanging under lip. + +This cross accident prevented all the succeeding emperors of Melli from +making any farther attempt of the kind; because, from that time, these +negroes forbore, for three years, from coming to buy salt as usual. It is +believed that their lips began to putrify, through the excessive heat of +the climate; and being no longer able to endure a distemper, of which +some must have died for want of the effectual remedy which they had +experienced from the use of salt, they returned of their own accord to +traffic for that commodity in the old way. All this has established an +opinion that they cannot live without salt; the negroes of Melli judging +of the case of others by their own. As for the emperor of Melli, he cares +not whether these blacks will speak, and be seen or not, so that that he +has the profit of their gold[3]. This is all I could learn on this +subject, which I think may be credited, as so many persons have vouched +for its truth, of which I, who have both seen and heard of many wonderful +things in this world, am perfectly satisfied. + +The gold brought to Melli is divided into three parts. One part is sent +by the caravan which goes annually from Melli to _Kokhia_[4], which lies +on the road to Syria and Cairo. The other two parts go first to Tombuctu, +whence one of them goes by _Toet_[5] to Tunis and other ports of the +Barbary coast, and the other portion is carried to Hoden, and from thence +to _Oran_ and _One_[6], towns in Barbary, which are within the Straits of +Gibraltar, and to Fez, Morocco, Arzila, Azafi, and Messa, towns on the +African coast of the Atlantic, where the Italians and other Christians +procure it from the Moors, in return for various commodities. Gold is the +best and principal commodity which comes through the country of the +Azanhaji, and a part of it is brought every year from Hoden to Arguin, +where it is bartered with the Portuguese[7]. + +No money is coined in the land of the _Tawny Moors_, or Azenhaji; nor is +any money used by them, or in any of the neighbouring countries; but all +their trade is carried on by bartering one commodity against another. In +some of their inland towns, the Arabs and Azanbaji use small white +porcelain shells, or cowries; which are brought from the Levant to Venice, +and sent from thence into Africa. These are used for small purchases. The +gold is sold by a weight named _mitigal_, which is nearly equal in value +to a ducat. The inhabitants of the desert have neither religion nor +sovereign; but those who are richest, and have the greatest number of +retainers and dependents, are considered as chiefs or lords. The women +are tawny, and wear cotton garments, which are manufactured in the +country of the Negroes; but some of them wear a kind of cloaks, or upper +garments, called Alkhezeli, and they have no smocks. She who has the +largest and longest breasts, is reputed the greatest beauty; on which +account, when they have attained to the age of seventeen or eighteen, and +their breasts are somewhat grown, they tie a cord very tight around the +middle of each breast, which presses very hard and breaks them, so that +they hang down; and by pulling at these cords frequently, they grow +longer and longer, till at length in some women they reach as low as the +navel. The men of the desert ride on horseback after the fashion of the +Moors; and the desert being everywhere very hot, and having very little +water, and extremely barren, they can keep very few horses, and those +they have are short lived. It only rains in the months of August, +September and October. I was informed that vast swarms of locusts appear +in this country some years, in such infinite numbers as to darken the air, +and even to hide the sun from view, covering the horizon as far as the +eye can reach, which is from twelve to sixteen miles in compass; and, +wherever they settle they strip the ground entirely bare. These locusts +are like grasshoppers, as long as ones finger, and of a red and yellow +colour. They come every third or fourth year, and if they were to pay +their visits every year, there would be no living in the country. While I +was on the coast, I saw them in prodigious and incredible numbers. + + +[1] The distance between Tisheet and Tombuctu, according to our best maps, + is about 560 miles E. and by S. In the same proportion, supposing + Tisheet to be Teggazza, the distance between Tombuctu and Melli ought + to be about 420 miles. Of Melli we have no traces in our modern maps, + but it may possibly be referred to _Malel_, the apparent capital of + Lamlem; see Pinkert. Geogr. II. 917, as laid down from the Arabian + geographers, nearly 1200 miles E.S.E. from Tombuctu.--E. + +[2] This story is probably a fiction, proceeding upon a trade of barter + between parties who did not understand the languages of each other. + The succeeding part of the story seems a mere fable, without the + smallest foundation whatever.--E. + +[3] Few persons, perhaps, will be disposed to think the credit of the + Africans, however positive, or the belief of the author, however + strong, sufficient evidence of the truth of this story. Yet it + certainly is a common report of the country, and not the invention of + Cada Mosto. Jobson, who was at the Gambra or Gambia in 1620, repeats + the whole substance of this story; and Movette relates the + circumstances of the blacks trafficking for salt without being seen, + which he had from the Moors of Morocco. He leaves out, however, the + story of the frightful lips. Every fiction has its day; and that part + is now out of date.--Astl. + +[4] Melli being itself unknown, we can hardly look to discover the + situation of Kokhia or Cochia; but it may possibly be Kuku, a town and + district to the N.E. of Bornou, which lies in the direction of the + text; or it may be Dar Kulla, greatly more to the S.W. but still in + the same track.--E. + +[5] In Grynaeus this place is called Ato. As in the direction of the + caravan from Tombuto towards Tunis, it may possibly be Taudeny, an + ouasis or island of the great desert, in lat. 21° 30' N.--E. + +[6] Called Hona in Grynaeus. What part of Barbary this name may refer to + does not appear. But the passage ought perhaps to run thus, "_to Oran + by the Mountain of Wan_," as there is a range mountains of that name + to the S. E. of Oran, which joins the chain of Atlas, or the Ammer + Mountains.--E. + +[7] This is the earliest account of the places from whence gold is brought, + and of the course of its trade through Africa, and thence into Europe; + and is even more particular and exact than any that has been given by + later authors.--Astl. + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Of the River Senegal and the Jalofs, with some Account of the Manners, +Customs, Government, Religion, and Dress of that Nation_. + +Leaving Cape Branco, and the Gulf of Arguin, we continued our course +along the coast to the river Senegal, which divides the desert and the +tawny Azanhaji from the fruitful lands of the Negroes. Five years before +I went on this voyage, this river was discovered by three caravels +belonging to Don Henry, which entered it, and their commanders settled +peace and trade with the Moors; since which time ships have been sent to +this place every year to trade with the natives[1]. The river Senegal is +of considerable size, being a mile wide at the mouth, and of sufficient +depth. A little farther on it has another entrance, and between the two, +there is an island which forms a cape, running into the sea, having sand- +banks at each mouth that extend a mile from the shore[2]. All ships that +frequent the Senegal ought carefully to observe the course of the tides, +the flux and reflux of which extend for seventy miles up the river, as I +was informed by certain Portuguese, who had been a great way up this +river with their caravels. From Cape Branco, which is 280 miles distant, +the whole coast is sandy till within twenty miles of the river. This is +called the coast of _Anterota_, and belongs entirely to the Azanhaji or +Tawny Moors. I was quite astonished to find so prodigious a difference in +so narrow a space, as appeared at the Senegal: For, on the south side of +the river, the inhabitants are all exceedingly black, tall, corpulent and +well proportioned, and the country all clothed in fine verdure, and full +of fruit trees; whereas, on the north side of the river, the men are +tawny, meagre, and of small stature, and the country all dry and barren. +This river, in the opinion of the learned, is a branch of the _Gihon_, +which flows from the Terrestrial Paradise, and was named the Niger by the +ancients, which flows through the whole of Ethiopia, and which, on +approaching the ocean to the west, divides into many other branches. The +_Nile_, which is another branch of the Gihon, falls into the +Mediterranean, after flowing through Egypt[3]. + +The first kingdom of the Negroes is on the banks of the Senegal, and its +inhabitants are called _Gilofi_ or Jalofs. All the country is low, not +only from the north to that river, but also beyond it, as far south as +Cape Verd, which is the highest land on all this coast, and is 400 miles +from Cape Branco. This kingdom of the Jalofs, on the Senegal, is bounded +on the east by the country called _Tukhusor_; on the south by the kingdom +of _Gambra_ or Gambia; on the west by the Atlantic Ocean; and on the +north by the river Senegal and the Azanhaji[4]. The king who reigned in +Senegal in my time was named Zukholin, and was twenty-two years old. This +kingdom is not hereditary; but for the most part, three or four of the +principal lords, of whom there are many in the country, choose a king, in +the event of a vacancy, but always fix their choice on a person of noble +lineage, who reigns only as long as he gives satisfaction to these great +lords. They often dethrone their kings by force; who, on the other hand, +often render; themselves so powerful as to stand on their defence. This +renders the government unsettled, and is productive of civil wars; +similar to Egypt, where the Soldan of Cairo is always in fear of being +killed or banished. + +The people are savages, and extremely poor, having no walled towns, and +their villages are entirely composed of thatched cottages. They use +neither lime nor stone in building, not knowing how to make the one, or +to form the other. The kingdom of the Jalofs is small, and, as I was +informed, extends only 300 miles along the coast, and about the same +distance inland. The king has no settled revenue; but the lords of the +country court his favour, by making him yearly presents of horses, which +being scarce, are in high estimation, together with horse furniture, cows, +and goats, pulse, millet, and other things. He likewise increases his +wealth by means of robbery, and by reducing his own subjects, and those +of neighbouring provinces to slavery, employing a part of these slaves to +cultivate the lands which are assigned to him, and selling the rest to +the Arabs and Azanhaji traders, who bring horses and other things for +sale; as likewise to the Christians, since they have established a trade +in these parts. + +Every man may keep as many wives as he pleases. The king has always +upwards of thirty, and distinguishes them according to their descent, and +the rank of the lords whose daughters they are. He keeps them in certain +villages of his own, eight or ten in one place, each having a separate +house to dwell in, with a certain number of young women to attend her, +and slaves to cultivate the land which is assigned for her maintenance, +which they sow and reap, and to tend her cows and goats. When the king +comes to any of these villages, he brings no provisions along with him, +as his women are obliged to support him and his retinue whenever he +visits them. Every, morning at sunrise, each of his wives in the village +where he happens to reside, prepares three or four dishes of various +viands, such as flesh, fish, or other dainties, cooked in their fashion; +which are carried by the slaves to the kings pantry; so that in less than +an hour, thirty or forty dishes are provided, and when the king has a +mind to eat, he finds every thing ready at his command. When he has eaten +of such things as he likes best, the remainder is given to his retinue; +but as this, diet is never very plentiful, they are but poorly fed. He +travels about in this manner, from place to place, visiting his several +wives, by which means he has a very numerous issue and whenever one of +his wives happens to fall with child, he visits her no more. The lords or +chiefs of the country live in a similar manner. + +These negroes profess me Mahometan religion, but are not even so well +instructed in it as the tawny Moors, more especially the common people. +The lords have always about them some Arabs or Azanhaji for this purpose, +who inculcate on their minds that it would be disgraceful for men of +their quality to live in ignorance of the laws of God, like the common +people who have no religion. They have become Mahometans merely by means +of their intercourse with the Azanhaji and Arabs; for since they became +acquainted with the Christians, they are by no means so fond of the +Mahometan faith. The generality of the negroes go quite naked, except a +piece of goat skin before; but the lords who are able to procure such, +wear cotton shirts, which are spun and manufactured by their women. Their +webs are only a span in width, as they have not sufficient art to +construct and use wider looms; so that they are obliged to sew five, six, +or more of these webs together, when it is required to make any large +piece of work. The shirts reach half way down the thighs, and have wide +sleeves which; cover only half of their arms. They wear also cotton +drawers, reaching to the small of their legs; and these drawers are made +preposterously wide, being often thirty-five or forty palms in +circumference; so that, when tied on, they are full of plaits, and though +like A sack before the hinder part trails on the ground like the train of +a large petticoat. Thus, though making a most ridiculous appearance, they +think nothing comes up to their dress for elegance, and they often ask +the Europeans if they ever saw a finer dress. Their women, both married +and unmarried, go naked from the waist upwards, and wear a piece of +cotton which covers them from the waist to the middle of the legs. Both +sexes go barefooted, and have no coverings to their heads; and weave and +tie their hair, though short, into neat tresses. The men often employ +themselves in womens work, such as spinning, washing clothes, and such +like employments. + +This country is extremely hot, the month of January being not so cold as +it is with us in Italy in the month of April; and the farther we went to +the south, the weather became so much the hotter. Both men and women wash +themselves four or five times a-day, and are very cleanly in their +persons; but are by no means so in regard of eating, in which they +observe no rule. Although very ignorant, and extremely awkward in any +thing, to which they have not been accustomed, they are as expert as any +European can be in their own business, and in all things with which they +are acquainted. They are full of words, and extremely talkative, and are +for the most part liars and cheats. Yet they are exceedingly hospitable, +and charitably disposed, as they will most readily give a dinner, or a +supper, or a nights lodging, to any stranger who comes to their houses, +without expecting any remuneration or reward. The chiefs of these negroes +are often at war against each other, or against the neighbouring tribes +or nations; but they have no cavalry, for want of horses. In war, their +only defensive armour is a large target, made of the skin of an animal +called _Danta_, which is very difficultly pierced; and their principal +weapons are _azagays_ or light darts, which they throw with great +dexterity. These darts are pointed with iron, the length of a span, and +barbed in different directions, so that they make dangerous wounds, and +tear the flesh extremely when pulled out. They have also a Moorish weapon, +much-bent like a Turkish sword or cimeter, and made of iron, without any +steel, which they procure from the negroes on the river Gambia, as they +either have no iron in their own country, or want knowledge or industry +in working it. Having but few weapons, or rather no missiles, their wars +are very bloody, as they soon come to close quarters, and their strokes +seldom fall in vain; and, being extremely fierce and courageous, they +will rather allow themselves to be slain as save themselves by flight; +neither are they disheartened by seeing their companions slain. They have +no ships, nor had they ever seen any before the Portuguese came upon +their coast; but those who dwell upon the river Senegal, and some who are +settled on the sea coast, have _zoppolies_ or canoes, called _almadias_ +by the Portuguese, which are hollowed out of a single piece of wood, the +largest of which will carry three or four men. They use these almadias +for catching fish, and for transporting themselves up or down the river. +The negroes of this country are the most expert swimmers in the world, as +I can vouch from frequent experience of their dexterity. + + +[1] Cada Mosto is incorrect in the chronology of this discovery, and even + de Barros is not quite decided as to the first discovery of the + Senegal. He says that Denis Fernandez _passed_ it in 1446, and that + Lancerot _discovered_ it in 1447; the latter of which is eight years + before the visit of Cada Mosto.--Clarke. + +[2] The northern mouth of the Senegal is in lat. 16° 40'. The southern in + 15° 45', both N. so that the distance between them, or the length of + the island mentioned in the text, is about sixty-two miles.--E. + +[3] This fancy of all the great rivers in Africa being branches from one + principal stream, is now known to be entirely erroneous.--Astl. + +[4] Although the first kingdom, or kingdoms of the Negroes lies on the + Senegal, Senega, or Sanaghas, and others along the Gambia, yet there + were not properly any kingdoms of these names. On the north, indeed, + of the Sanagha, lay the country of the Sanhaga, Azanaghi, or Azanhaji, + from whence the river seems to have taken its name; but was divided + among various tribes of people, and not under any one sovereign. + Geographers, however, have since continued to propagate this first + error.--Astl. + + The Jalofs and Foulahs inhabit the country between the Senegal and + Gambia, on which latter river the Feloops reside. What is meant by + _Tukhusor_ in the text does not appear, unless it may obscurely + indicate Karta.--E. + + + +SECTION V. + +_Continuation of the Voyage to the country of a King named Budomel, with +some account of his Territory, and the Manners of his People_. + +Having passed the river Senegal, we sailed about 800 miles farther south +along the coast, which was all low land without mountains, till we came +to the territory or kingdom of Budomel[1]. As some Portuguese, who had +dealt with Budomel, represented him as a very just person, who paid for +any goods he might receive, and might therefore be confided in, I stopped +at his country, that I might endeavour to dispose of some Spanish horses +I had on board, which are in great request among the Negroes; besides +which, I had some cloth, Moorish wrought silks, and other commodities for +sale. We came, therefore to anchor, at a place on the coast, called Palma +di Budomel, which is only an open roadstead, and not a port. I immediately +dispatched my negro interpreter on shore to inform this lord of my arrival, +and of the goods I had on board for sale. Not long afterwards Budomel came +himself to the beach, attended by about fifteen horsemen and an hundred +and fifty foot, and sent a message desiring me to land, with professions +of a friendly disposition, and promising to render me every attention and +service in his power. I went accordingly on shore immediately, and was +received with great civility. After some discourse, I delivered to him +seven horses, with their furniture; and every other article for which he +expressed an inclination, all of which had cost me 300 ducats, trusting to +his honour for payment, which was to be in slaves, and which he promised +to deliver at his own residence, which was twenty-five miles distant from +the shore, whither he invited me to accompany him. To this invitation I +readily agreed, induced as much by a desire of seeing the country, as on +account of receiving payment. Before setting out however, Budomel made me +a present of a beautiful negress, about twelve years of age, who, he said, +was meant to serve me in the cabin; and I received the gift, and sent her +on board the caravel. + +I was furnished by Budomel with horses and every thing necessary for the +journey; and when we arrived within four miles of his residence, he gave +me in charge to his nephew Bisboror, who was lord of a small town or +village at which we stopped. Bisboror took me to his own house, where I +was treated with much civility and attention, during twenty-eight days +which I tarried in that place. This was in November 1455. In that time I +went often to visit Budomel, accompanied by his nephew, and had many +opportunities to observe the produce of the country, and the manners of +the inhabitants, more especially as, on account of the tempestuous +weather, I was under the necessity of travelling back by land to the +river Senegal. For, finding it impossible to get on board at the coast by +reason of the surf, I had to order the ship to return to that river, and +went there by land to re-embark. On this occasion, being very desirous to +transmit instructions to those on board the ship to meet me at the river +Senegal, I inquired among the negroes if any one would undertake to carry +a letter from the shore. Several of them readily offered their services, +though the ship lay three miles from the shore, and, owing to a strong +wind, the sea broke on the shore with a tremendous surf, insomuch that I +thought it impossible for any one to succeed in the attempt. Besides the +surf, there were several sand banks near the shore, and other banks about +half way to the ship, between which there ran a strong current, sometimes +one way and sometimes the other, along shore, so that it was extremely +difficult for any one to swim through without infinite danger of being +carried away by the stream; and the sea broke with such violence on the +banks, that it seemed quite impossible to surmount such complicated +obstacles. Yet two of the negroes offered to go, and only demanded two +_mavulgies_ of tin for each of them, one mavulgi being worth no more than +a _grosso_[2], at which price they engaged to carry my letter in safety +to the ship. I cannot express the difficulties which they encountered in +passing the sand bank. They were sometimes out of sight for a considerable +space, so that I often thought they were both drowned. At last, one of +them, finding himself unable to resist the violence with which the waves +broke over him, turned back; but the other, being stronger, got over the +bank after struggling a whole hour, and, having carried the letter to the +caravel, returned with an answer. This seemed to me very wonderful, and +made me conclude that the negroes of this coast must be the most expert +swimmers in the world. + +It has been already observed, that those who are called lords in this +country have neither castles nor cities, the king even having nothing but +villages with thatched houses. Budomel is lord of one part of this kingdom, +yet his place of residence was not a palace, nor even a walled house. +These great men are not lords on account of their riches or treasure, as +they possess neither, nor have they any coin in use among them; but they +are considered as such out of courtesy, and on account of the great +retinues by which they are always attended, being more feared and +respected by their subjects than any of the lords in Italy. Budomel has +several villages appointed for his own habitation and that of his wives, +as he never fixes in one place. The village in which I resided with +Bisboror was one of his habitations, containing between forty and fifty +thatched cottages, built near one another, and surrounded with ditches and +strong pallisades, having only one or two passages left for entering; and +every house had a court-yard, inclosed by a hedge. According to report, +Budomel had nine wives in this place, and more or less in several other +villages. Each of these wives had five or six young negresses to attend +upon her, with all of whom he might sleep when he pleased, without giving +offence to the wives, for such is the custom of the country. Both sexes +are extremely amorous; and Budomel strongly importuned me for philacteries, +in which he had been informed the Europeans were very expert, and offered +any reward within his power for my compliance. They are very jealous, and +suffer no man to enter the houses which are inhabited by the women, not +even their own sons. + +Budomel is always attended by a retinue of at least 200 negroes, who are +changed from time to time some going away and others coming back in their +room; besides which, many people repair to wait upon him from the adjacent +places which are under his government. Before arriving at his particular +apartment there are seven large courts, one within the other, having a +tree in the middle of each, where those wait who come to him on business. +His family is distributed in these courts, according to their several +ranks; the most considerable having their station in the court nearest his +dwelling, and the meanest in the outermost court of all. Few people are +allowed to approach his own particular apartment, except the Christians +and Azanhaji, who have free admission and more liberty is allowed to them +than to the negroes. This lord affects great state and gravity in his +deportment, and does not allow himself, to be seen except an hour every +morning, and for a short while in the evening; at which times he appears +near the door of an apartment in the first court, into which only persons +of note are permitted to enter. On these occasions of giving audience, +every person who come to speak to him, however high may be his rank, is in +the first place obliged to strip himself stark naked, except the small +cloth in front formerly mentioned; and, immediately on entering the court, +he falls down on his knees, bows down his head to the ground, and scatters +dust with both hands on his own head and shoulders; neither is even the +nearest relations of the lords exempted from this humiliating expression +of their duty and obedience. The person, who receives an audience +continues in this humble posture a great while, strewing himself with sand +and crawling on his knees, till he approaches the great man; and when +within two paces of his lord, he stops and begins to relate his case, +still continuing on his knees, with his head down, and throwing sand an +his head in token of great humility. All the time the lord scarcely +appears to notice him and continues to discourse with other persons; and +when the vassal has related his story, the lord gives him an answer in two +words, with an arrogant aspect. Such is their affected pride and grandeur, +and such the submission which is shewn him, which, in my opinion, proceeds +from fear, as their lords, for every little fault they commit, take away +their wives and children, and cause them to be sold as slaves. + +Budomel treated me with the utmost attention and civility, and used to +carry me in the evenings into a sort of mosque, where the Arab and +Azanhaji priests, whom he had always about his person, used to say prayers. +His manner on these occasions was as follows. Being entered into the +mosque, which was in one of the courts belonging to his residence, and +where he was attended by some of the principal negroes, he first stood +some little time with his eyes lifted up as if it were to heaven, then, +advancing two steps, he spoke a few words in a low tone; after which, he +stretched himself on the ground, which he kissed; the Azanhaji and the +rest of his attendants doing the same. Then rising up, he repeated the +same series of actions repeatedly, for ten or twelve times, which occupied +about half an hour. When all was over, he asked my opinion of their manner +of worship, and desired one to give an account of the nature of our +religion. On this I told him, in the presence of all his doctors, that the +religion of Mahomet was false, and the Romish the only true faith. This +made the Arabs and Azanhaji extremely angry; but Budomel laughed on the +occasion, and said, that he considered the religion of the Christians to +be good, as God alone could have gifted them with so much riches and +understanding. He added, however, that in his opinion the Mahometan law +must be good also; and he believed, that the Negroes were more sure of +salvation than the Christians, because God was just, who had given a +paradise to the Christians in this world, and would certainly give one to +the Negroes in the next, as they possessed scarcely any good in this world +in comparison. In all his discourse he shewed a good understanding, and +took great pleasure in hearing the customs of the Christians described. I +firmly believe he might easily have been converted to Christianity, had it +not been from fear of losing his power, as I was often told by his nephew, +with whom I lodged, and he took great delight in hearing me discourse of +our religion. The table of Budomel, like all other lords and people of +condition in this country, is supplied by his wives, in the same manner as +has been already mentioned in regard to Zukholin, the king of Senegal; +each wife sending him a certain number of dishes every day. He and the +other lords eat on the ground, without any regularity or company, except +the Arabs and Azanhaji, who are their teachers and priests, and one or two +of their principal negro attendants. The inferior people eat in messes of +ten or twelve each, having a basket full of victuals set in the midst, +into which all put their hands at the same time. They eat but little at +one meal, but repeat these four or five times a day. + + +[1] The text seems corrupted in giving so large a distance between the + Senegal river and this country of king Budomel, as 800 miles to the + south, or rather S. S. E. would carry us to what is called the _grain_, + or windward coast of Guinea, in lat. 6° N. and, from the sequel, Cada + Mosto does not appear to have passed Cape Verd till after quitting the + country of Budomel. According to Brue, as quoted by Clarke, the king + of Kayor or Kayhor was styled Damel. Kayor or Cayor appears on our + maps above an hundred miles up the Senegal, and on its north side, + which therefore can have no reference to the place in the text. I am + disposed to believe, that the distance in the text ought only to have + been 80 miles, and that the territory of Budomel was in the country of + the Jalofs, between the Senegal and Cape Verd, at the mouth of a small + river, on which our charts place two towns, Masaye and Enibaul, in lat. + 15° 20' N.--E. + +[2] The grosso, or Venetian groat, is worth about three farthings.--Astl. + + + +SECTION VI. + +_Account of the Country of Budomel continued_. + +On account of the great heats in the kingdom of Senegal, and all the +other countries of the Negroes on the coast, no wheat, rye, barley, or +spelt, can grow, neither are vines cultivated, as we knew experimentally +from a trial made with seeds from our ship: For wheat, and these other +articles of culture, require a temperate climate and frequent showers, +both of which are wanting here, where they have no rains during nine +months of the year, from October to June both included. But they have +large and small millet, beans, and the largest and finest kidney beans in +the world, as large as hazle nuts, longer than those of the Venetian +territory, and beautifully speckled with various colours as if painted. +Their beans are large, flat, and of a lively red colour, and they have +likewise white beans. They sow in July, at the beginning of the rains, +and reap in September, when they cease; thus they prepare the soil, sow +the seed, and get in the harvest, all in three months; but they are bad +husbandmen, and so exceedingly averse to labour, that they sow no more +than is barely sufficient to last them throughout the year, and never lay +up any store for sale. In cultivating the ground, four or five of them go +into a field with spades, with which they turn up the soil about four +inches deep; yet such is the fertility of the soil, that it makes ample +returns for this slight culture, without any farther trouble. + +The liquors of the Negroes are water, milk, and palm wine, which they +call mighol, or migwol, which is taken from a tree of the palm tribe, +very numerous in this country, somewhat like the date tree, but not the +same, and which furnishes this liquor the whole year round. The trees are +tapped in two or three places near the root, and from these wounds a +brown juice runs out, as thin as skimmed milk, into calabasses that are +placed to receive the liquor, which drops but slowly, as one tree will +only fill two calabasses from morning till night. This migwol, or palm- +wine, is an exceedingly pleasant drink, which intoxicates like wine +unless mixed with water. Immediately after it is drawn from the tree it +is as sweet as any wine whatever; but the luscious taste goes off more +and more as it is kept, and at length it becomes sour. It drinks better +than at first after three or four days, as it depurates by keeping, and +is not so sweet. I have often drank of it, indeed every day that I +remained in the country, and liked it better than the wines of Italy. +This liquor is not so abundant as that every one may have it at +discretion; yet all may have some, especially the chiefs, as the trees +are not planted in gardens, like vines and fruit trees in Europe, but are +found wild in the forests, and are consequently accessible to all. + +In this country there are several sorts of fruit which resemble those of +Europe, though not exactly the same, and which are very good, though they +grow wild; and, were they to be cultivated as ours are, would prove much +better than such as are produced in the northern climates, the quality of +the soil and air in this part of Africa being more nutritive. The whole +country is plain and fertile, abounding in good pasture, and is covered +by an infinite number of large and beautiful trees, that are not known in +Europe. It contains several lakes of fresh water, none of them large, but +very deep, and full of excellent fish, which differ much from those that +are caught in Italy, and many water serpents, which the natives call +_Kalkatrici_. They use a kind of oil with their victuals, which tastes +like oil of olives, has a pleasant flavour of violets, and tinges the +food even better than saffron, but I could not learn what it was produced +from[1]. There is likewise a plant which produces large quantities of +small kidney-beans. + +In this country there are many kinds of animals, but serpents are +particularly numerous, both large and small, some of which are venomous. +The large ones are more than two paces long[2], but have neither legs nor +wings, as has been reported by some persons, but some of them are so very +thick as to have swallowed a goat at one morsel. These serpents retire in +troops, as the natives report, to certain parts of the country where +white ants are found in prodigious swarms, and which, by a kind of +instinct, are said to build houses for these serpents, of earth which +they carry in their months for that purpose, resembling ovens, and often +to the number of 150 in one place[3]. The Negroes are great enchanters, +and use charms upon almost all occasions, particularly in regard to +serpents, over which they have great power. A Genoese, worthy of credit, +who was in this country the year before my arrival, and who likewise +lodged with Bisboror, the nephew of Budomel, told me he once heard a load +noise of whistling about the house in the middle of the night. Being +awakened by the noise, he saw Bisboror get out of bed and order two +negroes to bring his camel. Being asked where he meant to go at that time +of night, he said he had business which must be executed, but would soon +return. On coming back after some time, and the Genoese expressing +curiosity to learn the object in which he had been engaged, Bisboror +asked if he had heard the hissing noise about the house during the night, +and said that it had been made by the serpents, which would have killed a +great many of his cattle, if he had not sent them back to their quarters +by the employment of certain enchantments. The Genoese was astonished at +this story, but Bisboror said he had no need to wonder at this small +matter, as Budomed could do a great deal more extraordinary things with +the serpents than he could. In particular, when he had a mind to envenom +his weapons, he used to draw a large circle, into which, by means of his +enchantments, he brought all the serpents of the neighbourhood, from +which he selected those he thought most poisonous, and allowed all the +others to go away. With the blood of these serpents, mixed up with the +seeds of a certain tree, he infected his weapons with so deadly a poison, +that, if they drew but the least drop of blood, the person or animal +wounded by them was sure to die in a quarter of an hour. Bisboror farther +offered to shew him an example of the efficacy of this art, but the +Genoese declined witnessing the experiment. This story of the serpents is +the more probable, that I have heard of persons in Italy who could charm +them in a similar manner; but I am apt to believe that the Negroes are +the most expert sorcerers in the world. + +The only tame animals in the kingdom of Senegal are oxen, cows, and goats; +having no sheep, which love a temperate or cold air, and could not live +in this hot climate. Nature, however, has provided mankind with +necessaries fitted for their various occasions; having furnished the +Europeans with wool, as they have need of warm clothing, while the +Negroes, who live in such intense heat, have been supplied with cotton by +the Almighty. Owing to the heat, in my opinion, the cattle of this +country are much smaller than those of Italy. It is a great rarity to see +a red cow in this country, as they are all black or white, or mottled +with black and white spots. Beasts of prey, such as lions, leopards, and +wolves, are numerous, and there are plenty of hares. Wild elephants go +about in troops, like the wild swine in Italy, but can never be tamed, as +they are in other parts of the world. As the elephant is a well-known +animal, I shall only observe in general, that those of Africa are of a +very large size, as may be easily conceived by the size of their teeth, +which are imported into Europe. Of these large teeth, or tusks rather, +each elephant has two in the lower jaw, the points of which turn down, +whereas those of the wild boar are turned up. Before my voyage to Africa +I had been told that the elephant could not bend its knee, and slept +standing; but this is an egregious falsehood for the bending of their +knees can be plainly perceived when they walk, and they, certainly lie +down and rise again like other animals. They never shed their large teeth +before death; neither do they do any harm to man unless provoked. In that +case the elephant makes his attack with his trunk, which is a kind of +nose, protruded to a great length. He can contract and extend this +proboscis at pleasure, and is able to toss a man with it as far as a +sling can throw a stone. It is in vain to think of escape by running, let +the person be ever so swift, in case the elephant pursues in earnest, as +his strides are of prodigious length. They are more dangerous when they +have young ones in their company than at any other time; of which the +females have only, three or four at a birth. They feed on the leaves and +fruit of trees, pulling down the large boughs with their trunks, and +bringing them to their mouths. This trunk is composed of a very thick +cartilage, and is pliable in every direction. + +There are many kinds of birds in this country, and parrots are +particularly numerous, which are much hated by the negroes, because they +do much damage to their crops of pulse and millet. There are said to be +several kinds of parrots, but I never saw more than two. One of these is +like the kind which is brought into Italy from Alexandria in Egypt, but +rather smaller. The other kind is much larger, having a brown head, neck, +bill, and legs, with a yellow and green body. I procured a considerable +number of both sorts, particularly of the smaller kind, many of which +died; but I brought 150 back to Portugal, where I sold them for half a +ducat each. These birds are very industrious in constructing their nests, +which they build with bulrushes and the small leaves of the palm, and +other trees, in a very curious and ingenious manner. Choosing the +slenderest branch of a tree, the parrot fastens a bulrush of about two +spans long to its outer extremity, at the depending end of which rush it +weaves its nest in a most beautiful manner, suspended like a ball, and +having only one passage for entering. By this means they contrive to +preserve their young from being devoured by the serpents, as the small +twigs from which the nests are suspended are unable to bear the weight of +the serpents. There are likewise abundance of those birds called Pharaoh's +hens[4] in Europe, which come to us out of the Levant. They have +likewise other birds, both large and small, which are quite different +from any that are known in Italy. + +As I was long on shore, I went several times to see their markets or +fairs, which were held every Monday and Friday in a meadow, not far from +where I resided. The men and women, from four or five miles around, came +to this place with their various commodities, and those who lived at a +greater distance, went to other markets nearer their habitations. The +great poverty of the natives appeared manifest in the goods they brought +to these fairs; consisting of small quantities of cotton cloth, and +cotton yarn, pulse, oil, millet, wooden tubs, palm matts, and every thing +else useful to life, according to their manners, likewise arms, and some +small quantities of gold. Having no money or coin of any kind, all their +trade was carried on by way of barter, or exchange of one thing for +another, sometimes two or three things for one, according to their +different values. All these blacks used to gaze on me, as if I had been a +prodigy, having never seen a white man before. Some took hold of my hands, +which they rubbed with spittle, to see if the whiteness was natural or +artificial, and expressed their wonder to find that my skin was not +painted. They were as much astonished at my dress, being clothed in the +Spanish fashion, with a black damask waistcoat, and a cloak over it: They +seemed much surprised at the waistcoat, and greatly admired the woollen +cloth, which they had never seen any of before. My chief purpose in going +to these fairs, was to see what quantity of gold was brought thither. + +Horses are very scarce, and of great value in the country of the Negroes, +being brought all the way from that part of Barbary which lies nearest to +Europe, by the Arabs and Azanhaji. Owing to the great heat, horses do not +live long here; for they grow so fat that they cannot stale, and so burst. +They are fed with bean leaves, which are gathered after the beans are +brought from the fields; and, being dried like hay, are cut small, and +given to the horses instead of oats. They give millet also, which +contributes greatly to make them fat. A horse and his furniture sells for +from nine to fourteen negroes, according to his goodness and beauty; and +when a negro lord buys a horse, he sends for his horse sorcerers, who +cause a fire to be kindled of the stalks of certain herbs, and hold the +horses head by the bridle over the smoke, while they repeat over some few +words by way of incantation. They afterwards have him anointed all over +with fine oil, and having kept him eighteen or twenty days, without +allowing any one to see him, they affix some Moorish charms to his neck, +which have the appearance of small square billets of writing, folded up +and covered with red leather; and affirm, that, they will go into battle +with greater safety by means of these scrolls or annulets. + +The women of this country are very pleasant and merry, especially the +young ones, and delight in singing and dancing, taking this diversion +only at night by moonlight; and their manner of dancing is very different +from that of the Italians. Many things in our ships seemed wonderful to +the Negroes, particularly our cross-bows; but much more our artillery. +When some of them were on board my ship, I caused one of the guns to be +fired off, which threw them into a dreadful panic; and their terror was +much increased on being told that one cannon-shot could kill an hundred +men. On which account, they alleged that it must be something belonging +to the devil. They were likewise greatly astonished at a bag-pipe, which, +one of our sailors played upon to divert them; and, on examining the +several parts and ornaments of the instrument, they conceived that it was +a living animal, which sung in different voices. Observing their +simplicity, I told them it was a musical instrument, and put it into +their hand unblown to examine. They then perceived that it was a work of +art, but believed that it was something supernatural, and could only have +been devised by a superior being, it sounded so sweetly, and in so many +different tones, having never heard any thing which could be compared to +it in their estimation. The ship, also, and its various contrivances, as +its anchors, masts, sails, and shrouds, afforded them great subjects for +admiration and wonder. They looked upon the port-holes in the stern as +real eyes, by which the vessel was able to find her way in the sea; and +observed, that travellers on land found difficulty to find the road from +one place to another, while we were able to travel along the trackless +ocean; and that the whites must therefore be the greatest of sorcerers, +not inferior to the devil himself. They shewed great admiration on seeing +a lighted candle in a candlestick, having themselves no other artificial +light but that proceeding from a fire. They have honey-combs, but when +they find these, they suck out the honey, and throw away the empty comb +as useless. At one time, I bought some honey-combs from a negro, and +shewed him how to extract the honey; after which, on asking him if he +knew what remained, he said it was good for nothing: But he was greatly +astonished on seeing it made into candles, and lighted in his presence; +saying, that the Europeans knew every thing. Their only musical +instruments are two, one of which they have from the Moors, which is like +a large drum[5]; the other is somewhat like a fiddle, having only two +strings, which they play on with their fingers, but gives no sounds that +can be called harmonious. + + +[1] This is almost certainly palm oil, the origin of which will appear in + another division of this work.--E. + +[2] The text must be here erroneous, as two paces, or ten feet, will + scarcely suffice in describing the boa constrictor, sometimes near + thirty feet long.--E. + +[3] An account of the termites, or white ants of Africa, will appear + hereafter. The circumstance of serpents taking up their abode in the + large anthills, must be entirely accidental.--E. + +[4] Probably the Pintado, or Guinea fowl.--E. + +[5] This in Ramusio is called Tabacche, and Sambuka in Grynaeus.--Astl. + + + +SECTION VII. + +_Continuation of the Voyage from Senegal, by Cape Verd, the river +Barbasini, and to the river Gambia; and, returns to Portugal._ + +Having seen a considerable part of the dominions of Budomel, and received +the slaves which, were bargained for, in exchange for my horses and other +merchandize, I resolved to proceed on my voyage, round Cape Verd, and to +prosecute discoveries along this dangerous coast, and in particular, to +go in search of the kingdom of Gambia or Gambia, which Don Henry had +pointed out, on the information of a person who was well acquainted with +the country of the Negroes, as not far from Senegal, and from whence, it +was reported, that considerable quantities of gold might be procured. +Longing to go in quest of this gold, I took my leave of Budomel, and +repaired to the river Senegal, where I went on board the caravel and got +under weigh, as soon as possible. Soon after leaving the river Senegal, +as we were standing onward with a press of sail towards Cape. Verd, we +descried, one morning two ships in the offing. On joining company, we +found that one of these belonged to Antonio, an experienced Genoese +navigator, and the other to some gentlemen in the service of Don Henry, +and that they had sailed in company, with the intention of passing Cape +Verd, to explore the coast beyond it, in search of new discoveries. Our +intentions being similar, I offered to join company, and we accordingly +proceeded together along the coast to the southward, in sight of land. + +We came in sight of that cape next day, being about thirty Italian miles +from our last anchorage[1]. Cape Verd was so named by the Portuguese, who +discovered it about a year before[2], because it is covered with trees +which continue green all the year. This is a high and beautiful cape, +which runs a considerable way into the sea, and has two hills or small +mountains at its outer extremity. There are several villages of the +Senegal negroes, or Jalofs, upon and about this promontory, which are +composed of thatched cabins close by the shore, and in sight of those who +sail past. There are also some sand banks, which extend about half a mile +into the sea[3]. + +Having doubled the cape, we came to three small uninhabited islands, full +of green trees[4]; and being in want of water, we anchored at that which +seemed the largest and most fruitful, in hopes of meeting with a spring, +but could find none to answer our purpose. We met, however, with the +nests and eggs of several kinds of birds, such as we had never seen +before. This was in the month of July 1456, and we continued here all day, +fishing with lines and large hooks, catching a prodigious number of fish, +among which were _dentali_, and gilded fish[5], some of which weighed +from twelve to fifteen pounds each. On the next day we proceeded in our +course, keeping always in sight of land, and found a kind of gulf formed +by the coast on the south side of the cape[6]. This coast is all low, and +full of fine large trees, which are continually green, as the new leaves +grow before the old ones fall off, and they never wither like those in +Europe; and the trees grow so near the shore, that they seem to drink as +it were the water of the sea. The coast is most beautiful, insomuch that +I never saw any thing comparable to it, though I had sailed much both in +the Levant and the western parts of Europe. It is well watered every +where by small rivers, but these are useless for trade, as they do not +admit ships of any size. Beyond this little gulf, the coast is inhabited +by two negro nations, called Barbasini and Serreri, which are not subject +to the king of Senegal, neither have they any king or lord of their own; +but one person is more honoured than another, according to his condition +or quality. They are great idolaters, without laws, and living in almost +a state of nature, and extremely cruel, and refuse to become subjected to +any lord. That their wives and children may not be taken from them and +sold as slaves, as is the custom among all the negro nations which are +under subjection to kings or lords, they use bows and poisoned arrows, +the wounds from which are incurable, if even the smallest blood is drawn, +and the wounded person or animal soon dies. Their colour is jet black, +and their persons are well made. The country is full of woods, lakes, +and streams, from which they derive great security, as they can only be +invaded through narrow defiles, by which means they set the neighbouring +lords at defiance. In former times, the kings of Senegal often attempted +to reduce these two nations under obedience, but were always worsted, +owing to the natural strength of the country, and their arrows. Running +along the coast to the south with a fair wind, we discovered the mouth of +a river about a bow-shot wide, but not deep, to which we gave the name +of the _Barbasini_ river, and have marked it on the chart which I made of +the coast, as sixty miles from Cape Verd[7]. In sailing along the coast, +we only made sail at sun rise, having a man continually on the top, and +two others on the prow or head, to look out for breakers, and always came +to anchor at sun set, about four or five miles from the land, in ten or +twelve fathoms water. + +Proceeding on our voyage in this cautious manner, we came to the mouth of +a river which appeared to be as large as the Senegal[8]; and struck by +the fineness of its appearance, and its rich woods which came down to the +very shores, we cast anchor, and determined to send one of our negro +interpreters on shore, to endeavour to establish a friendly intercourse +with the natives. Every ship which sails from Portugal for the coast of +Africa is supplied with some of these negro interpreters, who consist of +slaves that had been sold by the lords of Senegal to the first Portuguese +who touched on the coast, and who have learnt the Portuguese language and +become Christians. These are hired from their masters in Portugal, who +receive, for their hire, a prime slave from the cargo on returning from +the voyage; and when any of these interpreters have thus earned four +slaves for their master, they become free. Having cast lots to determine +which of the three ships should send an interpreter on shore, it fell on +the ship commanded by the Genoese gentleman; on which he sent an armed +boat, ordering the men not to touch the shore, but to push off as soon as +they had landed the interpreter; who was charged to inform himself +respecting the condition and government of the country, and to inquire +whether it produced gold or any other commodity worth coming for. No +sooner was the interpreter landed, and the boat shoved off to some +distance as ordered, than several natives came out of the wood, who had +been in ambush, with bows, arrows, and other weapons, from the time they +saw our ships approach the coast, as if they had been in hopes that some +of our people might land upon the coast. After a short parley with our +interpreter, they furiously assaulted him with their _gomies_, or short +Moorish swords, and slew him; our people in the boat being unable to give +him any assistance. This intelligence was brought to the ships, where it +excited much surprise; and, concluding that these people must be +extremely barbarous, who could treat one of their own race with so much +barbarity, and would consequently use us cruelly if in their power, we +immediately weighed anchor, and stood on our voyage farther to the south, +which improved in the beauty and verdure of the trees as we advanced, +always sailing within sight of the coast, which is everywhere low land +covered with trees. + +We came at length to the mouth of a very large river, which is not less +than six or eight miles wide at the entrance, and narrows a little way +within to three or four miles, and finding that it could be safely +entered, we determined to cast anchor for the night; and to endeavour to +learn next day if this were the river and kingdom of Gambra, or Gambia, +of which we were in search[9]. We judged, however, from its noble river, +that we had now attained the so anxiously desired country of Gambia, and +flattered ourselves in the hope of finding a country of vast riches, +where we might make our fortunes at once, by returning laden with gold, +and other rich commodities. Next day, having but little wind, we sent on +the small caravel before, well manned, with directions, as their ship was +small and drew little water, that they were to proceed as far as possible +up the river, observing whether there were any bar or sand banks at its +mouth, and to take the soundings with great care; and if the river were +found navigable, they were to return and make signals to that effect. +Finding four fathoms water at the entrance, the caravel brought to, and +made the concerted signal; on which it was thought proper, as that +caravel was small, to send another boat well armed along with her up the +river, and they were strictly enjoined, in case the natives were hostile, +to enter into no conflict with them, but to return immediately to the +other ships, as the object of our voyage was to cultivate friendship and +trade with the country, which could only be accomplished by policy, not +by force. The boats accordingly proceeded up the river for two miles, +leaving the small caravel at anchor, and found the banks everywhere +beautiful, with sixteen fathoms water. But as the river above this made +several returns or reaches, they did not think it prudent to venture any +higher. + +When on their way back, they saw three _almadias_ or canoes near the +mouth of a small river which runs into the large one. These almadias +resemble the skiffs used in Italy which are called _zoppoli_, and are +hollowed out of one large piece of wood. Although our boats were strongly +armed, yet, in obedience to their orders, and for fear of being attacked +with poisoned arrows, which the Negroes of Senegal had told us were used +by all the natives of Gambia, they took to their oars, and made all +possible haste back to the ship. By the time they got on board, the +almadias, which followed them close, were within arrow flight. There were +about twenty-five or thirty negroes in these three almadias, who stopped +for some time gazing at the caravel, which was quite a new sight to them; +but would neither speak nor come nearer, notwithstanding every endeavour +by signs, to induce them to approach, and at length they returned to the +shore. About three next morning, the other three caravels that had +remained at anchor without the river, sailed with the rising tide and a +light breeze, into the river, to rejoin the small caravel, and to proceed +up the river, hoping to meet with a more civilized people than had been +seen in the almadias. In this way we sailed up the river, one after the +other, the small caravel leading; and when we had got about four miles up, +we perceived ourselves to be followed by a number of _almadias_, without +knowing whence they came. On this, we tacked about, and bore down towards +the almadias, having first fortified ourselves in the best manner we +could, to defend us against their poisoned arrows, and made every thing +ready for battle, in case of need, though by no means well provided with +arms. Our order of sailing was now reversed, and my ship was foremost in +going down the river. We soon came to the almadias, which separated into +two divisions, having my ship between them, when I had an opportunity to +count their numbers, as they gave over rowing, raised their oars, and +gazed in wonder at our ship: There were in all fifteen almadias of +considerable length, having from 130 to 150 negroes, all well made, of a +good size, and very black. They wore white cotton shirts, having white +caps, like those worn by the Germans, on their heads; but with a wing on +each side, and a feather in the middle, which I supposed to be a +distinguishing mark of their being soldiers. There stood a negro on the +prow of each almadia, having a round target, apparently of leather, on +his arm; and for some time they neither attacked us, nor we them. When +they saw the other caravels bearing down upon them, they dropped their +oars, and taking up their bows, sent a flight of arrows on board. Seeing +this attack, our ships discharged four pieces of cannon, at them, and +they were so stupified by the report, that they threw down their bows, +and stared about in amazement, at the effect which the stones from the +cannon made on the water around them. They continued in this astonishment +for some time; but seeing that the cannon ceased to fire, they plucked up +courage, and renewed the fight, advancing within a stones throw of the +ship. On this our sailors began to use their cross-bows; and the first +shot, which was made by the natural son of the Genoese gentleman, hit a +negro on the breast, who instantly fell down dead. Those in the almadia +where he fell, took up the dart and gazed at it with wonder; yet they +continued the attack with great vigour, and were courageously opposed by +our caravels, insomuch that many of the Negroes were soon killed, without +the loss of one man on our side. The Negroes now changed their mode of +attack, and made a furious united attack on the stern of our smallest +caravel, which was both ill manned, and insufficiently armed. On +observing this, I brought up my ship to her assistance, and the other +large caravel doing the same, we placed the small one between us, and we +all vigorously plied our cannon and cross-bows against the almadias, +which were at last forced to retire. We now linked all the three caravels +together, and dropped one anchor, which was sufficient for us all, as it +was calm weather, and the current by no means strong. + +We next endeavoured to enter into some conversation with the Negroes, and +often hailed them by means of our interpreters. At length one of the +almadias drew near, and on being asked the reason of their hostility to +strangers, who came among them only to trade in a friendly manner, as +they had already done with the Negroes of the kingdom of Senegal, and +were desirous of being on the same friendly terms with them, if they +thought proper, and were come from a far distant country, with presents +for their king or lord, from the king of Portugal, who was desirous of +peace and friendship with them. Our interpreters also entreated the +Negroes to inform us what country we were in, who was their king, and +what was the name of the river; and desired them to come freely on board, +and take what goods they pleased; adding, that they might make a return +in any commodities they thought proper, and in any quantities they +pleased, or might have our goods for nothing. To all this they made +answer, "That they had some intelligence of the Christians already, and +of their dealings with the Negroes of Senegal, who must be very wicked +people for entering into friendship with them; as they were well assured +the Christians were meneaters, who bought the Negroes only to devour them, +and, for this reason, they were resolved to have no correspondence with +them, except to destroy them, and then to send their effects to their +lord, who dwelt three days journey up the country." They added, that the +name of their country was Gambra, but I have forgotten the name they gave +the river[10]. At this time a brisk breeze sprung up, and, as we now +thoroughly knew the hostile dispositions of the Negroes, we bore down +upon their almadias; but they fled to the shore, and we dropt down to the +mouth of the river. + +While we remained off the mouth of this river, we only once saw the north +star in clear weather, and it was then so low as hardly to appear above +the height of a lance above the sea[11]. We likewise observed, in about +the same elevation, due south by the compass, a constellation of six +large bright stars, in the figure of a cross, in this form: + + + * + * * * * + * + + +We conjectured this to be the _southern chariot_, but could not expect to +observe the principal star, as we had not yet lost sight of the north +pole. In this place, on the _first_ of July, we found the night to be +eleven hours and a half long, and the day twelve hours and a half. The +climate is always hot, and I was told, that even the rain in the inland +parts falls warm, in consequence of the great heat of the air. It is true, +that there is some difference of the heat at different seasons, and when +the heat is a little diminished, the natives call it winter. The rains +begin in July, and continue till the end of October, and fall every day +about noon; at which time certain clouds arise in the N.E. by E. or E.N.E. +which are accompanied by prodigious thunder and lightning, and vast +torrents of rain. In this season, which is in the beginning of July, the +Negroes sow their grain, in the same manner with the people in Senegal. +Their provisions consist of millet, pulse, flesh and milk. There is not +so much dawn at break of day in this southern latitude as with us in +Italy; for, within half an hour after the darkness of the night begins to +dispel, the sun appears, and during all that dawn the atmosphere is +turbid, as if filled with smoke, and the moment the sun appears this mist +is dissipated. I could only account for this phenomenon, by attributing +it to the low and flat surface of this country, which is destitute of +mountains, and my companions were of a similar opinion. + +On holding a consultation among the commanders of the three caravels, we +came to a resolution of proceeding about an hundred miles up the river, +in hopes of meeting with a less ferocious, and better disposed people in +the interior, than those we had encountered at the mouth of this river: +But the sailors were impatient to return home, without incurring any +farther dangers, and unanimously and loudly refused their consent to our +determination, declaring that they had already done enough for the +present voyage. Upon this being made known to us, and being well aware +that seamen are of headstrong and obstinate dispositions, we conceded to +their clamours, and steered next day for Cape Verd, on our return to +Portugal[12]. + + +[1] Cape Verd is about 100 miles from the southern mouth of the river + Senegal; so that the voyagers probably anchored every night within + sight of the scarcely known coast.--E. + +[2] This is erroneous, as it was discovered in 1446 by Denis Fernandez, + nine years before.--Clarke. + +[3] It is necessary to be cautious with respect to these early voyages, + which, having gone through various transcriptions and translations, + are liable to numerous errors. In our best charts, this sand bank, + intermixed with sunk rocks, extends two miles out to sea.--E. + +[4] Called the Birds islands, or the Magdalens.--Clarke. + +[5] In Ramusio these fish are called Orate vecchis, and in Grynaeus + Ostreas veteres.--Astl. + +[6] This appears to indicate the gulf between Cape Emanuel, near the isle + of Goree, and the Red Cape.--E. + +[7] The river named Barbasini is above eighty-five miles S.S.E. from Cape + Verd, measuring to its northern entrance, and forms a small island or + delta at its mouth, having another entrance about eighteen miles + farther south. There is a small island named _Fetti_, off its northern + entrance, of which no notice is taken by Cada Mosto. The natives on + this part of the coast, to the north of the Gambia, are now called + Barras.--E. + +[8] From the sequel, I am apt to conclude that this second river is the + Barbasini of our charts; and that the river named Barbasini in the + text of Cada Mosto, is that named _Joall_ in modern charts.--E. + +[9] Cada Mosto betrays strange ignorance of the previous discoveries of + the Portuguese, considering that he had resided some time with Don + Henry at Sagres. This fine river was discovered in 1447, nine years + before, by Nuno Tristan, who ascended it some way, and was slain there + by the poisoned arrows of the Negroes. Perhaps even Don Henry was + misled by the name of Rio Grande which it then received, and confused + the Venetian in his search for the Gambia.--Clarke. + +[10] From this it would appear, that Gambra or Gambia is the name of the + country, not of the river. Johnson says that the natives always call + it _Gee_, which merely signifies the river.--Astl. + +[11] The centre of the mouth of the Gambia is in lat. 13° 30' N.--E. + +[12] It may be noticed, that during the whole of his narrative, Cada + Mosto constantly speaks of Spain, and the Spanish language, as if + forgetting that the ships and crews were Portuguese.--Clarke. + + + +SECTION VIII. + +_The Second Voyage of Cada Mosto, in 1456, to the coast of Africa, in +which the Cape de Verd Islands were Discovered_[1]. + +As I could say little or nothing about the condition of the country of +Gambia, on my return to Portugal, on account of being obliged to leave it +so suddenly; partly owing to the intractable and fierce disposition of +the natives, and partly through the perversity of our sailors, who +refused to proceed in exploring the river; the Genoese gentleman, Antonio, +who had been with me in the former voyage, and I, resolved next season to +fit out two caravels, in order to return to the river Gambia, and Don +Henry, who was much pleased with our intentions, determined to send one +of his caravels along with us. Every thing being made ready for our +voyage, we sailed from Lagos, near Cape St Vincent, with a favourable +wind, in the beginning of May, and steered for the Canaries, which we +made in a few days; but, as the wind continued favourable, we did not +touch there, and continued our course, to the southward; and, as we were +favoured by a current setting to the S. W. we sailed on at a great rate. +At last we came in sight of Cape Branco, keeping well out at sea, and on +the following night we were assailed by a great storm from the S. W. +which occasioned us to steer W. by N. for two days and three nights, in +order to weather the tempest, rather than turn back. On the third day, to +our great joy and surprise, we descried land, being much astonished to +discover land in a quarter where no person could have expected it[2]. Two +men were immediately sent aloft, who cried out that two large islands +were in sight. This news was communicated through the ships, to our great +satisfaction, as we were sensible these islands were unknown in Portugal. +Judging it probable that these islands might be inhabited, and eager to +try our fortune, we steered towards one of them, which we soon came up +with, and sailed round a part of it, till we found safe anchorage. The +weather being now much calmed, we sent our boat on shore, well manned and +armed. The men landed, and having examined some part of the island, +brought back word that they could meet with no signs of inhabitants +whatever. + +Next morning, to clear up all doubts, I sent ten men to land on the +island, well armed with guns and cross-bows, whom I ordered to go to the +top of some mountains within sight, and to look from thence, not only for +people, but for more islands. These men executed my commands, but found +no appearance of any inhabitants. They found, however, an incredible +number of pigeons, which were so tame, being strangers to man, that they +readily allowed themselves to be caught, and our people brought great +numbers of them to the caravels. But, what was of much more importance, +they brought intelligence of having discovered three other islands; one +of which being to leeward, towards the north, could not be seen from the +ships, while the other two lay to the south, all within sight of each +other. These men likewise noticed something resembling islands towards +the west, but at so great a distance that they could not be clearly +distinguished, neither did I think proper to sail in that direction, lest +I should lose time in visiting uninhabited islands, like this at which we +had touched. The fame of my discovery of these four islands, brought +other navigators afterwards to explore this group; who round them to be +ten in number, both large and small included, and altogether uninhabited, +except by pigeons and other birds, and having a fine fishery[3]. + +Leaving the first island, we came in sight of the other two, and searched +for an anchoring place near one of them, which was full of trees. +Discovering the mouth of a river, and being in want of water, we came to +anchor, and sent our boats on shore to supply our wants. Some of our +people went a little way up the river, where they found some small lakes +containing remarkably fine white salt, of which they brought large +quantities to the ships, laying in what store was thought necessary, as +we did likewise of water. We found here great numbers of tortoises, or +turtle, the shells of which were larger than a target. The sailors cooked +these into different dishes, as they had done before in the gulf of +Arguin, where these animals are found in plenty, but not so large as here. +Out of curiosity I eat some of the flesh of these tortoises, which seemed +very good, having a good smell and taste, and was not inferior to veal. +We salted a great number of them, which proved a valuable addition to our +stock of provisions during the voyage. We caught likewise a prodigious +quantity of fish, both off the mouth of the river and in the stream; and, +though we knew not the kinds, they were large and well-flavoured. The +mouth of this river is a good arrow-shot across, and it is deep enough to +admit a vessel of 150 tons. We remained two days in this place for +refreshments, taking in a good stock of tortoises and fish, and large +quantities of pigeons, which we killed without number. To the first +island at which we anchored we gave the name of _Bona Vista_, as being +the first we got sight of; and to this other, which seemed the largest of +the four, the name of St Jago, having cast anchor there on the day of St +Philip and St James. Every thing being in readiness for pursuing our +voyage, we took our departure from these islands, and shaped our course +for Cape Verd. We arrived at _Spedegar_, and keeping within sight of land, +we came to a place named the _Two Palms_, which is between Cape Verd and +the river Senegal. Being perfectly acquainted with the coast, we doubled +the Cape next day, and came once more to the river Gambia, into which we +immediately entered; and, finding no opposition from the Negroes or their +almadias, we sailed up the river, always by day, and continually sounding. +Such of the almadias as we saw on the river kept at a distance, close to +the banks of the river, and never ventured to approach. About ten miles +up the river we cast anchor on a Sunday morning, at an island where one +of our sailors was buried who had died of a fever; and as his name +happened to be Andrew, we called it the island of St Andrew[4]. + +Leaving this island we proceeded up the river, followed by some of the +Negroes in their almadias, yet always keeping at a considerable distance. +Our interpreters often hailed them, and shewed them various trinkets, +which were offered for their acceptance, and endeavoured to entice them to +come near, by telling them that we were good-natured civilized people, +from whom they had nothing to fear. Wrought upon by these representations, +the Negroes at length approached, and came up with my caravel; and at last +one of them, who understood the language of our interpreter, came on board. +He was greatly surprized at every thing he saw in and about the caravel, +especially with the sails and rigging, having no other idea of moving a +vessel on the water but by means of oars. He was no less amazed at our +colour and dress, as his nation mostly go stark naked, or with a single +white cotton shirt as their sole dress. We were exceedingly kind and +attentive to this Negro, and made him many presents of trinkets, and other +things of small value, with which he was much delighted. I asked him many +questions respecting the country, through our interpreter, and at length +learnt that we were in the country of Gambia, of which Forosangoli was +chief lord; and, by what we could learn from him, the residence of +Forosangoli was at the distance of nine or ten days journey, in a +direction between the south and the southwest. He said that Forosangoli +was tributary to the king of Melli, who is the great emperor of the +Negroes; that there were many inferior lords, who dwelt near the river on +both sides, and, if we pleased, he would conduct us to the residence of +one of these lords, named Battimansa, and would endeavour to negociate a +treaty of peace and friendship between him and us. Being much pleased with +this offer, we carried this Negro along with us, and treated him with much +attention; and, sailing up the river, we came to the place where +Battimansa resided, which, in my opinion, was above forty miles from the +mouth of the river. In going up the river, into which several lesser +rivers fall, we sailed to the eastwards, and at the place where we came to +anchor, we found it much narrower than at the mouth, being not above a +mile in breadth, by our estimation[5]. On coming to this place, we sent +one of our interpreters and the native Negro to Battimansa, with a present +of a handsome garment, called an _alzimba_, made of Moorish silk, in the +form of a shirt; and they were desired to inform him of the reason of our +coming into his country, signifying, "That the Christian king of Portugal +had sent us thither, to enter into a treaty of friendship and peace with +him, and that if he had any call for our commodities, our king would +supply him with them every year." + +As soon as our messengers had discharged their commission, Battimansa sent +some of his Negroes to the caravel, with whom we entered into friendship, +and bartered several things for Negro slaves and some gold; but gold was +by no means to be had in any thing like the plenty we expected, from the +account given of this country by the natives of Senegal, who, being +themselves extremely poor, consider that to be a large quantity which we +think very trifling. The Negroes value their gold as a very precious thing, +even at a higher rate than the Portuguese, yet we got it in barter very +reasonably for things of very small value. We continued here eleven days, +during which the caravels were continually resorted to by great numbers of +Negroes from both sides of the river, who came to see the novelties, and +to sell their goods, among which there were a few gold rings. Part of +their commodities consisted of cotton cloth and cotton yarn; some of the +pieces being all white, some striped blue and white, and others again with +red, blue, and white stripes, all very well wrought and coloured. They +likewise brought civet for sale, the skins of civet-cats, monkies, large +and small baboons of various sorts; and these last being very plenty they +sold them cheap, or for something not exceeding ten _marquets_ in value, +for each; and the ounce of civet for what was not worth more than forty or +fifty marquets; not that they sold their commodities by weight, but I +judged the quantity to be about an ounce. Other Negroes brought various +sorts of fruit for sale, among which were many small wild dates, which +they seemed to think much of, but which our people thought not good, as +the taste was different from those of Europe: As for me, I would not +venture to eat any of them, lest they might have given me the flux, or +some other distemper. Our ships were every day crowded with people of +different aspects and languages[6], and the natives were continually going +up and down the river from one place to another, both men and women, in +their almadias. They have no sails, and propel their almadias entirely +with oars, which they use on both sides, all the rowers standing up. One +man stands at the stern, who rows sometimes on one side, sometimes on the +other, to keep the almadia steady in her course. They have no pins or row- +locks to steady their oars, but hold them fast with both hands; their oar +being a pole, like a half lance, seven feet and a half long, with a round +board like a trencher fastened to one end, and with these they row with +great safety and swiftness, in the mouths of their rivers, which are very +numerous; but they seldom go out to sea, or to any distance from their own +coasts, lest they should be taken by their neighbours and sold for slaves. + + +[1] There is some difficulty respecting the date of this second voyage. In + the former, Cada Mosto sailed from Portugal in March 1455. In the + course of his proceedings, the month of November is mentioned, and + some subsequent transactions are said to have happened in July, which, + on this arrangement, must necessarily have been of the year 1456. If, + therefore, the dates of the former voyage be accurate, the second + ought to have been dated in 1457.--E. + +[2] This part of the narrative is involved in difficulty, and most be + erroneous. A storm from the S. W. off Cape Branco, almost in lat. 21° + N. and a N. W. course, could not possibly lead to the discovery of the + Cape Verd islands, almost six degrees farther south, and at least six + degrees farther west. This difficulty may be solved, by supposing the + storm from the N.E. and that the ships drove to the S.W. from off Cape + Branco.--E. + +[3] This passage alludes to the voyage of Antonio de Noli in 1462. And it + may be remarked, that de Faria, who mentions the discovery of these + islands by Noli, takes no notice of the actual discovery by Cada Mosto. + --Astl. + +[4] The editor of Astleys Collection considers this as having been St + Jameses island, which is about twenty miles up the Gambia: But there + is a small island near the northern bank, now called Charles I. which + exactly corresponds with the distance in the text.--E. + +[5] According to our best maps or charts of the Gambia, this river is + never less than four miles broad, and generally above five, till we + get near 100 miles up the river, to the reach which encircles the + Devils Point, where it still is two miles wide. It is possible that + the original journal of Cada Mosto may have had leagues of three + marine miles each, in which case the residence of Battimansa may have + been at or near the Devils Point, above 100 miles up the river.--E. + +[6] Though this country will be amply described in other voyages in our + Collection, it may be proper to remark, that both sides of the river + Gambia are inhabited by a mixed population of three nations, the + Feloops, Foleys, and Mandingoes, each of whom have their own separate + villages interspersed. This population is divided into many states, + lordships, or little kingdoms; as Joalli, Barrah, Kolar, Badibu, + Barsalli, &c. on or near the northern bank; Kumbo, Fonia, Kaen, Jagra, + Yamini, &c. on the southern.--E. + + + +SECTION IX. + +_Some Account of the Manners and Customs on the Gambia, and of the +Elephant and Hippopotamus._ + +It now remains for me to relate what I observed and was informed of +concerning this country, during my short stay. The religion of the Negroes +of Gambia consists of various kinds of idolatry; they place great reliance +on sorcery and other diabolical things, yet all believe in God. There are +many Mahometans among them, who trade to many countries, yet are not +settled in houses, because the natives are ignorant[1]. They live very +much in the same manner with the natives of Senegal, and have the same +kinds of provisions; but they cultivate more sorts of rice. They eat dogs +flesh, which I never heard of being used anywhere else. They are clothed +in cotton garments, and have great abundance of cotton in their country, +which may be the reason of the Gambians not going naked, as those of +Senegal do, where cotton is very scarce. The women dress in the same +manner; and, when they are very young, take great delight in delineating +figures on their necks, breasts, and arms, with the point of a hot needle, +which are never obliterated, and which resemble the flowers and ornaments +which are wrought on silk handkerchiefs. The country is excessively hot, +and the heat increases as we go to the south; besides which, we found it +much hotter up the river than at sea, owing to the immense number of trees +with which the country everywhere abounds. Some of these trees are of very +great dimensions. Near a spring where our sailors were in use to fill our +water casks, not far from the banks of the river, there grew an +exceedingly large tree, but its height was by no means proportional to its +thickness; for, though it measured seventeen cubits in girth near the +ground, its height, by estimation, was only twenty paces. This tree was +hollow, but the branches were very large, avid extended to a great +distance, forming a thick and ample shade. But there were many other trees +much larger than this, by which the richness and fertility of the soil may +be easily conceived; and the country is intersected by numerous streams. + +There are many elephants in this country, but the natives are ignorant of +the art of taming these animals, as is practised in other countries. One +day, while we lay at anchor in the middle of the river, we observed three +elephants come out from the wood and walk by the river side, on which we +sent our boat with some of the people towards them, but they immediately +returned into the wood. These were all I ever saw alive; but, sometime +afterwards, Guumi-mensa[2], one of the Negro lords, shewed me a dead young +elephant, which he had killed after a chase of two days. The Negroes hunt +on foot in the woods, using only arrows and assagays, or javelins, which +are all poisoned. When they hunt the elephant they conceal themselves +behind trees, and even sometimes mount to their tops, leaping from one +tree to another in pursuit of the elephant, which, being a large unweildy +animal, is often wounded in many places before it can turn round, or place +itself in a posture of defence; but, in an open field, no person dare +attack one, nor could even the swiftest escape from their pursuit, as I +have been informed by many of the Negroes. The teeth of this dead elephant, +which was shewn me by Guumi-Mensa, one of which still remained in the jaw, +did not exceed three spans long, which distinctly shews that it was quite +young in comparison of those whose teeth are from ten to twelve spans in +length; yet, small as it was for an elephant, we computed that the weight +of its carcass was equal to five or six oxen. Guumi-Mensa made me a +present of what part of this elephant I liked best, and gave the remainder +to his huntsmen to feast on. Understanding that elephants flesh was eaten +by the Negroes, I had some both roasted and boiled, of which I tasted, +that I might be able to say that I had fed upon the flesh of an animal +which had never been eaten by any of my countrymen; but I found it hard, +and of an unpleasant relish. I brought one of the legs and a part of the +trunk on board our caravel, together with some of the hair from its body, +which was a span and a half long, of a black colour, and very thick. On my +return to Portugal, I presented this hair to Don Henry, together with a +part of the flesh salted up for that express purpose, which he received +with much satisfaction, as it was the first of the kind that had been +brought from the countries that were discovered under his auspices. The +foot of the elephant is round, like that of a horse, but without hoofs; +instead of which it is covered by a very thick, hard, black skin, and +defended by five nails on the fore part, which are round and of the size +of a _grossone_[3]. Though young, the foot of this elephant measured a +span and a half in diameter. From the same Negro lord I received the foot +of a full-grown elephant, the sole of which was three spans and an inch in +diameter; which, together with a tooth of twelve spans long, I presented +to Don Henry on my return, who sent it afterwards as a great curiosity to +the Dutchess of Burgundy. + +In the river Gambia, and in other rivers on this coast, besides the +_Calcatrici_[4] and other animals, there is one called the _river horse_, +or hippopotamus, of the same nature almost with the sea cow, and which +lives both on land and in the water. This animal is as large in the body +as a cow, with very short legs and cloven feet, having a large head like +that of a horse, and two huge teeth like the tusks of a wild boar, some of +which I have seen upwards of two spans long. This animal, when it gets out +of the river, walks on the land like any other fourfooted beast; and, so +far as I know, was never before discovered by any Christian traveller, +except perhaps in the Nile. We saw likewise a number of bats, or rather +owls, upwards of three spans long; and many other birds, quite different +from those of our country, both in appearance and taste, yet very good to +eat. + + +[1] The meaning of this expression is obscure. Perhaps it implies that + their Mahometan teachers had no mosques, because the Negroes were + ignorant of the means and method of construction. The knowledge of God + among the northern Negroes was assuredly due exclusively to the + Mahometan missionaries.--E. + +[2] Called Gnumi-Mensa in Grynaeus. According to Jobson, Mensa, or Mansa, + signifies a king in the Mandingo language.--Astl. + +[3] A Venetian silver coin, not exceeding a silver penny.--Astl. + +[4] This animal is nowhere explained. Perhaps the crocodile or + alligator.--E. + + + +SECTION X. + +_Continuation of the Voyage from the Gambia to the river Kasa-Mansa, Cape +Roxo, the rivers of St Ann and St Domingo, and the Rio Grande._ + +Having continued eleven days in the river Gambia, and many of our people +becoming affected by acute fevers, we dropt down the river on the evening +of the eleventh day, departing from the country of Batti-Mansa[1], and +got out of the river in a few days, so stocked with commodities as to +encourage us to proceed farther; and indeed, having been so far +successful, and having a plentiful supply of provisions, and every thing +necessary for prosecuting the voyage, we considered as incumbent on us to +attempt some farther discoveries towards the south. We accordingly +steered southwards with a favourable wind; but finding the land to run a +considerable way to the S.S.W. from the mouth of the Gambia, to a certain +point which we took for a cape[2], we stood out to the west to gain the +open sea, the whole coast to the south of the Gambia being low, and +covered with trees to the waters edge. On gaining an offing, we found +that the beforementioned point was no actual cape or promontory, as the +shore appeared perfectly straight on the other side; yet we kept at some +distance out to sea, as we observed breakers for several miles out to +sea[3]. On this account we had to proceed with great caution, keeping +always two men at the head of the ship, and one in the main-top, to look +out for shoals and breakers; and as a farther precaution, we sailed only +during the day, and came to anchor every night. In this cautious progress, +our caravels sailed always one before the other, having fixed the order of +sailing by lot, and changed the leader every day, in order to avoid all +disputes. + +At the end of two days sail in this manner, always in sight of land, we +discovered on the third day the mouth of a river about half a mile wide[4], +and towards evening we observed a little gulf or inlet, which we +supposed might be the entrance of another river; but as it grew late, we +came to anchor for the night. Next morning we sailed into this gulf, and +found that it was the mouth of a large river, not a great deal less in my +opinion than the Gambia, and both its banks were full of very beautiful +tall trees. We cast anchor within the mouth of this river, and agreed to +send two armed boats on shore with our interpreters to get intelligence +respecting the country, according to our usual practice. This was done +accordingly, and our interpreters, brought back word that the river was +called Kasamansa, from a Negro lord of that name who resided at a place +about thirty miles up the river; but who was absent from his residence, +on a warlike expedition against the lord of a neighbouring territory. + +On receiving this intelligence, we sailed from this river next day, +without attempting any traffic with the natives. This river of Kasamansa +is twenty-five leagues, or 100 miles to the south of the Gambia[5]. +Standing on about twenty-five miles farther, we came to a cape which is a +little more elevated than the rest of the coast, and as its front had a +red colour, we named it Cape _Roxo_, or _Rosso_. Proceeding forwards, we +came to the mouth of a pretty large river about a crossbow-shot wide, +which we did not enter, but to which we gave the name of the river of St +Ann. Farther on still, we came to the mouth of another river, not less +than the former, which we named St Dominic, or St Domingo[7]; distant +from Cape Rosso, by our estimation, between fifty-five and sixty miles. +In another days sailing, we came to a very large river, which at first +appeared to be a gulf, and was judged to be about twenty miles in breadth; +but we could observe the beautiful trees on the south side, and it took +us a considerable time to sail across to that side. On getting over to +that side, we observed several islands in the sea, and as we wished to +procure some intelligence concerning the country, we came to an anchor. +Next morning two almadias came off to us from the land, one of which was +as long as a caravel, and carried about thirty hands; the other was +smaller, and was manned by sixteen Negroes. They came towards us with +great eagerness; and, not knowing what might be their design, we took +to our arms and waited their approach. As they drew near, they fixed a +white cloth to the end of an oar, which they held up as a signal of peace, +and we answered them in a similar manner. The Negroes then came alongside +of our ships, the largest of the almadias coming up to the caravel in +which I was. They gazed at every thing they saw, examining the form of +the ship, the masts, yards, sails, and rigging with much attention, and +they seemed astonished at seeing the white colour of our people. Our +interpreters spoke to them, in order to learn the name of the country, +but could not understand a word of their language, which was a great +mortification to us, as we were obliged to leave the place without +getting any intelligence; but we purchased a few gold rings from one of +the Negroes, agreeing about the price by signs. + +Finding ourselves in a country where our interpreters were of no use, and +considering therefore that it would be to no purpose for us to proceed +any farther, we determined to return. We stayed two days in the mouth of +this large river, which we therefore named Rio Grande[8], and where we +found the north pole very low[9]. In this place we found great +irregularity in the tides; for, whereas at Venice, and all other places +in Europe, the flux and reflux are each of six hours continuance, the +tide here only flows four hours, and ebbs eight, and the violence of the +flowing tide is quite incredible, insomuch that we had great difficulty +to stem it with three anchors a-head. Nay, such was its impetuosity, that +we were sometimes obliged to hoist our sails, and even then it exceeded +the force of the wind. + +Taking our departure from the mouth of this vast river, on our way back +to Portugal, we directed our course to two large islands and some small +ones, which lay about thirty miles distance from the continent, which we +found quite low, yet full of large and beautiful green trees, and +inhabited by Negroes[10]. Encountering here the same difficulty of +intercourse, for want of knowing their language, we made no stop, but +took our departure for Portugal, where we arrived in safety. + + +[1] At this place Grynaeus calls him Batrinense; though he had named him + rightly Bati-mansa before.--Astl. + +[2] This is now called Cape St Mary.--E. + +[3] This seems to allude to what is now called Bald Cape, about twenty + miles south from Cape St Mary, and stretching somewhat farther west; + from which there extends breakers or sunken rocks a considerable + distance from the land.--E. + +[4] Between the mouth of the Gambia and that of the Casamansa, there are + three inlets, which appear to be smaller mouths of the latter river. + The most northern of these is named St Peter, the most southerly + Oyster river; the intermediate one has no name.--E. + +[5] The actual distance is barely a degree of latitude, or less than + seventy English miles. Cada Mosto probably estimated by the log, the + more circuitous track by sea.--E. + +[6] Cada Mosto does not mention the remarkable change which takes place + here in the direction of the coast. From the Gambia to Cape Rosso, the + coast runs direct south; after which its direction is E.S.E. to the + mouth of the river St Ann.--E. + +[7] Called in modern charts, Rio S. Dominica.--E. + +[8] According to de Faria, Rio Grande was discovered by Nunez Tristan in + 1447, nine years before it was visited by Cada Mosto.--Astl. + +[9] Cada Mosto is exceedingly superficial in his account of the Rio Grande; + and it even seems dubious if he ever saw or entered this river, as he + appears to have mistaken the navigable channel between the main and + the shoals of the Rio Grande for the river itself; which channel + extends above 150 English miles, from the island of Bulam in the E.S.E. + to the open sea in the W.N.W. This channel agrees with his description, + in being twenty miles wide, whereas the real Rio Grande is greatly + smaller than the Gambia.--E. + +[10] These may be the island of Waring and the Marsh islands, at the + north-western entry of the channel of the Rio Grande, forming part of + the Bissagos islands.--E. + + + +SECTION XI. + +_The Voyage of Piedro de Cintra to Sierra Leona, and the Windward coast of +Guinea; written by Alvise da Cada Mosto._ + +The two voyages to the coast of Africa in which Cada Mosto was engaged, +and which have, been narrated in the foregoing Sections of this Chapter, +were followed by others; and, after the death of Don Henry, two armed +caravels were sent out upon discovery by orders from the king of Portugal, +under the command of Piedro de Cintra, one of the gentlemen of his +household, with injunctions to proceed farther along the coast of the +Negroes than had hitherto been effected, and to prosecute new discoveries. +In this expedition, Piedro de Cintra was accompanied by a young +Portuguese who had formerly been clerk to Cada Mosto in his two voyages; +and who, on the return of the expedition to Lagos, came to the house of +his former employer, who then continued to reside at Lagos, and gave him +an account of the discoveries which had been made in this new voyage, and +the names of all the places which had been touched at by Piedro de Cintra, +beginning from the Rio Grande, the extreme point of the former voyage[1]. + +De Cintra first went to the two large inhabited islands at the mouth of +the Rio Grande which I had discovered in my second voyage, where he +landed, and ordered his interpreters to make the usual inquiries at the +inhabitants; but they could not make themselves understood, nor could +they understand the language of the natives. Going therefore into the +interior, they found the habitations of the Negroes to consist of poor +thatched cabins, in some of which they found wooden idols, which were +worshipped by the Negroes. Being unable to procure any information in +this place, Cintra proceeded, in his voyage along the coast, and came to +the mouth of a large river between three and four miles wide, which he +called Besegue, from a lord of that name who dwelt near its mouth, and +which he reckoned to be about forty miles from the mouth of the Rio +Grande[2]. Proceeding about 140 miles from the river Besegue, along a +very hilly coast; clothed with high trees, and having a very beautiful +appearance, they came to a cape to which they gave the name of Verga[3]. +Continuing along the coast, they fell in with another cape, which, in the +opinion of all the seamen, was the highest they had ever seen, having a +sharp conical height in the middle like a diamond, yet entirely covered +with beautiful green trees. After the name of the fortress of Sagres, +which was built by the deceased Don Henry on Cape St Vincent, the +Portuguese named this point Cape Sagres of Guinea. According to the +account of the Sailors, the inhabitants of this coast are idolaters, +worshipping wooden images in the shape of men, before which they make +offerings of victuals as often as they eat or drink. These people are +more of a tawny colour than black, having marks on their faces and bodies +made with hot irons. They go almost entirely naked, except that they wear +pieces of the bark of trees before them. They have no arms, as there is +no iron in their country. They live on rice, millet, beans, and kidney +beans, larger than ours; and have also beef and goats flesh, but not in +any great abundance. Near to Cape Sagres there are several very small +uninhabited islands. + +The inhabitants of this river have large almadias, carrying from thirty +to forty men, who row standing, without having their oars fixed to any +thing, as formerly noticed. They have their ears pierced with many holes, +in which they wear a variety of gold rings. Both men and women have also +a hole through the cartilage of the nose, in which they wear a gold ring, +just like that of iron in the noses of our buffalos, which they take out +when eating. The ladies belonging to the kings and great men, by way of +extraordinary grandeur, have gold rings on other parts of their body, +which decorum prevents us from particularizing. + +Passing Cape Sagres, they sailed about forty miles farther along the coast, +and came to the Rio de San Vincents, which is about four miles wide; and +about five miles farther they found another, which they called Rio Verde, +larger at the mouth than the former[5]. Both of these rivers were so named +by the sailors in the caravels. About twenty-four miles beyond the Rio +Verde, they came to another cape which they called _Cape Liedo_, +signifying the _cheerful_, because of the beautifully verdant country in +its neighbourhood[6]. From Cape Liedo there extends a large mountain for +about fifty miles along the coast, all of which is very high, and covered +with tall verdant trees. At the end of this mountain, and about eight +miles from the shore, there are three small islands, the largest of which +does not exceed ten or twelve miles in circumference. To these the sailors +gave the name of _Saluezze_[7]; and they named the mountain _Sierra Leona_, +or the Lion Mountain, on account of the continual roaring of thunder on +its summit, which is always enveloped in clouds. + +Proceeding beyond Sierra Leona, the coast was quite low, and the shore +full of sand banks running out into the sea. About thirty miles from the +southern extremity of the mountain, they found a river near three miles +wide at the entrance, and because the water had a red colour, they called +it Rio Roxo[8]. And farther on they found a cape, likewise of a red colour, +which they named Cape Roxo[9]. And they gave the same name of Roxo to a +small uninhabited island, about ten miles off at sea, where the north +polar star seemed only the height of a man above the horizon. Beyond Cape +Roxo, the sea forms a gulf, about the middle of which there enters a river, +which the seamen called St Mary del Nievos, or of the snow, as having been +discovered on the day of that Saint. On the other side of the river there +is a cape, with an island close beside it[10]. This gulf is full of sand +banks, running ten or twelve miles along the coast, on which the sea +breaks with considerable violence, and has a strong current both in the +ebb and flow of the tide; and the little island just mentioned is named +_Scauni_, on account of these sand banks. Twenty-four miles distant from +this river is a large cape called St Ann, having been discovered on the +day of that saint; and the whole coast between is low, with very shallow +water. Twenty-four miles beyond this cape is the river of _Palms_, so +named from the abundance of these trees which were seen there. The mouth +of this river, though of sufficient width, is so full of shoals; and sand +banks as to render its entrance very dangerous. About seventy miles +farther on, there is another small river called _Rio de Fumi_, or Smoke +River; so named, because at the time of its discovery, they saw nothing +but smoke along this coast, made by the Negroes[11]. Beyond this river, +about twenty-four miles, there is a cape which runs a great way out into +the sea, on which stands a high mountain, on which account it was called +_Cabo del Monte_, or Cape Mount About sixty miles still farther on, to the +S. E. there is another and smaller cape, on which is a small mountain or +hill, which was named Cape _Cortese_, or _Misurado_. The first night after +their arrival at this place, the voyagers saw many fires among the trees, +made by the Negroes on seeing the ships, as they had never seen such +objects before. + +About sixteen miles beyond Cape Misurado, there is a large forest of trees +close to the shore, to which they gave the name of St Mary's Grove. The +caravels came to anchor beyond this wood, and several almadias came off +from the shore towards them. There were two or three naked negroes in each, +having sharp pointed sticks in their hands, which our seamen supposed to +be darts; some of them had small knives, and they had only two targets and +three bows among them all. These Negroes, had their ears and noses pierced, +from which hung some strange ornaments resembling human teeth. The +interpreters spoke to them, but could not understand their language. Three +of these Negroes ventured on board one of the caravels, one of whom was +detained by the Portuguese, and the other two allowed to go away; for +Cintra had been ordered by the king, in case of discovering any country +where the interpreters did not understand the language, that he was to +bring away one of the natives either by force or fair means, that he might +be able to give an account of his country, either by some of the Negroes +in Portugal happening to understand his language, or after he had acquired +the Portuguese. + +Piedro de Cintra, having determined to proceed no farther, returned back +to Portugal from Cape Misarado, to which he had traced the coast of Africa +from the Rio Grande. Upon his return, this negro who had been detained off +Cape Misurado, was examined by several Negroes, and at length was +understood by a Negress who belonged to an inhabitant of Lisbon; not +indeed by his own proper language, but by means of another which was known +to them both. Whatever intelligence may have been procured on this +occasion, was not made public, except that there were unicorns in his +country. After this Negro had been kept for some months in Lisbon, and had +been shewn many of the curiosities of Portugal, the king ordered him to be +supplied with clothes, and sent him back in a caravel to his own country. +But from that coast no other ship had arrived before my departure, which +was on the first of February 1463[12]. + + +[1] For this exordium or introduction, we are indebted to the editor of + Astley's Collection of Voyages and Travels, said to have been a Mr + John Green. The infant Don Henry of Portugal died in 1463; so that + there must have been an interval of six or seven years between the + second voyage of Cada Mosto and this of Piedro de Cintra: Though de + Faria seems to put this voyage as having been executed before the + death of that excellent prince, yet Cada Mosto, who then actually + resided at Lagos, could not be mistaken is this important particular.-- + Astl. + +[2] In a note to the second voyage of Cada Mosto, it has been already + noticed that he seems to have given the name of Rio Grande to the + channel between the Bissagos islands, or shoals of the Rio Grande and + the Main. This river Besegue, may possibly be the strait or channel + which divides the island named particularly Bissagos, or more properly + Bissao, from that of Bassis or Bussi. Yet, this river Besegue may even + have been that now called Rio Grande, in which, about twenty-four + leagues above its mouth, there is an island called Bissaghe.--E. + +[3] It is strange that the Rio de Nuno, close by this cape, the estuary + of which is not less than seven or eight miles wide, should be here + omitted; but the present voyage is very superficially narrated + throughout.--E. + +[4] The text is here obviously defective, as no river is mentioned before; + but the allusion must be to the river Pongo, Pongue, or Pougue, at the + mouth of which Cape Sagres is situated; indeed that cape seems to be + formed by one of the islands off the mouth of the river.--E. + +[5] There are a number of small rivers on the coast, between Cape Sagres + and Cape Tagrin, such as Tofali, Dania, Buria, Berrea, Tanna, Pogone, + Cagrance, dos Casas; but our modern charts have none named as in the + text on this part of the coast.--E. + +[6] This is now called Cape Tagrin, and forms the northern point at the + entrance of the Sierra Leone river, otherwise called the Mitomba or + Tagrin river. The southern point is named Cape Sierra Leone; and in + some maps is likewise named Liedo very improperly. It is necessary to + distinguish carefully between the _Cape_ of Sierra Leone, and the + mountainous ridge of the same name, which appears to extend a + considerable way along the coast to the S. E. near fifty miles, to the + river Kates, or Sa. Ma. della Neue. But, from the baldness of the + narrative, there is great difficulty in tracing out this voyage.--E. + +[7] These are now called Bananas islands, in lat. 8° N.--E. + +[8] Perhaps the Camaranca.--E. + +[9] Probably that now called Tassa Point, or Cabo de S. Anna.--E. + +[10] This account seems again to refer to the river Camaranca and Tassa + Point; otherwise called Cape St Ann; yet this cape is brought in + immediately afterwards. Indeed this voyage is inextricably confused, + probably incorrect or corrupt.--E. + +[11] The large island of Sherbro, with Sherbro Strand and Shoals, a very + prominent feature of this part of the African coast, is here entirely + overlooked; unless we suppose de Cintra to have gone on the outside of + that island, considering the sound as a river, and naming the N. W. + point of Sherbro island Cape St Ann.--E. + +[12] We have already seen that Don Henry died in this year, which must, + therefore, be here an error of the press, either in the original + publication by Cada Mosto, or in some of the after editions.--E. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +CONTINUATION OF THE PORTUGUESE DISCOVERIES ALONG THE COAST OF AFRICA, +FROM THE DEATH OF DON HENRY IN 1463, TO THE DISCOVERY OF THE CAPE OF GOOD +HOPE IN 1486[1]. + + + +SECTION I. + +_Progress of Discovery from Cape Verga to Cape St Catherine; from the +Death of Don Henry to that of King Alphonzo V_. + +After the decease of Don Henry, the illustrious father of maritime +discovery, the progress of the Portuguese along the coast of Africa +received a considerable check, as the military ardour of Alphonzo the +Fifth was principally directed to the support of his pretensions to the +throne of Castile, the circumstances of which are unconnected with the +plan of this work. King Alphonzo was not however entirely inattentive to +the trade for gold and slaves, which his illustrious uncle Don Henry had +commenced with that part of Africa which is now called Guinea. The origin +of this name of Guinea, or _Ghinney_, is unknown. It is not in use among +the natives, and seems to have been imposed by the Portuguese from the +appellation of _Ghenchoa_, given to a country on the south side of the +Senegal, us first mentioned by Leo and afterwards by Marmol. Ever since +the year 1453, as already mentioned, considerable importations of gold +had been made to Portugal from the coast of Africa; but little or no +progress had been made in extending the discoveries farther south, for +some time previous to the decease of Don Henry. In 1470, King Alphonzo +sailed with a considerable army, in a fleet of above 300 ships, and +carried the strong fort of _Arzila_ on the Atlantic coast of Africa, a +little way to the south of the Straits of Gibraltar. But of his military +exploits in Africa, from which he acquired the appellation of _Africanus_, +and assumed the additional title of _Lord of the coasts on both seas_, +our present purpose does not call for any recital. In 1479, the disputes +between the crowns of Portugal and Castile were compromised by a treaty +entered into by Alphonzo V. king of Portugal, and Ferdinand king of +Castile; by which the trade of Guinea, and the navigation of its coast, +with the proposed conquest of _Fez_, were guaranteed to Portugal, and the +Canary islands were annexed to the crown of Castile. + +From the want of any accurate history of the progress of the Portuguese +discoveries, it is utterly impossible to determine the dates or +circumstances of many of the progressive discoveries along the western +coast of Africa, and of its islands. In 1469, Alphonzo farmed the Guinea +trade for five years to Fernando Gomez, for the yearly rent of 500 ducats, +or about 138 pounds; taking, him bound at the same time, to extend the +discoveries for 500 leagues to the southwards during the period of his +exclusive privilege. In 1471, according to Marmol, Juan de Santareu and +Pedro de Escobar, discovered the _Oro de la Mina_, or the _Gold coast_; +and advancing still farther, under the guidance of two experienced pilots, +Martin Fernandez and Alvaro Esteves, they discovered _Cabo Catalina_, or +Cape St Catherine, in lat. 1° 40' S. This promontory, which is thirty-one +leagues to the south of Cabo de Lope Gonzales, derived its name from the +day of the saint on which it was first seen, and forms the northern +boundary of the great kingdom of Congo. The discovery of this cape is +assigned by some writers to Sequiera, a knight belonging to the royal +household. + +The celebrated Portuguese historian, Emanuel de Faria, in his _Asia +Portuguesa_, has recorded all the Portuguese voyages, from their first +attempts under Don Henry, to their developement of China and Japan, and +has even left an account of all the ships that sailed from Lisbon for +Africa and Asia, down to the year 1600; but was unable to ascertain the +dates of many important events. Neither he nor De Barros have been able +to remove the uncertainty respecting the first discovery of the island of +St Thomas on the coast of Africa, the south end of which touches the +equinoctial. During the remainder of the reign of Alphonzo, the line of +coast, from Cape Verga in lat. 10° N. to Cape St Catherine in 1° 40' S. +was much frequented by the Portuguese. Of this coast an ample account has +been given by Dapper and Barbot, chiefly following a tract published by +Gotard Artus of Dantzick, which is to be found in De Bry's Collection, +and that of David von Nyendael and others. This was the work of a Dutch +navigator, which was first translated in to German, and thence by Artus +into Latin. But our peculiar department is confined to actual voyages and +travels, and the progress of discovery; and it would both much exceed our +proper limits, and would be an entire deviation from our plan of +arrangement, to admit lengthened geographical and topographical +disquisitions; which, so far as they are at all admissible, must be +reserved for the more particular voyages and travels, after those of +general discovery have been discussed. + +There are four principal islands in the Gulf of Guinea, or Bight of +Biafra, as it is usually called by English navigators, Ferdinand Poo, +Princes isle, St Thomas, and Annobon, the discovery of which have been +related as follows by Barbot, and his account seems the most probable[2]. +Fernando Lopez discovered the first of these in 1471, in lat. 3° 40' N. +giving it the name of _Ilha formosa_, or the Beautiful Island, which was +afterwards changed to that of _Fernando Poo_, which it still retains. In +an account of the kingdom of Congo, in Churchill's Collection, viii. 527, +more properly named the Oxford Collection, or that of Osborne, v. 2. This +island, and a river on the coast of the continent of Africa, directly +east, now called Cameroon River, are said to have taken their names of +Fernando Poo from their first discoverer. Some writers assign the +discovery of these four islands, and that of St Matthew, to Fernando +Gomez, who formed the Guinea trade. Perhaps they were discovered under +his auspices, by the navigators whom he employed. This island is composed +of very high land, easily seen at a great distance, and the Portuguese +had formerly sugar plantations upon it. The _Ilha do Principe_, or +Princes Island, in lat. 1° 30' N. was either discovered by Fernando Lopez, +or by Santaren and Escobar, about the same period, and probably received +its name in honour of the illustrious prince, Don Henry. This island is +described as consisting of high table mountains, pyramidal at their bases, +and visible at the distance of twenty leagues; being about nine leagues +long by five leagues broad. It is said to abound in oranges, lemons, +bananas, cocoa-nuts, sugar-canes, rice, many species of sallad herbs, and +to be susceptible of producing the European grains. The mandioca, or root +of the cassada plant, is generally used for bread, of which the juice +while raw is said to be a virulent poison; while its meal, or rasped root, +after the malignant juice is carefully pressed out, is used for bread. +The inhabitants also, have sheep, hogs, goats, and an immense number of +poultry; but these have probably been introduced by the Portuguese. + +The _Ilha de San Thome_, or island of St Thomas, which is said to have +received its name from the saint to whom the chapel of the great +monastery of _Thomar_ is dedicated, and to which all the African +discoveries are subjected in spirituals, has its southern extremity +almost directly under the equinoctial, and is a very high land of an oval +shape, about fifteen leagues in breadth, by twelve leagues long. + +The most southerly of these islands, in lat. 1° 30' S. now called Annobon, +was originally named Ilha d'Anno Bueno, or Island of the Happy Year, +having been discovered by Pedro d'Escovar, on the first day of the year +1472. At a distance, this island has the appearance of a single high +mountain, and is almost always topt with mist. It extends about five +leagues from north to south, or rather from N. N. W. to S. S. E. and is +about four leagues broad, being environed by several rocks and shoals. It +has several fertile vallies, which produce maize, rice, millet, potatoes, +yams, bananas, pine-apples, citrons, oranges, lemons, figs, and tamarinds, +and a sort of small nuts called by the French _noix de medicine_, or +physic nuts[3]. It also furnishes oxen, hogs, and sheep, with abundance +of fish and poultry; and its cotton is accounted excellent. + +Including the voyages of Cada Mosto and Pedro de Cintra, which have been +already detailed, as possibly within the period which elapsed between the +death of Don Henry in 1463, and King Alphonzo, which latter event took +place on the 28th August 1481, and the detached fragments of discovery +related in the present Section, we have been only able to trace a faint +outline of the uncertain progress of Portuguese discovery during that +period of eighteen years, extending, as already mentioned, to Cape St +Catherine and the island of Annobon. A considerable advance, therefore, +had been made since the lamented death of the illustrious Don Henry; +which comprehended the whole coast of Guinea, with its two gulfs, usually +named the _Bights_ of Benin and Biafra, with the adjacent islands, and +extending to the northern frontier of the kingdom of Congo[4]. If the +following assertion of de Barros could be relied on, we might conclude +that some nameless Portuguese navigators had crossed the line even before +the death of Don Henry; but the high probability is, that the naval +pupils of that illustrious prince continued to use his impress upon their +discoveries, long after his decease, and that the limits of discovery in +his time was confined to Cape Vergas. Some Castilians, sailing under the +command of Garcia de Loaysa, a knight of Malta, landed in 1525 on the +island of St Matthew, in two degrees of southern latitude[5]. They here +observed that it had been formerly visited by the Portuguese, as they +found an inscription on the bark of a tree, implying that they had been +there eighty-seven years before[6]. It also bore the usual motto of +that prince, _talent de bien faire_. + +In the paucity of authentic information respecting these discoveries, it +seems proper to insert the following abstract of the journal of a +Portuguese pilot to the island of St Thomas, as inserted by Ramusio, +previous to the voyage of Vasco de Gama, but of uncertain date; although, +in the opinion of the ingenious author of the Progress of Maritime +Discover, this voyage seems to have been performed between the years 1520 +and 1540. In this, state of uncertainty, it is therefore made a section +by itself, detached in some measure from the regular series of the +Portuguese discoveries. + + +[1] Astley, I. 15. Clarke, I. 290. Purchas, I. Harris, I. 664. + +[2] Clarke, I. 295. + +[3] These may possibly be the nuts of the Ricinus Palma Christi, from + which the castor oil is extracted.--E. + +[4] Strictly speaking the northern limits of Loango, one of the divisions + of the extensive kingdom of Congo, is at the Sette river, ten leagues + S.S. E. from Cape St Catherine.--E. + +[5] There is no island of that name in this position; so that the island + of St Matthew of de Barros must refer to Annobon.--E. + +[6] These dates would throw back the discovery of this island, and the + passage of the line by the mariners of Don Henry, to the year 1438, at + a time when they had not reached the latitude of 25° N. which is quite + absurd.--E. + + + +SECTION II. + +Voyage of a Portuguese Pilot from Lisbon to the Island of St Thomas[1]. + +Before I left Venice, I was requested by letter from Signior Hieronimo +Fracastro of Verona, that, on my arrival at Conde, I would send, him an +account of my voyage to San Thome, to which island our ships often sail +for cargoes of sugar. The passage of the equinoctial line, under which +that island, is situated, appeared to that gentleman so extraordinary a +circumstance as to merit the attention of men of science; and you +likewise made me a similar request. I began, therefore, immediately after +my return, to draw up an account of my voyage, from those notes which we +pilots usual keep of all occurrences, and I compared it in my progress +with the journals of some friends who had formerly made the same voyage. +When I afterwards attentively perused my manuscript, it did not appear to +me worthy of being communicated to a gentleman of such scientific +character as Signor Hieronimo, whose talents I had duly appreciated, by +the perusal of his publications, which I received from you before my +departure from Venice. I therefore laid my manuscript aside, not wishing +that any one might peruse it; but as you have again urged the performance +of my promise, I now anxiously obey a request, which, as coming from you, +I must always consider a command. Apprehensive, likewise, of appearing +forgetful of your polite attentions, I prefer the danger of exposing my +ignorance, to the possibility of being charged with ingratitude or want +of attention. Being a sailor, and unused to composition, I pretend to +little more than copying the remarks of those who have sailed from our +continent to _Ethiopia_, without attempting to reduce my narrative into +lucid order, or to embellish it with fine writing. You will therefore +have the goodness to destroy this account, after its perusal, that the +errors I have committed, by compliance with your commands, may not draw +upon me the imputation of presumption. + +The Portuguese ships which sail to the island of St Thomas from Lisbon, +for cargoes of sugar, usually put to sea in February, though some vessels +make this voyage at every period of the year. Their course is S.S.W. +until they reach the Canary Islands; after which they steer for the +island of Palmas, which is opposite to Cape Bojador on the coast of +Africa, and is about ninety leagues from the kingdom of Castile. This +island has plenty of provisions, and abounds in wine and sugar. The north- +west wind prevails most, and a great sea rages continually on its coast, +particularly in the month of December[2]. + +If the ships which are bound for the island of St Thomas find it +necessary to obtain a quantity of salt after having taken on board a +sufficient supply at the island of _Sal_, they steer for the coast of +Africa at the Rio del Oro; and, if they have calm weather and a smooth +sea; they catch as many fish in four hours, with hooks and lines, as may +suffice for all their wants during the remainder of the voyage. But, if +the weather is unfavourable for fishing at the Rio del Oro, they proceed +along the coast to Cape Branco; and thence along the coast to the island +of Arguin. The principal sorts of fish on this coast are _pagros_, called +_albani_ by the Venetians; likewise _corvi_ and _oneros_, which latter +are only a larger and darker-coloured species of _pagros_. As soon as +taken, the fish are opened and salted, and serve as an excellent supply +of provisions to navigators. All the coast of Africa, from Cape Bojador, +otherwise called _Cabo della Volta_, as far as Cape Branco and even to +Arguin, is low and sandy. At Arguin, which is inhabited by Moors and +Negroes, and which is situated on the confines between these two nations, +there is a capacious harbour, and a castle belonging to our king of +Portugal, in which some Portuguese always reside with the royal agent. + +On leaving the island of Sal, our ships steer next for St Jago, another +of the Cape Verd islands. This island is situated in _fifteen degrees on +the equinoctial and thirty leagues towards the south_[3].It is seventeen +leagues long, and has a city on the coast, with a good harbour called +_Ribiera Grande_, or the Great River, now St Jago. From two high +mountains, one on each side, a large river of fresh water flows into the +harbour; and, from its source, full two leagues above the city, its banks +are lined on each side with gardens, having fine groves of oranges, +cedars, pomegranates, several sorts of figs, and the cocoa-nut palm, +which has been long planted on this island. It produces all kinds of +vegetables in great abundance and perfection; but they do not afford good +seeds, so that it is necessary to procure these every year from Europe. +The city is on the south coast of the island, and is well built of stone, +being inhabited by about 500 families of distinction, Portuguese and +Castilians. Its government is entrusted to a corregidor or governor, +appointed by the king of Portugal; and two judges are chosen annually, +one for the determination of naval and maritime causes, and the other for +regulating the police. This island is very mountainous, and is very +barren in many parts, which are entirely destitute of wood; but its +vallies are fertile and well cultivated. In June, when the sun enters +Cancer, the rains are so incessant that the Portuguese call that month +_La Luna de las Aquas_, or the Water Month. Their seed-time begins in +August, when they sow maize, called _miglio zaburo_. This is a white bean, +which is ready to be gathered in forty days, and is the chief food of +these islanders, and of all the inhabitants of the coast of Africa[4]. +They also sow much rice and cotton; the latter of which comes to great +perfection, and is manufactured into striped cloths, which are exported +to the country of the Negroes, and bartered for black slaves. + +To give a distinct view of the commercial transactions with the Negroes, +it is proper to inform you, that the western coast of Africa is divided +into several countries and provinces, as Guinea, _Melegote_[5], the +kingdom of Benin, and the kingdom of Manicongo. Over all this extent of +coast, there are many Negro kings or chiefs, whose subjects are +Mahometans and idolaters, and who are continually at war with each other. +These kings are much respected by their subjects, almost to adoration, as +they are believed to have originally descended from heaven. When the king +of Benin dies, his subjects assemble in an extensive plain, in the centre +of which a vast pit or sepulchre is dug, into which the body is lowered, +and all the friends and servants of the deceased are sacrificed and +thrown into the same grave, thus voluntarily throwing away their own +lives in honour of the dead. On this coast there grows a species of +_melegete_, extremely pungent like pepper, and resembling the Italian +grain called _sorgo_. It produces likewise a species of pepper of great +strength, not inferior to any of that which the Portuguese bring from +Calicut, under the name of _Pimienta del rabo_, or _Pepe dalla coda_, and +which African pepper resembles _cubbebs_, but so powerful that an ounce +will go farther than a pound of the common sort; but its exportation is +prohibited, lest it should injure the sale of that which is brought from +Calicut[6]. There is also established on this coast a manufacture of an +excellent kind of soap from palm-oil and ashes, which is carried on for +the king's account. All the trade of this coast, to the kingdom of +_Manicongo_ exclusively, is farmed out every four or five years to the +highest bidder. Great Negro caravans bring gold and slaves to the +stations on the coast. The slaves are either prisoners taken in war, or +children whom their parents have parted with in the hope of their being +carried to a more fertile country. For above ninety years after the first +discovery of this coast, the Portuguese merchants were accustomed to +enter the large rivers by which the country is everywhere intersected, +trading independently with the numerous tribes inhabiting their banks; +but now the whole of this commerce is in the hands of stationary licensed +factors, to whom it is farmed. + +On quitting St Jago we steer southerly for the Rio Grande, which is on +the north of Ethiopia, beyond which we come to the high mountain of +Sierra Liona, the summit of which is continually enveloped in mist, out +of which thunder and lightning almost perpetually flashes, and is heard +at sea from the distance of forty or fifty miles. Though the sun is quite +vertical in passing over this mountain, and extremely hot, yet the thick +fog is never dissipated. In our voyage we never lose sight of land, yet +keep always at a considerable distance, carefully observing the +declination of the sun, and keeping a southerly course till we arrive in +_four degrees on the equinoctial_[7], when we suddenly change our course +to the south-east, keeping the Ethiopian coast always on our left hand in +our way to the island of St Thomas. On this coast, between the tropic and +the equinoctial, we never meet with any hard gales, as storms are very +rarely found within the tropics. On nearing the land, the soundings in +many parts of the coast do not exceed fifty _braccia_, but farther out +the depth rapidly increases, and the sea usually runs high at a distance +from the land. When we arrived at Rio del Oro, as mentioned before, we +observed four stars in the form of a cross, of an extraordinary size and +splendour, elevated thirty degrees above the antarctic pole, and forming +the constellation called _il Crusero_. While under the tropic of Cancer, +we saw this constellation very low; and, on directing our _balestra_[8] +to the lowermost of these stars, we found it to be directly south, and +concluded that it must be in the centre of the antarctic polar circle. We +observed the same constellation very high when we were at the island of +St Thomas; and remarked that the moon, after rain, produces a rainbow +similar to that occasioned by the sun during the day, except that the +colours were dim and ill-defined. On leaving the straits of Gibraltar, I +did not observe any sensible change on the ebb and flow of the sea; but +when we approached Rio Grande, which is eleven degrees to the north of +the equinoctial, we observed a considerable tide at the mouth of that +river, and the rise in some places was much the same as on the coast of +Portugal, whereas at the isle of St Thomas it was nearly the same as at +Venice. + +The island of St Thomas was discovered above eighty[9] years ago, by some +captains in the royal navy of Portugal, and was altogether unknown to the +ancients. Its horizon or parallel passes at an equal distance between the +arctic and antarctic poles, and its days and nights are always equal. The +arctic polar star is there invisible, but the _guardiani_ are seen in +some measure to revolve, and the constellation which is known by the name +of _il crusero_, is seen in the heavens at a high altitude. To the +eastwards[10] of St Thomas, and at the distance of 120 miles, the small +island called _Il Principe_ is situated. This latter island is inhabited +and cultivated, the produce of its sugar canes belonging to the revenue +of the kings eldest son, from which circumstance the island derives its +name. To the S. S. W. or S. and by W. and in the latitude of almost 2° S. +is the uninhabited island of Annobon, on which numbers of crocodiles and +venomous serpents are found. Its rocky shores abound in fish, and are +much resorted to by the inhabitants of St Thomas on that account. When +first discovered, the island of St Thomas was an entire forest, +containing a variety of trees, which, though barren, were extremely +verdant. These trees were all remarkably tall and straight, their +branches all drawn close to the stems, and not spreading out as with us. +After clearing away a great part of the forest, the inhabitants built a +principal town called _Pouoasan_, which has an excellent harbour. The +principal dependence of the settlers in this island is upon their sugars, +which they exchange yearly with the merchants who trade thither, for +flour in barrels, wines, oil, cheese, leather, swords, glass beads, +drinking-cups, pater-nosters, and _buzios_, which are a small kind of +shells, called by the Italians _white porcelain_, and which pass in +Ethiopia as money. The Europeans who reside on this island depend much +for provisions on the ships, as they cannot subsist on the fare used by +the Negroes. The slaves employed in their sugar plantations are procured +from Guinea, Benin, and Congo; and some rich planters have from 150 to +300 Negroes. These work five days in every week for their masters, and +are allowed the Saturdays to themselves, when they cultivate various +articles of provision, as the _miglio zaburo_, a species of bean formerly +mentioned, a root called _igname_, and many species of culinary +vegetables, the seeds of which must be imported from Europe, as they do +not come to perfection in this climate. + +[Illustration: Chart of North Western Africa] + +The soil of St Thomas consists of a red and yellow marl, or clay, of +great fertility, which is kept soft and mellow by the heavy dews which +fall nightly, contributing greatly to vegetation, and preventing it from +being dried up by the great heats; and so great is the luxuriant +fertility of the soil, that trees immediately spring up on any spots left +uncultivated, and will grow as high in a few days as would require as +many months with us. These sprouts are cut down and burnt by the slaves, +and their ashes are used as manure for the sugarcanes. If planted in +January, the canes are ready to be cut in June, and those which are +planted in February become ripe in July; and in this manner they keep up +a succession throughout the whole year. In March and September, when the +sun is vertical, the great rains set in, accompanied with cloudy and +thick weather, which is of great service to the sugar plantations. This +island produces yearly above 150,000 arobas of sugar, each containing +thirty-one of our pounds, of which the king receives the tenth part, +which usually produces from 12,000 to 14,000 arobas, though many of the +planters do not pay this tythe fully. There are about sixty _ingenios_ +driven by water, for bruising the canes and pressing out the juice, which +is boiled in vast chaldrons, after which it is poured into pans in the +shape of sugar-loaves, holding from fifteen to twenty pounds each, in +which it is purified by means of ashes. In some parts of the island, +where they have not streams of water, the canes are crushed by machines +worked by the Negroes, and in others by horses. The bruised canes are +given to the hogs, which hardly get any other food, yet fatten +wonderfully, and their flesh is so delicate and wholesome as to be +preferred to that of poultry. Many sugar refiners have been brought here +from Madeira, on purpose to endeavour to manufacture the sugars of St +Thomas more white and harder than its usual produce, but in vain. This is +alleged to proceed from the extreme richness of the soil injuring the +quality of the sugar; just as with us, wines produced in soils of too +great fertility are apt to have a peculiar flavour. Another cause of this +is supposed to proceed from the climate of the island being too hot and +too moist, except in the month of June, July, and August, at which season +a fresh dry wind blows from Ethiopia to this island; and they then make +their best sugars. + +The planters are obliged, to ship off their sugars as soon as they can +procure shipping, because they would become liquid if attempted to be +kept for a length of time. At present, not above two-thirds of the island +are appropriated to the cultivation of sugar; but any person who comes to +this island for the purpose of settling, whether from Spain or Portugal, +or any other country, may procure from the royal intendant as much land +as he is able to cultivate, and at a moderate price. The esculent root +which is known in the Spanish islands by the name of _batata_, is here +named ingame by the Negroes, and is their principal food, either boiled +or roasted under the ashes. There are different kinds of this root +produced on the island, but that which is known by the name of _igname +cicorero_ is preferred by the merchant vessels, all of which purchase +considerable quantities as a sea-stock for their homeward voyage, and the +Negroes cultivate them largely for the express purpose of supplying the +ships[11]. This island is distinguished by a high mountain in the middle, +thickly covered by tall, straight, and verdant trees, and its summit is +continually enveloped in clouds, whence water is diffused in numerous +streams all over the island. A large shallow stream flows through the +city of Pouoasan, supplying it with abundance of excellent water, which +the inhabitants reckon of a medicinal quality, and allege that St Thomas +would not be habitable if it were not for this river and its other +numerous springs and rivulets. The native trees are chiefly barren, and +though some olives, peaches, and almonds, were planted by the early +settlers, which soon grew with great luxuriance, they never bore any +fruit, and this has been the case with all stone fruits that have been +tried. But the cocoa-nut palm, brought hither from Ethiopia, has thriven +satisfactorily. Repeated attempts have been made to cultivate wheat, but +always unsuccessfully, though tried at different seasons of the year; as +the ear would never fill, but always ran up to straw and chaff only. + +In March and September, the sky is always overcast with clouds and mists, +and continual rains prevail, which season is considered by the +inhabitants as their winter. In May, June, July, and August, which they +call _Mesi di Vento_, or windy months, the prevalent winds are from the +south, southeast, and southwest; but the island is sheltered by the +continent from the north, northeast, and northwest winds; The summer +months are December, January, and February, when the heat is excessive, +and the atmosphere being continually loaded with vapour, occasions the +air to feel like the steam of boiling water. The shores of this island +abound in many kinds of fish, and, during the months of June and July, +the inhabitants catch a kind which they name _le chieppe_, which are +singularly delicate. In the seas between this island and the coast of +Africa, there are prodigious multitudes of whales, both of the large and +small kinds.--Should you, Sir, be unsatisfied with my ill-written and +confused information, I beg of you to consider that I am merely a seaman, +unpracticed in literary composition. + + +[1] Ramusio. Clarke I. 298. This voyage was communicated by the relator + to Count Raimond della Torre, a nobleman of Verona.--Clarke. + +[2] A description of the islands of Cape Verd, and an account of the + supply of salt usually taken on board by the Portuguese ships at the + island of Sal, for the purpose of laying in a sea store of salt fish, + is here omitted.--Clarke. + +[3] This geographical expression is utterly unintelligible, but may be a + strange mode of denoting its latitude, which is 15° N. but I know not + what to make of the thirty leagues towards the south, unless the + author meant that it was thirty leagues in extent from north to south, + and seventeen leagues from east to west.--E. + +[4] The description in the text is not applicable to maize, and must refer + to some species of bean, or kidney-bean.--E. + +[5] Called likewise Maleguette, and named also the Grain-Coast and the + Pepper-Coast. Manicongo is obviously the kingdom of Congo.--E. + +[6] Some of this is smuggled and sold in England.--Clarke. + + This Guinea pepper is probably that now known under the name of + Jamaica pepper; but the extremely pungent kind must be some of the + numerous species of capsicums, usually called Cayenne pepper.--E. + +[7] This strange expression seems to imply 4° of north latitude.--E. + +[8] Called likewise Balestriglia, being the Venetian name for the cross- + staff, or fore-staff, an astronomical instrument which has been + superseded by the quadrant and sextant.--E + +[9] In an after part of this narrative, the pilot informs us, that his + first voyage to the island of San Thome was in 1520, and that he made + five voyages to that place. If, therefore, the date of his present + voyage were fixed to 1530, it would carry us back to 1450, or even + earlier, for the date of this discovery, near thirteen years before + the death of Don Henry.--Clarke. + + In Mr Clarkes note on this passage, he erroneously calculates on the + above data that the discovery might have been in 1460, which is only + seventy years back from 1530. But the result of the data in the text + shews, that either the pilot was mistaken as to the real date of the + discovery, or that his narrative has been corrupted, so that no + reliance can be placed on his dates.--E. + +[10] The direction of _Il Principe_, or Princes Island, from St Thomas, + is N. N. E. and the distance does not exceed seventy miles.--Clarke. + +[11] These _batatas_ are probably a different species from our potatoes, + and may be what are called sweet potatoes in the West Indies; perhaps + the _igname cicorero_ is the West Indian _yam_. Four species of + _igname_ or _batata_, are mentioned in Barbot as originally from Benin, + Anwerre, Mani-Congo, and Saffrance. The first of these is remarkably + sweet, and the second keeps well. A variety of esculent roots might + prove of high utility to navigators, and are too much neglected. Among + these, the parsnip and Jerusalem artichoke deserve notice, as being + very nutritive, and proof against all weathers.--Clarke. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Continuation of Portuguese Discoveries, from Cape St Catherine to the +kingdom of Congo_. + +We are still obliged to continue the account of the Portuguese +discoveries historically, from the want of any regular journals of their +early voyages along the African coast. In the original efforts of the +illustrious Don Henry, although the progress was extremely slow, we have +much to admire in the character of that prince, who possessed genius to +stretch beyond the trammels of custom and authority, boldly thinking for +himself, pointing out the way of extending the knowledge of our globe by +maritime discoveries, and persevering nobly in his renewed efforts, in +spite of the timid ignorance of his unexperienced pilots and mariners. +But it is not easy to explain the continuance of that slow progress, +which was even retarded during the years which elapsed between the demise +of that prince of mariners in 1463, and that of Alphonso in 1481; when +the increased experience of the Portuguese, in their frequent voyages to +the new discovered Atlantic islands and African coast, ought to have +inspired them with fresh vigour and extended views of discovery and +commerce. The military character of Alphonso may, however, explain this +in a great degree, as all his energies were directed towards the +extension of dominion in the Moorish kingdom of Fez; and the business of +discovery was devolved as a burdensome and unprofitable task on the +farmers of the trade to the coast of Africa, which appears to have become +extensive and lucrative, after the discovery of Guinea and its islands, +and the establishment of the sugar colonies in these islands. We learn, +likewise, from the preceding voyage of the Portuguese pilot to the island +of St Thomas, that the mariners still confined themselves almost entirely +to creeping along the coast, from cape to cape, and from island to island, +not daring to trust themselves to the trackless ocean, under the now sure +guidance of the heavenly luminaries; but which they then did not +sufficiently understand, nor did they possess sufficient instruments for +directing their course in the ocean. It would appear that they had then +no other method of computing the longitude but by means of the log, or +dead reckoning, which is liable to perpetual uncertainty from currents +and lee-way, and which a storm, even of short continuance, must have +thrown into total confusion. Their instruments and methods for +determining even the latitudes, appear to have then been imperfect and +little understood. In the sequel of this deduction, we shall find the +first Portuguese squadron which sailed for India, conducted across the +Indian ocean by a Moorish pilot. + +On the accession of John II. to the throne of Portugal in 1481, the +discoveries along the coast of Africa were resumed with a new spirit. +While infante or hereditary prince, his principal revenue was derived +from the profits of the Guinea trade, and of the importation of gold from +the haven of Mina; and among the first measures of his reign, he turned +his attention to the improvement and extension of that valuable branch of +commerce. For this purpose, he gave orders to make all necessary +preparations for building a fortress and church at the port of Mina. All +the requisite materials, even to stones and tiles, were accordingly +shipped from Lisbon in a squadron of ten caravels and two transports, +with 500 soldiers and 200 labourers or workmen of various kinds. This +expedition was placed under the command of Don Diego d'Azumbuja, an +experienced officer, under whom were the following naval captains, +Gonçalez da Fonseca, Ruy d'Oliveira, Juan Rodrigues Gante, Juan Alfonso, +Diego Rodrigues Inglez, Bartholomew Diaz, Pedro d'Evora, and Gomez Aires. +This last was a gentleman belonging to the household of Pedro king of +Arragon, all the others being noblemen of the household of King John. +Pedro de Cintra and Fernam d'Alfonso commanded the transports, and a +small vessel attended the squadron as an advice-boat. This squadron +sailed on the 11th December 1481, and reached their destination on the +19th January 1482, at an African village named _Aldea_, where they found +Juan Bernardo, who had previously sailed for the coast in quest of gold. + +Bernardo was immediately sent by Azumbuja, to inform Camarança, the Negro +chief of the district, with the arrival of the Portuguese armament, and +to desire a conference, with directions to endeavour to impress that +chief with a high sense of the rank and character of the Portuguese +officers, and of the irresistible power of the armament now upon his +coast. Early next morning, Azambuja landed with all his followers, who +were secretly armed, in case of meeting with any hostilities from the +natives; and moved forwards in great form to a large tree, not far from +the Negro village of Aldea, on a spot which had been chosen as a +convenient situation for the intended fortress. A flag, bearing the royal +arms of Portugal, was immediately displayed upon the tree, and an altar +was placed under the shade of its boughs, at which the whole company +united in assisting at the first mass that was celebrated in Guinea, +offering up their solemn prayers to God for the speedy conversion of the +idolatrous natives, and for the perpetual continuance and prosperity of +the church which was to be erected on this spot. The day on which this +impressive ceremony was performed being dedicated to St Sebastian, that +name was given to the valley on which the tree stood, under which they +were now assembled. + +Soon after the completion of this religious ceremony, Camarança +approached with a numerous train. Azambuja, sumptuously dressed, and +ornamented by a rich golden collar, prepared to receive the Negro chief, +seated on an elevated chair, having all his retinue arranged before him, +so as to form an avenue. The Negroes were armed with spears, shields, +bows, and arrows, and wore a kind of helmets made of skins, thickly +studded with fish teeth, giving them a very martial appearance. The +subordinate chiefs were distinguished by chains of gold hanging from +their necks, and had various golden ornaments on their heads, and even on +their beards. After the exchange of presents, and other tokens of mutual +respect and confidence, Azambuja made a speech to Camarança, through the +mediation of an interpreter, in which he explained the purpose of his +embassy and expedition, and used every argument he could think of, to +conciliate the friendship of the Negro chief, to make him fully sensible +of the power of the king of Portugal, and to reconcile him to the +intended permanent establishment upon the toast. Camarança listened to +the harangue, and the explanation of it by the interpreter, in respectful +silence, keeping his eyes steadily fixed on the countenance of Azambuja. +After which, casting his eyes for some time on the ground, as if +profoundly meditating on what he had heard, he is said to have made the +following guarded and judicious answer: + +"I am fully sensible of the high honour done me on this occasion by your +sovereign. I have always endeavoured to deserve his friendship, by +dealing strictly with his subjects, and by constantly exerting myself to +procure immediate ladings for their ships. Hitherto the Portuguese, who +have visited my country, were meanly dressed, and easily satisfied with +the commodities we had to give them; and so far from desiring to remain +in the country, were always anxious to complete their cargoes, and to +return whence they came. This day I observe a wonderful difference. A +great number of persons, richly dressed, are eager for permission to +build themselves houses, and to remain among us. But assuredly, persons +of such rank, under the guidance of a commander who claims his descent +from the God who created the day and the night, would never be able to +endure the hardships of our climate, and could not procure in this +country those luxuries they have been accustomed to in their own. Those +passions which are common to all men, will certainly produce disputes +between us; and it were much better that we should continue on the same +footing as hitherto, allowing your ships to come and go as they have +always done before; in which case, the desire of seeing each other +occasionally, and of mutual intercourse in trade, will preserve peace +between you and us. The sea and the land, which are always neighbours, +are continually at variance, contending for the mastery; the sea always +violently endeavouring to subdue the land, which, with equal obstinacy, +defends itself against the encroachments of the sea." + +The prudential jealousy and distrust displayed on this occasion by +Camarança, astonished and perplexed the Portuguese commander; and it +required the exercise of much address on his part, to prevail upon the +Negro chief to allow the fulfilment of his orders, and to prevent the +necessity of having recourse to violent measures. When the workmen were +making preparations next day to lay the foundations of the intended +fortress on the coast, they observed a large rock, which lay very +commodious for serving them as a quarry, and accordingly proceeded to +work it for that purpose. This happened unfortunately to be venerated by +the Negroes as one of their Gods, and they immediately flew to arms in +opposition against the sacrilegious violation of the sanctified rock, and +many of the workmen were wounded, before the natives could be pacified by +numerous presents. At length, after the constant labour of twenty days, +the fort began to assume a formidable appearance, and received the name +of _Fortaleza de San Jorge da Mina_, or Fort St George at Mina. In a +church constructed within its walls, a solemn mass was appointed to be +celebrated annually, in honour of Don Henry, Duke of Viseo, of +illustrious memory. Azambuja continued governor of this place during two +years and seven months, and was honoured, on his return to Portugal, with +particular marks of royal favour. In 1486, King John bestowed on this new +establishment all the privileges end immunities of a city. + +Impressed with the great advantages that might be derived to his kingdom, +through the prosecution of the maritime discoveries in Africa, and more +especially by opening a passage by sea to India, of which his hopes were +now sanguine, the king of Portugal, who had now added to his titles that +of _Lord of Guinea_, made application to the pope, as universal father +and lord of Christendom, for a perpetual grant of all the countries which +the Portuguese had already discovered, or should hereafter discover, +towards the east, with a strict prohibition against the interference of +any European State in that immense field of discovery, commerce, and +colonization. The pope conceded this enormous grant, probably without the +most distant idea of its extent and importance: not only prohibiting all +Christian powers from intruding within those prodigious, yet indefinite +bounds, which he had bestowed upon the crown of Portugal, but declaring, +that all discoveries that were or might be made in contravention, should +belong to Portugal. Hitherto, the Portuguese navigators, in the course of +their discoveries along the shores of Western Africa, had been in use to +erect _wooden_ crosses, as indications of their respective discoveries. +But the king now ordered that they should erect _stone crosses_, about +six feet high, inscribed with, the arms of Portugal, the name of the +reigning sovereign, that of the navigator, and the date of the discovery. + +In the year 1484, Diego Cam or Cano proceeded beyond Cape St Catherine, +in lat. 1° 40' S. the last discovery of the reign of King Alphonso, and +reached the mouth of a considerable river, in lat. 5° 10' S. called +_Zayre_ by the natives, now called Congo river, or the Rio Padron. Diego +proceeded some distance up this river, till he met with some of the +natives, but was unable to procure any satisfactory intelligence from +them, as they were not understood by the Negro interpreters on board his +ship. By means of signs, however, he understood that the country was +under the dominion of a king who resided at a considerable distance from +the coast, in a town or city called Banza, since named San Salvador by +the Portuguese; on which he sent a party of his crew, conducted by the +natives, carrying a considerable present far the king, and meaning to +wait their return. Unavoidable circumstances, however, having protracted +the return of his people far beyond the appointed time, Diego resolved to +return into Portugal with an account of his discovery; and, having gained +the confidence of the natives, he prevailed on four of them to embark +with him, that they might be instructed in the Portuguese language, to +serve as interpreters for future intercourse with this newly discovered +region, and made the natives understand by means of signs, that, after +the expiration of fifteen moons, these persons should be returned in +safety. + +These Africans were men of some consequence in their own country, and +were of such quick apprehensions, that they acquired a sufficient +knowledge of the Portuguese language during the voyage back to Lisbon, as +to be able to give a competent account of their own country, and of the +kingdoms or regions beyond it, to the southwards. The king of Portugal +was much gratified by this discovery, and treated the Africans brought +over by Diego with much munificence. Next year, Diego Cam returned to the +river of Congo, where he landed the four natives, who carried many +presents from King John to their own sovereign, and were directed to +express his anxious desire that he and his subjects would embrace the +Christian faith. + +Having landed the Negroes, and received back his own men whom he had left +on his former voyage, Diego proceeded to discover the coast to the +southwards of the Congo river; leaving a respectful message for the king +of Congo, that he must postpone the honour of paying his respects to him +till his return from the south. The farther progress of Diego is very +indefinitely related by the Portuguese historians; who say, that after a +run of twenty leagues, he erected two stone crosses, as memorials of his +progress, one at a cape called St Augustine, in lat. 13° S. but the other +on Cape Padron, in 22° S. This last latitude would extend the discovery +of Diego between the latitude of the Congo river and this high latitude, +to 280 Portuguese leagues, instead of twenty. Besides, Cape Padron forms +the southern point at the mouth of the river of Congo, and is only in lat. +6° 15' S. The high probability is, that the first cross erected by Diego +Cam in this voyage, was at Cape Palmerinho, in lat. 9° 15' S. and the +other may have been at Rocca Boa, in lat. 13° 20' S. Clarke[1] is +disposed to extend the second cross to Cabo Negro, in lat. 16° S. Either +influenced by his provisions running short, or desirous of forming a +friendly, connection with the king of Congo, Diego measured back his way +to the Congo river, where he was received in a most satisfactory manner +by the sovereign of that country. The reports of his subjects who had +been in Portugal, and the liberal presents which they had brought to him +from King John, had made a deep impression on the mind of this African +monarch. He made many inquiries respecting the Christian religion, and +being highly gratified by its sublime and consolatory doctrines, perhaps +influenced by the reports his subjects had brought him of its magnificent +ceremonies, he appointed one of his principal noblemen, named _Caçuta_ or +_Zazut_, to accompany Diego Cam, as his ambassador to King John; +anxiously requesting the king of Portugal to allow this nobleman and his +attendants to be baptized, and that he would be pleased to send some +ministers of his holy religion to convert him and his subjects from their +idolatrous errors. Diego Cam arrived safely in Portugal with Caçuta; who +was soon afterwards baptized by the name of _John Silva_, the king and +queen of Portugal doing him the honour of attending on him as sponsors at +the holy font; and the splendid ceremonial was closed by the baptism of +his sable attendants. + +Some time previous to this event, Alphonso de Aviero carried an +ambassador from the king of Benin to the king of Portugal, requesting +that some missionaries might be sent for the conversion of his subjects; +and, although the artful conduct of that African prince threw many +difficulties in the way of this mission, many of the Negroes of that +country were converted. From the ambassador of Benin, the king of +Portugal received information of a powerful monarch, named _Organe_, +whose territories lay at the distance of 250 leagues beyond the kingdom +of Benin, and who possessed a supremacy over all the adjacent states. +Assuming Cape Lopo Gonçalves, in lat. 1° S. as the southern boundary of +the kingdom of Benin, 250 Portuguese leagues would bring us to the +kingdom of Benguela, or that of Jaa Caconda, about lat. 14° or 15° S. Yet +some persons have strangely supposed that this king _Organe_ or _Ogané_ +was a corruption of _Jan_ or _Janhoi_, the title given by the Christians +of the east to the king of Abyssinia. "But it is very difficult to +account for this knowledge of Abyssinia in the kingdom of Benin, not only +on account of the distance, but likewise because several of the most +savage nations in the world, the _Galla_ and _Shangalla_, occupy the +intervening space. The court of Abyssinia did indeed then reside in +_Shoa_, the south-east extremity of the kingdom; and, by its power and +influence, might have pushed its dominion through these barbarians to the +neighbourhood of Benin on the western ocean. But all this I must confess +to be a mere conjecture of mine, of which, in the country itself, I never +found the smallest confirmation[2]." To these observations of the +celebrated Abyssinian traveller, it may be added, that the distance from +Benin to Shoa exceeds six hundred Portuguese leagues. + +While the king of Portugal continued to encourage his navigators to +proceed to the southwards in discovering the African coast, he became +anxious lest some unexpected rival might interpose to deprive him of the +expected fruits of these discoveries, which had occupied the unremitting +attentions of his predecessors and himself for so many years. Learning +that John Tintam and William Fabian, Englishmen, were preparing, at the +instigation of the Duke of Medina Sidonia, in 1481, to proceed on a +voyage to Guinea, he sent Ruy de Sousa as his ambassador, to Edward IV. +of England, to explain the title which he held from the pope as lord of +that country, and to induce him to forbid his subjects from navigating to +the coast of Africa, in which negotiation he was completely successful. +He likewise used every exertion to conceal the progress of his own +navigators on the western coast of Africa, and to magnify the dangers of +the voyage; representing that the coast was quite inhospitable, +surrounded by most tremendous rocks, and inhabited by savage cannibals, +and that no vessels could possibly live in those tempestuous seas, in +which every quarter of the moon produced a furious storm, except those of +a peculiar construction, which had been invented by the Portuguese ship- +builders. + +A Portuguese pilot, who had often made the voyage to Guinea, had the +temerity to assert, that any kind of ship could make this redoubted +voyage, as safely as the royal caravels, and was sent for to court by the +king, who gave him a public reprimand for his ignorance and presumption. +Some months afterwards, the same pilot appeared again at court, and told +the king, "That being of an obstinate disposition, he had attempted the +voyage to Guinea in a different kind of vessel from those usually +employed, and found it to be impossible." The king could not repress a +smile at this solemn nonsense; yet honoured the politic pilot with a +private audience, and gave him money to encourage him to propagate the +deception. About this period, likewise, hearing that three Portuguese +seamen, who were conversant in the navigation of the coast of Africa, had +set out for Spain, intending to offer their services in that country, +John immediately ordered them to be pursued as traitors. Two of them were +killed, and the third was brought a prisoner to Evora, where he was broke +on the wheel. Hearing that the Portuguese seamen murmured at the severity +of this punishment, the king exclaimed, "Let every man abide by his own +element, I love not travelling seamen." + +Encouraged by the successful progress of Diego Cam in 1484 and 1485, King +John became sanguine in his hopes of completing the discovery of a +maritime route to India, around the continent of Africa, and determined +upon using every exertion for this purpose. His first views were to +endeavour to procure some information respecting India, by means of a +journey overland; and with this object, _Antonio de Lisboa_, a Franciscan +friar, together with a nameless lay companion, were dispatched to make +the attempt of penetrating into India, through Palestine and Egypt. But, +being ignorant of the Arabic language, these men were unable to penetrate +beyond Jerusalem, whence they returned into Portugal. Though disappointed +in this attempt, by the ignorance or want of enterprise of his agents, +his resolution was not to be repressed by difficulties, and he resolved +upon employing fresh exertions both by sea and land, for the +accomplishment of his enterprise. He accordingly fitted out a small +squadron under Bartholomew Diaz, a knight of the royal household, to +attempt the passage by sea. + + +[1] Prog, of Mar. Disc. I. 329. note r. + +[2] Bruce's Abyssinia, II. 105. + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Discovery of the Cape of Good Hope, by Bartholomew Diaz, in 1486_[1]. + +For this important enterprise, Bartholomew Diaz was only supplied with +two small caravels of fifty ton each, accompanied by a still smaller +vessel, or tender, to carry provisions. Of these vessels, one was +commanded by Bartholomew Diaz, as commodore, the second caravel by _Juan +Infante_, another cavalier or gentleman of the court, and Pedro Diaz, +brother to the commander in chief of the expedition, had charge of the +tender. The preparations being completed, Bartholomew sailed in the end +of August 1486, steering directly to the southwards. + +We have no relation of the particulars of this voyage, and only know that +the first spot on which Diaz placed a stone pillar, in token of discovery +and possession, was at _Sierra Parda_, in about 24°40'S. which is said to +have been 120 leagues farther to the south than any preceding navigator. +According to the Portuguese historians, Diaz sailed boldly from this +place to the southwards, in the open sea, and never saw the land again +until he was forty leagues to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, which he +had passed without being in sight of land. The learned geographer, Major +Rennel, informs us, that Sir Home Popham and Captain Thompson, while +exploring the western coast of Africa in 1786, found a marble cross, on +which the arms of Portugal were engraved, in latitude 26°37'S. near a bay +named Angra Pequena: But, as the Portuguese long continued to frequent +these coasts exclusively, and considered them all as belonging to their +dominions under the papal grant, this latter cross, on which the +inscription was not legible, may have been erected at a considerably +subsequent period. At all events, the track of Diaz was far beyond the +usual adventure of any former navigator, as he must have run a course of +from seven to ten degrees of latitude, and at least between two or three +degrees of longitude, in utterly unknown seas, without sight of land. The +first land seen by Diaz is said to have been forty leagues to the +eastward of the cape, where he came in sight of a bay on the coast, which +he called _Angra de los Vaqueros_, or bay of herdsmen, from observing a +number of cows grazing on the land. The distance of forty Portuguese +leagues, would lead us to what is now called Struys bay, immediately east +of Cabo das Agullias, which latter is in lat. 34° 50' S. and long. 20° 16' +E. from Greenwich. From this place Diaz continued his voyage eastwards, +to a small island or rock in the bay, which is now called Zwartkops or +Algoa, in long. 27° E. on which rocky islet he placed a stone cross or +pillar, as a memorial of his progress, and named it, on that account, +Santa Cruz, or _El Pennol de la Cruz_. In his progress to this place from +the Angra de los Vaqueros, he had set some Negroes on shore in different +places, who had been brought from Portugal for this purpose, and who were +well clothed, that they might be respected by the natives. These Negroes +were likewise provided with small assortments of toys for bartering with +the natives, and were especially charged to make inquiry as to the +situation and distance of the dominions of Prester John. Of the fate of +these Negroes we are nowhere informed, but may be well assured they would +receive no intelligence respecting the subject of their inquiry, from the +ignorant Hottentots and Caffres of Southern Africa. + +It would appear that Diaz was still unconscious that he had reached and +overpassed the extreme southern point of Africa, although now nearly nine +degrees to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, and at least one degree +back towards the north of his most southern range; but he may have +supposed himself in a deep bite or bay of the coast, similar to the well- +known gulf of Guinea. Under this impression, that he had not accomplished +the grand object of his enterprize, he was anxious to continue his voyage +still farther towards the east: But, as the provisions on board his two +caravels were nearly exhausted, and the victualling tender under the +command of his brother was missing, the crews of the caravels became +exceedingly urgent to return, lest they might perish with famine. With +some difficulty he prevailed on the people to continue their course about +twenty-five leagues farther on, as he felt exceedingly mortified at the +idea of returning to his sovereign without accomplishing the discovery on +which he was sent. They accordingly reached the mouth of a river, which +was discovered by Juan Infante, and was called from him, _Rio del +Infante_, now known by the name of Great-Fish River, in about lat. 33°27' +N. long. 28°20'E. The coast still trended towards the eastwards, with a +slight inclination towards the north; so that, in an eastern course of +about thirteen degrees, they had neared the north about six degrees, +though still unsatisfied of having absolutely cleared the southern point +of Africa. + +From this river, the extreme boundary of the present voyage, Diaz +commenced his return homewards, and discovered, with great joy and +astonishment, on their passage back, the long sought for and tremendous +promontory, which had been the grand object of the hopes and wishes of +Portuguese navigation during _seventy-four_ years, ever since the year +1412, when the illustrious Don Henry first began to direct and incite his +countrymen to the prosecution of discoveries along the western shores of +Africa. Either from the distance which the caravels had been from the land, +when they first altered their course to the eastwards, or from the cape +having been concealed in thick fogs, it had escaped notice in the +preceding part of the voyage. At this place Diaz erected a stone cross in +memory of his discovery; and, owing to heavy tempests, which he +experienced off the high table land of the Cape, he named it _Cabo dos +Tormentos_, or Cape of storms; but the satisfaction which King John +derived from this memorable discovery, on the return of Diaz to Portugal +in 1487, and the hope which it imparted of having opened a sure passage by +sea from Europe through the Atlantic into the Indian ocean, by which his +subjects would now reap the abundant harvest of all their long and arduous +labours, induced that sovereign to change this inauspicious appellation +for one of a more happy omen, and he accordingly ordered that it should in +future be called, _Cabo de boa Esperança_, or Cape of Good Hope, which it +has ever since retained. + +Soon after the discovery of the _Cape_, by which shorter name it is now +generally preeminently distinguished, Diaz fell in with the victualler, +from which he had separated nine months before. Of nine persons who had +composed the crew of that vessel, six had been murdered by the natives of +the west coast of Africa, and Fernand Colazzo, one of the three survivors, +died of joy on again beholding his countrymen. Of the circumstances of the +voyage home we have no account; but it is not to be doubted that Diaz and +his companions would be honourably received by their sovereign, after a +voyage of such unprecedented length and unusual success. + + +[1] Clarke, I. 342. + + + +SECTION V. + +_Journey overland to India and Abyssinia, by Covilham and de Payva_[1]. + +Soon after the departure of Diaz, King John dispatched Pedro de Covilham +and Alphonso de Payva, both well versed in the Arabic language, with +orders to travel by land into the east, for the discovery of the country +of _Presbyter_, or _Prester John_, and to trace the steps of the lucrative +commerce then carried on with India by the Venetians for spices and drugs; +part of their instructions being to endeavour to ascertain the +practicability of navigating round the south extremity of Africa to the +famed marts of Indian commerce, and to make every possible inquiry into +the circumstances of that important navigation. Some writers have placed +this journey as prior in point of time to the voyage of Diaz, and have +even imagined that the navigator was directed or instructed by the report +which Covilham transmitted respecting India. Of the relation of this +voyage by Alvarez, which Purchas published in an abbreviated form, from a +translation out of the Italian in the collection of Ramusio, found among +the papers of Hakluyt, Purchas gives the following character: "I esteem it +true in those things which he saith he saw: In some others which he had by +relation of enlarging travellers, or boasting Abassines, he may perhaps +sometimes rather _mendacia dicere_, than _mentiri_." To _tell_ lies rather +than _make_ them. + +Covilham, or Covillan, was born in a town of that name in Portugal, and +went, when a boy, into Castile, where he entered the service of Don +Alphonso, duke of Seville. On a war breaking out between Portugal and +Castile, he returned into his native country, where he got into the +household of King Alphonso, who made him a man-at-arms. After the death of +that king, he was one of the guard of King John, who employed him on a +mission into Spain, on account of his knowledge in the language. He was +afterwards employed in Barbary, where he remained some time, and acquired +the Arabic language, and was employed to negotiate a peace with the king +of Tremesen. He was a second time sent into Barbary on a mission to King +_Amoli-bela-gegi_, to procure restitution of the bones of the infant Don +Fernando, in which he was successful. + +After his return, he was joined in commission, as before-mentioned, with +Alphonso de Payva, and these adventurous travellers left Lisbon in May +1487. Covilham was furnished with a very curious map for these times, by +the Prince Emanuel, afterwards king of Portugal, which had been copied and +composed, with great care and secrecy, by the licentiate Calzadilla, +afterwards bishop of Viseo, assisted by Doctor Rodrigo, and a Jewish +physician named Moses; which map asserted the practicability of passing by +sea to India round the southern extremity of Africa, on some obscure +information which had been collected by those who constructed it. + +With a supply of 500 crowns in money, and a letter of credit, or bills of +exchange, Covilham and De Payva went first to Naples, where their bills of +exchange were paid by the son of _Cosmo de Medici_. From Naples they went +by sea to the island of Rhodes, and thence to Alexandria in Egypt, whence +they travelled as merchants to Grande Cairo, and proceeded with the +caravan to _Tor_[2] on the Red Sea, near the foot of Mount Sinai. They +here received some information respecting the trade which then subsisted +between Egypt and Calicut, and sailed from that place to Aden, a trading +city of Yemen, on the outside of the Straits of Babelmandeb. The +travellers here separated; Covilham embarking in one vessel for India, +while De Payva took his passage in another vessel bound for Suakem on the +Abyssinian coast of the Red Sea, having engaged to rejoin each other at +Cairo, after having carried the directions of their sovereign into effect. + +The Moorish ship from Aden in which Covilham had embarked, landed him at +Cananor on the coast of Malabar, whence, after some stay, he went to +Calicut and Goa, being the first of the Portuguese nation who had +navigated the Indian ocean; having seen pepper and ginger, and heard of +cloves and cinnamon. From India he went by sea to Sofala on the eastern +coast of Africa, where he is said to have examined the gold mines, and +where he procured some information respecting the great island of +Madagascar, called by the Moors the _Island of the Moon_. With the +various and valuable information he had now acquired, relative to the +productions of India and their marts, and of the eastern coast of Africa, +he now determined to return to Egypt, that he might be able to +communicate his intelligence to Portugal. At Cairo he was met by +messengers from King John, informing him that Payva had been murdered, +and directing him to go to Ormuz and the coast of Persia, in order to +increase his stock of commercial knowledge. The two messengers from the +king of Portugal whom Covilham met with at Cairo, were both Jewish rabbis, +named Abraham of Beja and Joseph of Lamego. The latter returned into +Portugal with letters from Covilham, giving an account of his +observations, and assuring his master that the ships which sailed to the +coast of Guinea, might be certain of finding a termination of the African +Continent, by persisting in a southerly course; and advising, when they +should arrive in the _eastern ocean_, to inquire for Sofala and the +Island of the Moon. + +Covilham and Rabbi Abraham went from Cairo, probably by sea, to Ormuz and +the coast of Persia, whence they returned in company to Aden. From that +place, Abraham returned by the way of Cairo to Portugal with the +additional information which had been collected in their voyage to the +Gulf of Persia; though some authors allege that Joseph was the companion +of this voyage, and that he returned from Bassora by way of the desert to +Aleppo, and thence to Portugal. + +From Aden, Covilham crossed the straits of Babelmandeb to the south- +eastern coast of Abyssinia, where he found Alexander the king, or negus, +at the head of an army, levying tribute or contributions from his +rebellious subjects of the southern provinces of his dominions. Alexander +received Covilham with kindness, but more from motives of curiosity than +for any expectations of advantage that might result from any connection +or communication with the kingdom of Portugal. Covilham accompanied the +king to Shoa, where the seat of the Abyssinian government was then +established; and from a cruel policy, which subsists still in Abyssinia, +by which strangers are hardly ever permitted to quit the country, +Covilham never returned into Europe. Though thus doomed to perpetual +exile in a strange and barbarous land, Covilham was well used. He married, +and obtained ample possessions, enjoying the favour of several successive +kings of Abyssinia, and was preferred to some considerable offices in the +government. Frequent epistolary intercourse took place between him and +the king of Portugal, who spared no expence to keep open the interesting +correspondence. In his dispatches, Covilham described the several ports +which he had visited in India; explained the policy and disposition of +the several princes; and pointed out the situation and riches of the gold +mines of Sofala; exhorting the king to persist, unremittingly and +vigorously, in prosecuting the discovery of the passage to India around +the southern extremity of Africa, which he asserted to be attended with +little danger, and affirmed that the cape was well known in India. He is +said to have accompanied his letters and descriptions with a chart, in +which the cape and all the cities on the coast of Africa were exactly +represented, which he had received in India from a Moor. Covilham was +afterwards seen by, and intimately acquainted with Francesco Alvarez, his +historian, who was sent on an embassy into Abyssinia by Emmanuel king of +Portugal. Alvarez, who appears to have been a priest, calls Covilham his +spiritual son, and says that he had been thirty-three years in great +credit with _Prette Janni_, so he calls the king of Abyssinia, and all +the court, during all which time he had never confessed his sins, except +to GOD in secret, because the priests of that country were not in use to +keep secret what had been committed to them in confession. This would +protract the residence of Covilham in Abyssinia, at least to the year +1521, or 1522; but how long he may have lived there afterwards does not +appear. + + +[1] Clarke, i. 384. Purchas, II. 1091. + +[2] El Tor is on the Arabian coast of the Red Sea, near the mouth of the + Bahr Assuez, or Gulf of Suez, in lat. 28° 10' N. long. 33° 36' E.--E. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY AND CONQUEST OF INDIA BY THE PORTUGUESE, BETWEEN +THE YEARS 1497 AND 1525: FROM THE ORIGINAL PORTUGUESE OF HERMAN LOPES DE +CASTANEDA. + +INTRODUCTION. + +Although, in strict conformity to chronological arrangement, the +discovery of America by COLUMBUS in 1492, ought to precede our account of +the discovery of the maritime route from Europe to India by the +Portuguese, which did not take place until the year 1498; it yet appears +more regular to follow out the series of Portuguese navigation and +discovery to its full completion, than to break down that original and +vast enterprise into fragments. We might indeed have stopt with the first +voyage of De Gama, which effected the discovery of India: But as the +contents of this Chapter consists of what may be considered an authentic +original record, and carries on the operations of the Portuguese in India +to the year 1525, it seemed preferable to retain this curious original +history entire. It is obvious that Castaneda must have used the original +journals of De Gama, and other early Portuguese commanders, or of some +persons engaged in the voyages and transactions; as he often forgets the +historical language, and uses the familiar diction of a person actually +engaged, as will appear in many passages of this Chapter. + +The title of this original document, now first offered to the public in +modern English, is "_The first Booke of the Historie of the Discoverie +and Conquest of the East Indias by the Portingals, in the time of King +Don John, the second of that name. By Hernan Lopes de Castaneda; +translated into English by Nicholas Lichefield, and dedicated to Sir +Fraunces Drake. Imprinted at London by Thomas East, 1582_." + +Though the transactions here recorded are limited in the title to the +reign of John II. they occupied the reigns of his immediate successor +Emmanuel, or Manuel, and of John III. Castanedas history was printed in +black letter at Coimbra, in eight volumes folio, in the years 1552, 1553, +and 1554, and is now exceedingly scarce. In 1553, a translation of the +first book was made into French by Nicolas de Grouchy, and published at +Paris in quarto. An Italian translation was published at Venice in two +volumes quarto, by Alfonso Uloa, in 1578[1]. That into English by +Lichefield, employed on the present occasion, is in small quarto and +black-letter. The voyage of De Gama is related by De Barros in his work, +entitled Da Asia, and has been described by Osorius, Ramusio, Maffei, and +de Faria. Purchas gives a brief account of it, I. ii. 26. The beautiful +poem of the Lusiad by Camoens, the Portuguese Homer, is dedicated to the +celebration of this important transaction, and is well known through an +elegant translation into English by Mickle. In the present chapter, the +curious and rare work of Castaneda, so far as his first book extends, is +given entire; and the only freedom employed in this version, besides +changing the English of 229 years ago into the modern and more +intelligible language, has Been to prune a quaint verbosity, mistaken by +Lichefield for rhetorical eloquence. The dedication of the early +translator to the celebrated Sir Francis Drake, is preserved in its +original dress, as a sufficient specimen of the language of England at +the close of the sixteenth century. + + +DEDICATION. + + _To the right Worshipfull + Sir Fraunces Drake, Knight, + N, L, G, wisheth all prosperitie._ + + They haue an auncient custome in Persia (the which is also observed + throughout all Asia) that none will enterprise to visit the king, + noble man, or perticularly any other person of countenance, but he + carieth with him some thing to present him with all worthy of thanks, + the which is not onely done in token of great humilitie & obedience, + but also of a zealous loue & friendly affection to their superiours & + welwillers. So I (right worshipfull following this Persian president) + hauing taking vpon me this simple translation out of the Portingale + tongue, into our English language, am bold to present & dedicate the + same vnto you as a signification of my entire good will. The history + conteineth the discouerie and conquest of the East Indias, made by + sundry worthy captaines of the Portengales, in the time of King Don + Manuel, & of the King Don John, the second of that name, with the + description, not onely of the country, but also of every harbour + apperteining to every place whervnto they came, & of the great + resistance they found in the same, by reson wherof there was sundry + great battles many times fought, and likewise of the commodities & + riches that euery of these places doth yeeld. And for that I know your + worship, with great peril and daunger haue past these monstrous and + bottomlesse sees, am therfore the more encouraged to desire & pray + your worships patronage & defence therof, requesting you with all to + pardon those imperfections, which I acknowledge to be very many, & so + much the more, by reason of my long & many years continuance in + foreine countries. Howbeit, I hope to have truly observed the literal + sence & full effect of the history, as the author setteth it forth, + which if it may please you to peruse & accept in good part, I shall be + greatly emboldened to proceede & publish also the second & third booke, + which I am assured will neither be vnpleasant nor vnprofitable to the + readers. Thus alwaies wishing your good worship such prosperous + continuance and like fortunate successe as GOD hath hitherto sent you + in your dangerous trauaile & affayres, and as maye euery waye content + your owne heartes desire, doe euen so take my leaue. From London the + fifth of March. 1582. + + Your worships alwayes to commaund, + _Nicholas Lichefild._ + + +[1] Bibl. des Voyages, V. 2. + + * * * * * + +DEDICATION BY CASTANEDA. + + _To + The most high and mighty Prince, + John III. + + King of Portugal and Algarve, + &c._ + + It hath seemed to me, most high and mighty prince, our dread king and + sovereign, so important and weighty a matter to undertake a history of + the great and valiant actions which our Portuguese have performed in + the discovery and conquest of India, that I often thought to + relinquish the attempt. But as these noble deeds were principally + undertaken and performed for the glory of Almighty God, the conversion + of the barbarous nations to the Christian faith, and the great honour + of your highness; and as, by the power and mercy of the Omnipotent, + such fortunate success has been granted to these famous enterprises, I + have been encouraged to proceed. I therefore trust entirely to the aid + and comfort of the divine goodness in publishing this work, giving the + glory thereof to God alone, and its earthly praise to your excellent + highness, and the king Don Manuel your father, of famous and happy + memory. + + Although these glorious deeds are well known and spread abroad over + the world, they yet cannot be sufficiently made manifest unless set + forth in writing, by means of which their memory may endure for ever, + and remain always as if present to the readers; as history hath + perpetuated the actions of the Greeks and Romans which are of such + high antiquity. Of other transactions, nothing inferior to theirs, + perhaps even far greater, which have been performed by other nations, + there is little or no memory, because these do not remain recorded by + history: Such are those of the Assyrians, Medes and Persians; of the + Africans against the Romans; of the Suevi against Julius Caesar; of + the Spaniards in recovering their country from the Moors; and + principally of these invincible and pious kings of Portugal, your + glorious ancestors, Don Alonso Henriques, Don Sancho his son, and Don + Alonso, who acquired the kingdoms of Portugal and Algarve by great and + wonderful deeds of arms. Of all which, there hardly remaineth any + memory, for want of having been duly recorded by writing. So likewise + of those actions which have been performed in India, only as it were + of yesterday, the exact memory of them is confined to four persons; + and if they were to die, all remembrance of these transactions must + have ended to their great dishonour. Considering these things, I + resolved to record these noble deeds which the subjects of your + highness have performed in the discovery and conquest of India, which + have never been surpassed in valour, or even equalled, in any age or + country. Leaving all mention of the conquests of Cyrus and other + barbarians, and even taking into the account the deeds of Alexander, + so famous over all the world, which are as nothing compared to what + has been performed since India became frequented by the Portuguese, no + more than a dead lion can be likened to one alive. The conquests of + Alexander were all by land, and achieved by himself in person, against + nations who were little trained or accustomed to feats of arms. But + the Portuguese conquest of India was performed by the captains of your + highness, after a voyage by sea of a year and eight months, going + almost around the globe, from the utmost limits of the west through + the vast and bottomless ocean, seeing only the heaven and the water; a + thing never before attempted by man, and hardly even imagined. After + surmounting hunger and thirst, and daily exposure to furious storms, + and a thousand dangers in the voyage; they had to encounter great and + cruel battles on their arrival in India; not against men armed only + with bows and spears, as in the time of Alexander, but with people of + stout and tried courage and experienced in war, having ordinance and + fire-workers more numerous even than the Portuguese, besides many + other excellent weapons. The power of these men, against whom the + subjects of your highness had to contend, was infinitely greater than + that of King Porus, against whom Alexander had to encounter; yet the + Portuguese, though few in number, uniformly had the victory, and never + retired from the war as was done by Alexander. + + Leaving the actions of the Greeks, and considering what was performed + by the Romans with their innumerable armies and vast fleets, which + seemed to cover the face of the sea, and by means of which they + thought to have conquered the whole earth. Yet they never adventured + beyond the Red Sea; neither was the greatest of their famous victories + comparable to those battles which have been fought by our men in India; + in which, most invincible prince, the great prosperity of your father + and you is well known. As, without moving from your palace, + discoveries and conquests have been achieved by your captains, more + extensive than ever were discovered or conquered by any prince in + person. There never was any conquest, either by the Barbarians, Greeks, + or Romans, of any thing like equal difficulty with this of India; + neither any kings or captains of any of these nations equal in valour + and conduct to those of your father and yourself, as will manifestly + appear from the whole tenor of the following history. + + The great actions which the subjects of your highness have worthily + accomplished, must be deemed to have been permitted and appointed by + the providence of God; that so those barbarians, with their vain idols, + and the false sectaries of Mahomet, might be brought into the catholic + faith, as at this time great numbers have been added to the Christian + religion. For, since these great exploits, your highness, as a most + godly and Christian prince, hath taken especial care, and hath given + command that the Christian doctrine of the _brotherhood of the company + of Jesus_ should be taught in India, which you ordered to be brought + from Rome, and have always supported at your expence. Thus likewise, + you have erected, and founded the noble and sumptuous university of + Coimbra, to augment the honour and reputation of your kingdom; where, + besides many divines and colleges of poor begging friars to expound + the evangelical law, there are temporal men also to instruct those of + your subjects that defend and enlarge the commonwealth by deeds of + arms, and those who adorn the same by means of learning. + + All these heroic virtues of your highness being well known to me, have + encouraged me to publish this work and others, which have some taste + of learning, that they may remain a perpetual memorial of the noble + deeds of so many gentlemen and knights of Portugal, your subjects. In + this I have been much forwarded by having been in India, where I + sojourned with my father, who was sent into that country by your + highness as a judge. I spent all my youth in the pursuit of learning, + and in the study of ancient historians. Being in India, I set myself + with all diligence to learn and understand all that had been done in + regard to the discovery and conquest of that country by the Portuguese, + with the intention of making the same known and common to all men. By + my inquiries, and through the information derived from sundry + gentlemen and captains, both such as were actually present in the + various transactions, and employed in their execution, as by others + who were engaged in counselling and preparing the means of their being + performed, I have derived much authentic information; as, likewise, by + the perusal of many letters and memorials, which were written by men + of credit and reputation, all of which I have examined as evidences of + the authenticity of my work, both while in India and since my return + into Portugal. As the matters I meant to write of were many, so it + became necessary for me to acquire information from many sources; and + as those whom I examined were upon oath, it is lawful for me to bring + them forward as sure evidence. In these researches some of these men + had to be sought after in almost every part of Portugal; and being + separated in sundry places, my inquiries have occasioned great travel + of my person, and much expence; to which I have devoted the greater + part of my life, and have constituted the preparation for this work my + sole recreation. Since my residence in the university of Coimbra, in + the service of your highness, I have joined together all these + informations; which, together with the duties of my office, have + caused much toil both of body and mind. Having now accomplished the + composition of this book and others, I most humbly offer the same to + your highness; and, after many and most fortunate years of governing, + I pray God to take you from the transitory seignory of this earth, and + to receive you into the perpetual joys of Heaven. + + _Hernan Lopes de Castaneda._ + + + +SECTION I. + +_Previous steps taken by the King of Portugal, John II. preparatory to +the Discovery of India._ + +Don John, the second of that name, and thirteenth king of Portugal, +considering that all spices, drugs, precious stones, and other riches +which came from Venice, were brought out of the east, and being a prince +of great penetration, and high emprize, he was greatly desirous to +enlarge his kingdom, and to propagate the knowledge of the Christian +faith to distant regions. He resolved, therefore, to discover the way by +sea to the country whence such prodigious riches were brought, that his +subjects might thereby be enriched, and that his kingdom might acquire +those commodities which had hitherto been brought by way of Venice. He +was much encouraged to this enterprise, by learning that there were +Christians in India, governed by a powerful monarch called Presbyter John, +who was reported to be a Christian prince, and to whom he thought proper +to send ambassadors, that an intercourse of friendship might be +established between them and their subjects. He consulted, therefore, +with the cosmographers of the time, whom he directed to proceed according +to the example already given in sailing along the coast of Guinea, which +had been formerly discovered by command of the prince his uncle, Master +of the order of Christ. Accordingly, Bartholomew Diaz, one of the +officers of the royal storehouse at Lisbon, was sent upon this expedition, +who discovered that great and monstrous cape, now called of Good Hope, +which was unknown to our ancestors. Finding it both terrible and +dangerous, he yet passed 140 leagues beyond, to a river which he named +_Rio del Infante_, whence he returned into Portugal. In this voyage, Diaz +gave those names which they still retain, to the ports, harbours, and +rivers where he took in fresh water, and erected certain marks, with +crosses, and the royal arms of Portugal, the last of which was placed on +a rock named _El pennol de la Cruz_, fifteen leagues on this side of the +before mentioned river. Diaz returned from this voyage without having +procured any intelligence concerning India, as all the inhabitants of the +coast which he visited and discovered were ignorant black savages. + +On the return of Diaz, king John resolved to attempt the discovery of +India by land; for which purpose he had formerly sent friar Antonio de +Lisboa by land, in company with a lay person; but as they were ignorant +of the Arabic language, they could not travel into those parts, and went +no farther than Jerusalem, whence they returned into Portugal, without +having acquired any knowledge of the object of their journey. Yet the +king continued to prosecute this discovery of India by land, for which he +employed two of his own servants, Pedro de Covillian and Alonso de Payva, +both versant in the Arabic language, who were instructed to search out +the dominions of Presbyter John, and the country whence the spices and +drugs were brought to Venice, and to inquire whether there were any +navigation from the southern extremity of Africa to India. To these men +he gave a chart, which was extracted from a map of the world, by +Calsadilla, bishop of Viseo, an eminent astronomer. He gave them likewise +a general letter of credit and safe conduct, requiring them to be +assisted and protected, and supplied with money, in whatever kingdoms or +countries they might travel; ordering them to receive 400 crowns from the +chest of the orchard of Almeryn, for their charges. Of this sum, they +took what they deemed necessary to bear their expences till their arrival +at Valentia in Arragon, placing the rest in the bank of Bartholomew of +Florence, to be repaid at Valentia. + +Receiving their audience of leave from King John, in presence of Don +Manuel, duke of Viseo, afterwards king, they departed from Santaxen on +the 7th May 1487, and came to Naples on St Johns day of that year; whence +they were forwarded by the sons of Cosmo de Medici, and went to Rhodes, +and thence to Alexandria. From this place they travelled as merchants to +Cairo, whence they went in company with certain Moors of Fez and Tremesen +to Toro, a harbour on the Arabian coast of the Red Sea. They here learned +many things respecting the Indies, and of the trade from the Red Sea to +Calicut; and, going from Toro to a place on the coast of Ethiopia, they +went to the port of Aden. The travellers here separated, Alonso de Payva +passing over to the emperor of Ethiopia, erroneously called Presbyter +John: For he, of whom Marco Polo speaks, under that title, as governing +all the Indies, and whose country joins with the great khan of Kathay, +was vanquished and slain in a battle by that sovereign; at which time his +kingdom was put an end to, and no one of that race or title has since +reigned. Yet Alonso de Payva actually believed that the emperor of +Ethiopia was Presbyter John, having learnt that he was a Christian king +over a Christian nation, as shall be more particularly declared hereafter. +At their separation they agreed to meet again at Cairo, when each had +executed his part of the royal orders. + +Pedro de Covillian sailed from Aden for the Indies, in a ship belonging +to the Moors of Cananor, and went to Calicut and the island of Goa, where +he acquired complete information respecting the spices of India, the +commodities which come from other places, and the towns of the Indies; +the names of all which he inserted, but ill written, in his chart. From +India he went to Sofala, where he procured information respecting the +great island of St Lawrence, called the Island of the Moon by the Moors. +Observing that the natives of Sofala were black, like those of Guinea, he +concluded, that all the coast between was under subjection to the Negroes, +and consequently that navigation was practicable from Guinea to Sofala, +and thence to the Indies. Returning from Sofala, he went to Ormus, and +thence to Cairo, where he learnt that Alonso de Payva was dead, and meant +to have returned to Portugal. He chanced to meet at Cairo two Spanish +jews, Rabbi Abraham, a native of Viseo, and Joseph, born in Lamego; who, +after the departure of Covillian and Payva from Portugal, had told the +king that they had been in Cairo, where they had received much +information concerning Ormus, and of its trade with the Indies. From +these Jews Covillian received letters from the king, directed to him and +Payva, ordering them to return along with the Jews, if they had seen all +that he had given them in charge. If they had not executed all his +original instructions, they were now directed to send by the Jews an +exact account of all the knowledge they had acquired, and to use their +utmost efforts to visit Presbyter John, and to give all the information +in their power respecting Ormus, to Rabbi Abraham, who had sworn by his +law not to return to Portugal without visiting that place. + +On receiving these letters, Covillian changed his intention of returning +into Portugal, and dispatched Joseph there with letters to the king, +giving an account of all that he had seen and learnt in India and Sofala, +and transmitted the chart on which he had inserted all the places he had +visited. In these letters he informed the king that the emperor of +Ethiopia was assuredly the same with Presbyter John; but my opinion is +that this is an error, as this sovereign has no such name in his own +dominions, as I shall more clearly shew hereafter. On the departure of +Joseph, Covillian and Rabbi Abraham went to Ormus, and thence back to the +Red Sea; whence Covillian sent Abraham into Portugal, with letters to the +king, containing all the information acquired in this part of the +expedition, and intimating his determination to go into the dominions of +Presbyter John. This he accordingly did, and came to the presence of the +then emperor of Ethiopia, named Alexander, to whom he delivered the +letters with which he had been entrusted by the king of Portugal for that +monarch. Alexander received him courteously, and seemed much pleased with +the letters of the king of Portugal, as being from so very distant a +Christian prince, yet did not seem to attach much credit or importance to +them. But he gave all honour, and many gifts to Covillian. + +When Covillian was ready to depart from Ethiopia, and awaited leave for +that purpose, which he had solicited, Alexander died, and was succeeded +by a new emperor named _Nahu_, who could never be prevailed on to allow +of his departure; neither could he procure leave for that purpose from +the next emperor, David, the son of Nahu, so that Covillian had to remain +in Ethiopia, and never returned into Portugal. From that time King John +never heard more of him, and therefore concluded that he was dead; +nothing having ever been received from him respecting his travels, except +what was contained in the letters carried by the Jews, as before +mentioned. + +There came afterwards to Lisbon, a friar from this country of Presbyter +John, who was received courteously by the king, and on whose reports of +great things concerning that country, the king determined to proceed in +making a discovery of the way to the Indies by sea. He accordingly gave +orders to John de Bragança, his surveyor of the forests, to cut down +timber for building two small ships for that voyage. But King John died, +and was succeeded by King Manuel, of glorious memory, who had been chosen +by Divine Providence to accomplish the discovery of these countries, by +which the Christian faith hath been greatly extended, the royal house of +Portugal much honoured, and the subjects wonderfully enriched. + + + +SECTION II. + +_Narrative of the first Voyage of Vasco de Gama to India and back, in the +years 1497, 1498, and 1499_. + +On the death of King John, he was succeeded by Don Manuel, a prince of a +great mind, bent upon high enterprise, and prone to undertake and execute +things beyond the ordinary reach of human knowledge, even more than was +Alexander the Great. Being exceedingly desirous to prosecute the +discovery of the Indies, which had been begun by his predecessor, and +proceeding upon the information left him by King John, relative to that +navigation, he commanded Fernan Lorenzo, treasurer of the house of Mina, +to cause construct two ships for this voyage, from the timber which had +been provided by King John. These were named the Angel Gabriel and the +San Raphael, the former being of the burden of 120 tons, the latter 100. +In addition to these, a caravel of 50 tons, called the Berrio, and a ship +of 200 tons were purchased. In the year 1497, the king appointed Vasco de +la Gama, as chief captain for the voyage, an experienced navigator, who +had done great service, and a man of great valour, well fitted for +executing the great enterprize intended by the king. Paulo de la Gama, +brother to the captain-general, and Nicholas Coello, both men of valour +and enterprise, were appointed the other captains of the squadron. +Bartholomew Diaz was likewise commanded to accompany the squadron of +discovery in a caravel to the Mirna: And as the three ships of war +appointed for the voyage could not contain a sufficient supply of +provisions for their crews, the ship of 200 tons, which had been +purchased from Ayres Correa, was ordered to accompany de Gama to a place +called St Blaze, at which the squadron was to take in water, where the +victuals with which she was loaded were to be distributed to the other +ships, after which she was ordered to be burnt. + +Having received their orders, Vasco de la Gama and the other captains +took their leave of the king at _Monte mayor_, and departed for Lisbon, +where he embarked his company of 148 persons, at Belem, on Saturday the +8th of July 1497. At this embarkation all the religious belonging to the +church of our Lady at Belem, went in procession in their cowls, bare- +headed, and carrying wax candles, praying for the success of the +expedition; accompanied by almost the whole people of Lisbon, weeping and +deploring the fate of those who now embarked, as devoted to certain death +in the attempt of so dangerous a voyage. Thus commended to God and good +fortune, the officers and crews embarked and immediately set sail. Vasco +de la Gama, the captain-general, took the command in the Angel Gabriel, +of which Pedro de Alenquer was pilot, who had been in the same capacity +with Diaz when he passed the Cape of Good Hope, and discovered the _Rio +del Infante_. Paulo de Gama went captain of the San Raphael, Nicholas +Coello of the caravel Berrio, and Gonsalo Gomes[1], a servant of Vasco de +la Gama, commanded the large victualling ship. The captain-general gave +out instructions, that in case of separation, they should keep their +course for Cape Verd, which was appointed as their rendezvous. + +Proceeding on the voyage, they came in sight of the Canaries in eight +days, whence steering for Rio de Oro, they were separated by a tempest, +during an exceedingly dark night, on which they all shaped their course +for Cabo Verde. Paulo de la Gama, Nicholas Coello, Bartholomew Diaz, and +Gonsalo Gomes rejoined, and sailed together for eight days, when they +came in sight of the captain-general on Wednesday evening, and saluted +him with many guns, and the sound of trumpets, all heartily rejoicing for +their safe meeting and good fortune in this their first essay of danger. +Next day, being the 20th of July[2], the fleet reached the islands of St +Jago, and came to anchor in the bay of Santa Maria, where it remained +seven days, taking in fresh water, and repairing the yards and other +parts of their rigging which had been damaged in the late storm. On +Tuesday the 3d of August[3], the captain-general went on his voyage, +after taking leave of Diaz, who now returned to Portugal. Proceeding for +the Cape of Good Hope with all his squadron, de la Gama _entered the gulf +into the sea_[4], and sailed all August, September, and October, +suffering many great tempests of violent wind and rain, so that they +often expected instant death. At length, on Saturday the 4th November, +they got sight of land at nine in the forenoon, at which they were +greatly rejoiced; and being all together, the captains saluted the +general, all dressed in their best array, and having their ships all +decorated with flags. Not knowing the coasts they sailed along until the +Tuesday following, when they had a perfect view of a low shore, in which +was a great bay, that appeared convenient for the ships to take in water, +into which they all entered and came to anchor. This place was afterwards +named _Angra de Santa Elena_, or St Helen's bay[5]. The people of the +country, as our men afterwards found, were small, black, ill-favoured +savages, clothed in the skins of beasts, somewhat like French cloaks, +having curious wrought wooden cases for their privities; and in speaking +they seemed always, sighing. These natives were armed with oak staves, +hardened in the fire, pointed with the horns of beasts, somewhat burnt or +hardened with fire, which served them for swords. They lived on the roots +of herbs, and on sea wolves and whales, which are very numerous in this +country, likewise on sea crows and gulls. They also eat of certain beasts, +which they call Gazelas, and other beasts and birds which the land +produces; and they have dogs which bark like those of Portugal. The +general, after the squadron was brought to anchor, sent Coello in a boat +along the shore, in search of water, which he found four leagues from the +anchoring ground, at a place which he named St. Jago,[6] whence all the +ships provided themselves with fresh water. + +Next day, the general with the other captains, escorted by some of the +people, went on shore to view the natives, and to endeavour to learn what +distance the Cape of Good Hope was from thence; for the chief pilot, who +had been on the voyage with Diaz, had departed thence on returning, in +the morning, into the open sea, with a fair wind, and had passed it +during the night, and had not come near the shore when outward bound; +wherefore he did not certainly know its situation, nor was he acquainted +with its appearance, but conjectured it might be thirty leagues from +where they then were at the utmost. When the general was on shore, he +overtook one of the natives, who was going to gather honey at the foot of +a bush, where it is deposited by the bees without any hive. With this +person, he returned to the ship, thinking to have got an interpreter, but +no one on board the squadron could understand his language. The general +commanded this man to have meat and drink, and set him on shore next day +well dressed, that he might return satisfied to his countrymen. +Accordingly, the day following, this man came down to the shore abreast +of the ships, with about fifteen more natives, and the general went +ashore, carrying with him spices, gold, and pearls, to try if these +people had any knowledge of these things. But from the little estimation +with which these articles were viewed, it was concluded that the natives +had no knowledge of them. The general distributed among the natives some +small bells, tin rings, counters, and such toys, which they received +joyfully; and from that time till next Saturday morning, great numbers of +the natives resorted to the fleet, whence they went back to their towns. +One Fernan Veloso craved leave of the general to accompany the natives to +their habitations, that he might see their manner of living. On going +along with them, the natives took a sea wolf which they roasted at the +foot of a hill for their supper, after which they made Veloso return to +the fleet, and it appeared to him that the natives had armed themselves, +meaning to attack our people. On his return, Veloso saw that he was +secretly followed, wherefore he hastened to the shore and hailed the +ships. On this, the general who was then at supper, looked out towards +the land, where he saw numbers of the savages following Veloso. He +therefore gave orders for all the ships to be in readiness against an +attack, and went himself on shore with several others unarmed, not +dreading any harm. On seeing our boats coming towards the shore, the +savages began to run away with much clamour; but when our people landed, +they returned and set upon them furiously, throwing their darts, and +using other weapons, which constrained our people to take to their boats +in all haste, taking Veloso along with them; yet in this scuffle the +general and three others were wounded. The Negroes returned to their +towns; and during four days after, while our ships remained in the bay, +they never saw any more of the natives, so that they had no opportunity +to revenge the injury they had done. + +"Some commerce took place between the Portuguese and the Hottentot +natives around St Elena Bay, by means of signs and gestures; when the +fleet received plenty of excellent fresh provisions, in exchange for +clothes, hawks bells, glass beads, and other toys; but this friendly +intercourse was interrupted through the imprudence of a Portuguese young +man named Veloso. Delighted with the novelty of the scene, and anxious to +see the manners of the natives more intimately, he obtained permission to +accompany them to their huts, where a sea calf was dressed in the +Hottentot fashion, to his great astonishment. Disgusted at their +loathsome cookery, he rose abruptly, and was impatient to depart, and was +accompanied by the natives on his way back to the ships with the utmost +good humour. Veloso, however, became apprehensive of personal danger, and +horridly vociferated for assistance on his approach to the shore. Coellos +boat immediately put off to bring him on board, and the natives fled to +the woods. These needless apprehensions on both sides were increased by +mutual ignorance of each others language, and led to hostilities. While +De Gama was taking the altitude of the sun with an astrolabe, some +Hottentots sprung from an ambush, and threw their spears, headed with +horn, very dexterously among the Portuguese, by which the general and +several others were wounded. On this occasion, the Portuguese deemed it +prudent to retreat to their ships[7]." + +Having taken in fresh water and provisions in St Elena Bay, the squadron +left that place on the forenoon of Thursday the 16th November, with the +wind at S.S.W. and steered for the Cape of Good Hope, and on the evening +of the following Saturday came in sight of that cape. But on account of +the wind being contrary, he had to stand out to sea all day, and turned +towards the land as night set in. In that manner he continued plying to +windward until the following Wednesday, which was the 20th of November[8], +when he doubled the cape with a fair wind, sounding the trumpets of all +the ships, and making every demonstration of joy, but placing the chief +confidence in God, that his providence would guide and protect them in +accomplishing the enterprise in which they were engaged. + +"In this part of the voyage the greatest proofs of courage and resolution +were evinced by De Gama. While endeavouring to double this formidable and +almost unknown cape, owing to contrary winds and stormy weather, the +waves rose mountain high. At one time his ships were heaved up to the +clouds, and seemed the next moment precipitated into the bottomless abyss +of the ocean. The wind was piercingly cold, and so boisterous that the +commands of the pilot could seldom be heard amid the din of the warring +elements; while the dismal and almost constant darkness increased the +danger of their situation. Sometimes the gale drove them irresistibly to +the southwards, while at other times they had to lay to, or to tack to +windward, difficultly preserving the course they had already made. During +any gloomy intervals of cessation from the tempest, the sailors, +exhausted by fatigue, and abandoned to despair, surrounded De Gama, +entreating him not to devote himself and them to inevitable destruction, +as the gale could no longer be weathered, and they must all be buried in +the waves if he persisted in the present course. The firmness of the +general was not to be shaken by the pusillanimity and remonstrances of +the crew, on which a formidable conspiracy was entered into against him, +of which he received timely information from his brother Paulo. With his +assistance, and that of a few who remained stedfast to their duty, the +leading conspirators, and even all the pilots, were put in irons; whilst +De Gama, and his small remnant of faithful followers remained day and +night at the helm, undismayed at the dangers and difficulties that +surrounded them. At length, on Wednesday the 20th November, all the +squadron safely doubled the tremendous promontory[9]." + +Continuing the voyage along the coast beyond the cape, they saw great +numbers of large and small cattle as they passed, all well grown and fat; +but could perceive no towns, as the villages inhabited by the natives are +all farther inland, the houses being of earth covered with straw. The +natives were all somewhat black, clothed like those they had seen at St +Elena Bay, speaking the same language, and using similar darts, together +with some other kinds of arms, both for defence and assault. The country +is very pleasant, being diversified with wood and water; and adjoining to +the cape on the east side, they found a great harbour now called False +Bay, almost six leagues wide at the mouth, and running about as much into +the land. Having thus doubled the cape, the squadron came, on the Sunday +after, being St Katherine's day, 25th November, to the watering-place of +St Blaze[10], which is sixty leagues beyond the cape, and is a very large +bay, exceeding safe in all winds except the north[11]. + +The natives here resembled those already seen in dress and arms. The +country produces many large elephants, and numerous oxen, of vast size +and extremely fat, some of which have no horns. On some of the fattest of +these the natives were seen riding, on pannels stuffed with rye straw, as +is used in Spain, and having a frame of wood like a saddle. Such of them +as they choose to sell they mark by means of a piece of wood, like the +shaft of one of their arrows, put through the nose. In this harbour, +about three cross-bow shots from the shore, there is a rock much +frequented by sea wolves, as large as great bears, very wild and fierce, +with long, great teeth. These animals are very dangerous, and will attack +men, and their skins are so hard as not to be pierced with spears, unless +pushed with much force and valour. These animals resemble lions, and +their young bleat like kids. One day that our men went to this rock for +amusement, they saw at least three thousand of these animals, old and +young. On this rock also, there are great numbers of birds as large as +ducks which do not fly, having no feathers in their wings, and which bray +like so many asses[12]. + +Having thus arrived at the Bay of St Blaze, and lying there at anchor, +the general caused all the provisions to be taken out of the store-ship +and divided among the others, and then burned the store-ship, as the king +had ordered. In this business and other needful employments, for their +safety in the remainder of the voyage, they were occupied in that bay for +ten days. On the Friday after their arrival, about ninety of the natives +made their appearance, some on the shore, and others on the hills, on +which the general and the captains went to the shore, having their boats +crews well armed, and even taking ordinance with them, to avoid the same +accident which had happened at St Elena bay. When near the shore, the +general threw some bells on the land, which the Negroes pickt up, and +some of them came so near as to take the bells out of his hands. He much +wondered at this familiarity, as Diaz had informed him when he was in +those parts, the natives all ran away and would never approach near +enough to be seen and conversed with. Finding them thus gentle, contrary +to his expectation, he went on land with his men, and bartered red night- +caps with the Negroes, for ivory bracelets which they wore on their arms. +Next Saturday, the natives came to the shore to the number of more than +two hundred, including their children, and brought with them twelve oxen, +and four sheep. When our people went on shore, some of the natives began +to play on four flutes, in four several tones, making good music; on +which the general caused the trumpets to be sounded, and the natives +danced with our people. Thus the day passed in mirth and feasting, and in +purchasing their oxen and sheep. On Sunday a still greater number of the +natives came down to the shore, having several women among them, and +bringing a number of oxen for sale. After the sale of one of the oxen, +some of our people noticed some young Negroes hidden among certain bushes, +who had with them the weapons of the older people, from which it was +conjectured that some treason was intended. Upon this, the general caused +our people to remove to a place of greater security, and were followed by +the Negroes to the landing place. The Negroes now gathered together, as +if they meant to fight the Portuguese; on which the general, being +unwilling to harm them, embarked in the boats with all his people, and +then commanded two pieces of brass ordnance to be fired off, on which +they were much amazed and scampered off in confusion, leaving their +weapons behind. After this, the general ordered a cross or pillar, having +the arms of Portugal to be set upon the shore, but the Negroes pulled it +down immediately, even before our people retired. + +After remaining ten days here, as before mentioned, the fleet set sail +for the Rio del Infante, on Friday the 8th December, being the Conception +of our Lady, and during this part of the voyage, there arose a great +storm with _forewind_ on the eve of St Lucy, 12th December, that all the +ships run under close reefed courses. During this storm, they parted +company with Nicholas Coello, but rejoined the next night after. On the +16th December, when the gale abated, they discovered land near certain +small rocks, sixty leagues from the harbour of St Blaze, and five leagues +from the Pennon de la Cruz, where Diaz set up his last stone pillar[13], +and fifteen leagues short of the Rio del Infante[14]. This country was +very pleasant, and abounded in cattle, becoming more sightly and with +higher trees the further our fleet sailed towards the east, as could be +easily seen from the ships as they sailed along near the shore. On +Saturday they passed close within sight of the rock _de la Cruz_, and +being loath to pass the _Rio del Infante_, they stood out to sea till +vespers, when the wind came round to the east, right contrary. On this, +the general stood off, and on plying to windward, till Tuesday the 20th +December, at sunset, when the wind changed to the west, which was +favourable. Next day at ten o'clock, they came to the before-mentioned +rock, being sixty leagues a-stern of the place they wished to have +attained[15]. + +This rock is the cause of the great currents on this coast, which were so +powerful, that the fleet had much ado with a brisk favourable wind to +stem the current between that place and Rio Infante in three or four days; +but at length they joyfully passed these currents without damage, as Diaz +had done formerly, and the general, encouraged by his good fortune, gave +thanks to God, saying, he verily believed it was the good pleasure of God +that they should attain to the discovery of the Indies. + +Thus continuing the voyage till Christmas day, they had discovered +seventy leagues to the eastwards, and had arrived in the latitude in +which India was said to be in his instructions. The fleet continued to +sail for so long a time without going to land, as to be in want of water, +insomuch that they had to dress their provisions in sea water, and were +forced to reduce the allowance of drink to one pint of water per man each +day. But on Friday the 11th January 1498, drawing near the land, the +boats were sent out to view the coast, where they saw many Negroes, both +men and women, all of whom were of great stature, and followed our boats +along the coast. As these people appeared quiet and civil, the general +called Martin Alonzo, who could speak many of the Negro languages, and +desired him and another to leap on shore, which they immediately did. +Alonzo and his companion were well received by the natives, especially by +their chief, to whom the general sent a jacket, a pair of breeches, and a +cap, all of a red colour, and a copper bracelet, of which he was very +proud, and returned thanks to the general, saying, "that he might have +any thing he wished for or needed that his country produced." All which, +as Martin Alonzo understood their language[16], he reported to the +general, who was much pleased that by this means an intercourse could be +opened with the natives. Alonzo and another of our people were +accordingly permitted by the general to go for one night along with the +natives to their town, where the chief dressed himself out in his new +garments, and was beheld with much admiration by his people in his finery, +clapping their hands for joy. This salutation was repeated three or four +times on their way to the town, and when there, the chief made the +circuit of the whole village, that all the people might see and admire +his new and strange attire. When this ceremonial was ended, the chief +retired to his own house, where he commanded Alonzo and his companion to +be well lodged and entertained, and gave them for supper a hen exactly +the same as one of ours, and a kind of pap, or porridge, made of a yellow +grain called _Mylyo_[17], of which likewise they made bread. Many of the +Negroes repaired that night to their lodging to have a near view of the +strangers; and next day, the chief sent them back to the ships, +accompanied by some Negroes, laden with hens for the general, who +returned thanks for the same by means of Alonzo his interpreter. During +five days that our ships remained off this coast, no kind of harm was +done or offered by the inhabitants, who seemed quiet and gentle, and to +have many _noble men_, for which reason, he called this place _Terra da +boa gente_, or the land of Good People[18]. The town in which Martin +Alonzo was had its houses constructed of straw, yet well furnished within. +The women were more numerous than the men, as in a company of forty women, +there were only twenty men. These people were armed with long bows and +arrows, and had darts headed with iron, having many copper bracelets, on +their arms and legs, with copper ornaments in their hair. They have also +iron daggers, with pewter handles and ivory sheaths; so that it is +manifest they have plenty of copper and tin. They have likewise abundance +of salt, which they make from sea water, which they carry in gourds to +certain caves where the salt is made. They were so fond of linen, that +they gave a great quantity of copper in exchange for an old shirt, and +were so quiet and civil, that they brought water to our boats from a +river about two cross-bow shots from the landing, which our people named +Rio do Cobre, or Copper River. + +"Osorius places the arrival of the Portuguese on this part of the coast a +day earlier than Castaneda, and gives the following additional +information. On the 10th January 1498, they discovered some small islands, +about 230 miles from their last watering-place, having a very beautiful +appearance, and consisting of verdant meadows, intermixed with groves of +lofty trees, where they could see the inhabitants walking on the shore in +great numbers. Here De Gama landed, and sent one of his men, who was well +versant in the Negro languages to visit the king, and who was received +with much civility, receiving presents of the produce of the country on +his dismissal. Before leaving Lisbon, De Gama received ten malefactors on +board who had been condemned to die, but were pardoned on condition of +going on this voyage, for the purpose of being left wherever De Gama +pleased, that they might examine the country, and be enabled to give him +an account of the inhabitants on his return. On setting sail from this +place, De Gama left two of these exiles on shore, to inform themselves of +the character and manners of the natives[19]. + +From this place our fleet departed on the 15th January, and proceeding on +their voyage, came to another country of very low land, having very thick +tall trees; and proceeding onwards, they found a river which was very +open at the mouth, near which he came to anchor on Thursday the 24th of +January, as the general deemed it proper to examine this country, and to +try if any intelligence could be here procured concerning India. That +same evening, he and his brother Nicholas Coello[20] entered the river; +and, at day-break next morning, the land was observed to be extremely low +and covered with water, having many trees of great height, thickly loaded +with various kinds of fruits, the country appearing very pleasant. They +saw likewise certain boats with some of the natives coming towards the +ship, at which the general was well pleased, as he conceived from their +having some degree of maritime knowledge in these parts, that he could +not now be very far from India, or at least should soon hear news of that +country. The natives were Negroes of good stature, all naked, except each +a small apron of cloth made of cotton. On reaching the ships, they came +on board without hesitation, and behaved themselves as if they had been +long acquainted with our people. They were well received, and were +presented with bells and other toys, but did not understand any of the +languages spoken by Martin Alonzo, or any of the other interpreters on +board, so that the only intercourse was by signs. They departed after +good entertainment, and afterwards they and many others returned to the +ships in their boats, bringing with them such provisions as their country +afforded. The natives seemed much satisfied with their reception; and +besides those who came to the ships by water, many others came by +land[21], among whom were several women who were tolerably handsome, +especially the young maidens; but all were as naked as the men. They have +three holes in their lips, in which they wear small pieces of tin by way +of ornament. The natives took several of our men along with them to make +merry at one of their towns, whence they brought water to our ships. + +After the general had been three days in this river, two of the nobles, +or head men of the natives, came on board to visit him, who were naked +like the rest, except that their aprons were much larger, and one of them +had a handkerchief on his head, embroidered with silk, while the other +wore a nightcap of green satin[22]. Observing their cleanliness, or +civility, the general treated these people courteously, and gave them +victuals, apparel, and other things, of which they seemed to make but +small account; and by certain signs, shewn by a young man, it was +understood that his country was at a considerable distance, where he had +seen ships as large as ours. This intelligence gave great hopes to our +people that the Indies were not far off, which was much confirmed by the +chiefs who had been on board, sending off for sale certain cloths made of +cotton, on which there were marks of ochre. In respect of all these +encouraging tokens, the general named this river _Ho rio dos bos Sinaes_, +or River of Good Signs; and called the place San Rafael, after the name +of his own Ship[23]. + +From the signs of the before-mentioned young men, that the country of the +head men who had been on board was far off, where they had seen large +ships, the general concluded that the Indies were still at a great +distance; and therefore determined, in consultation with the other +captains, to lay the ships aground, to give their bottoms a thorough +repair, which was done accordingly. In this operation they employed +thirty-two days, during which, our people were much afflicted with a +grievous sickness, thought to proceed from the air of the country. Their +hands and feet became swelled, and their gums became so sore and putrid +that they could not eat, and the smell of their breath was quite +intolerable[24]. With this pestilent infection our people were much +discouraged, and many of them died, the survivors being in great trouble +and perplexity. But De Gama took much care, and used much diligence for +their recovery, and to comfort their affliction; continually visiting the +sick, and giving them such wholesome and medicinal things as he had +provided for his own use; through all which many recovered who would have +died, and the rest were thereby greatly comforted, and encouraged. + +Having repaired the ships, and provided them with all necessaries that +could be procured at the river of Good Signs, the fleet departed from +thence on Saturday the 24th of February. + +"At this period, two accidents occurred which had nearly frustrated all +the hopes of this expedition. De Gama being along side of the ship +commanded by his brother, with whom he wished to speak, had hold of the +chains, when the boat was carried from under him by the force of the +current, but by immediate assistance, he and his boats crew were +providentially saved. Soon afterwards, when the fleet was passing the bar +of the river, the ship of De Gama grounded on a sand bank, and her loss +was for some time considered as inevitable; but she floated again with +the return of the tide, and to their inexpressible joy received no +damage[25]." + +As there was little or no wind, the fleet stood out to sea to avoid the +shore, and about vespers on Sunday, they descried three small islands out +to sea, about four leagues distant from each other. Two of these were +replenished with trees, but the third was quite bare. Seeing no cause to +delay the voyage in examining these islands, De Gama held on for six days, +coming always to anchor at night. On the evening of Thursday, the first +of March, they came in sight of four islands, two of which were near the +land, and the other two farther out to sea; and the fleet steered through +the channel next morning, the ship commanded by Coello, as being the +smallest, going first. But endeavouring to enter a certain harbour, +between the mainland and one of these islands, Coello missed the channel +and ran aground, on which the other ships put about and went back. They +soon perceived seven or eight boats under sail coming from the island +which was a good league distant from Coello, at which sight they were +much rejoiced, and Coello and his people received them with much +demonstration of friendship and satisfaction, Coello went along with +these people to the general, and presented them, saying, that here was a +quite different kind of people from any they had seen hitherto. Then the +general commanded _to let them go a seaboard with their boats_[26], as he +proposed to go with them to their island to anchor with his ships, that +he might see what kind of a country it was, and if he could learn any +certain intelligence concerning India. But the boats continued to follow +our ships, making signals, and calling to our people to wait for them; +wherefore the ships came to anchor, and the boats came to our fleet. The +people on board were of good stature and somewhat black, clothed in +dresses of cotton, striped with sundry colours; some girdled to their +knees, while others carried their apparel on their shoulders like cloaks. +Their heads were covered with kerchiefs, somewhat wrought with silk and +gold thread, and they were armed with swords and daggers like Moors. In +their boats, also, they had certain musical instruments named _sagbuts_. +They came immediately on board with as much confidence as if they were +long acquainted, and entered into familiar conversation in the language +of Algarve, and would not be known as Moors[27]. + +The general ordered these people to be well entertained, and they eat and +drank willingly of whatever was set before them; after which, by means of +Fernan Alvarez, who could speak their language, he learned that the +island to which they belonged was called Monsambicke, or Mozambique, on +which was a town full of merchants, who traded with the Moors of India, +who bring them silver, linen cloth, pepper, ginger, silver rings, many +pearls, and rubies; and that, from a country behind, they procure gold. +They offered likewise to conduct our people into the harbour, where they +would learn the truth of these things more fully. On consulting with the +other captains, the general determined upon going into this harbour, to +examine more accurately into these reports, and to procure pilots to +carry them on their voyage, as they had no one in the fleet who knew the +way. Nicholas Coello was therefore ordered to make the first essay, and +to take the soundings of the bar, his ship being the smallest. But in +entering, he touched on the point of the island where he broke his helm, +and was in great danger of being lost; but by good providence he got off +with no farther injury. He now found the bar was quite safe, and got into +the harbour, where he anchored two cross-bow shots from the town, which +is in fifteen degrees towards the south[28]. The harbour is very good, +the town is plentifully supplied with such provisions as the country +produces, the houses being constructed of straw, and the inhabitants +Moors, who trade to Sofala in large vessels that have neither decks nor +nails, their planks being sewed together with _cayro_ or twine, made from +the fibres of the cocoa nut rind, and their sails of mats made of the +leaves of a species of palm. Some of these vessels use compasses of Genoa, +and regulate their voyages by means of quadrants and sea charts. With +these Moors the Moors of India trade, as likewise do those from the Red +Sea, because of the gold which is to be had here. On seeing our people, +the Moors of Mozambique thought the Portuguese had been Turks, whom they +knew of from the Moors who dwell on the Red Sea; and those who were first +at our ships carried intelligence to the xeque, or sheik, which is the +title of the governor of this island for the king of Quiloa, in whose +territories it is situated. + +"Though we shall afterwards have occasion to investigate this eastern +coast of Africa more fully, in editing particular voyages to its shores, +some notices seem here to be proper[29]. Owing to his keeping at a +distance from, the shore for security, the present voyage gives little +knowledge of the eastern coast of Africa, and it is even difficult to +assign the many stations at which De Gama touched between the Cape of +Good Hope and Mozambique. We have already noticed the river of Good Signs, +as being probably the northern mouth of the Delta of the Zambeze, now +called _Quilimane_, from a fort of that name on its banks. The mouth of +this branch runs into the sea in lat. 18° 25' S. In his passage from the +_Terra de Natal_, or Christmas Land, so named from having been discovered +on Christmas day, and named, in this account of De Gamas voyage, _the +Land of Good People_, De Gama missed Cape Corientes, forming the S.W. +point of the channel of Mozambique, or _Inner Passage_, as it is now +called, and overshot Sofala, the southern extremity of Covilhams +discoveries, at which he was probably directed to touch, as Covilhams +chart might have been of some use to direct his farther progress to Aden, +and thence to Calicut or Cananor, on the Malabar coast. + +"The eastern coast of Africa is hitherto very little known to geography, +its trade being entirely confined to the Portuguese, who have +settlements at Sofala, the river Zambeze, Mozambique, Quiloa, and Melinda, +and conceal all the circumstances respecting their foreign possessions +with infinite jealousy. It is said to have once been in contemplation by +the British government, to employ Sir Home Popham to make a survey of +this coast, but this design was never executed. Commodore Blanket +remained on this station for a considerable time, and much information +may be expected from his journal, some drawings of the coast having been +already made for charts, which are preparing, under the orders of the +Admiralty. About the year 1782, a great mass of geographical information +was collected on the continent of Europe and lodged in the British Museum, +from which information may probably be derived respecting this coast, +when that collection shall have been arranged and submitted to the +public. According to D'Apres, all the eastern coast of Africa, for a +great way south of the equinoctial, is lined by a range of islands, +whence shoals extend to the distance of a league. These islets form an +outer shore, with a winding channel within, and are in some places a +league from the coast of the continent, though very apt to be mistaken +for the real coast. Within this range the boats or almadias of the +country ply backwards and forwards in great safety, in the intervening +channel. + +"Ptolemy places the _Prasum promontorium_, or Green Cape, the extreme +southern boundary of ancient knowledge of the east coast of Africa, in +lat. 15" 30' S. and the Portuguese universally assume Mozambique as +Prasum, by which classical name it is distinguished in the Lusiad of +Camoens, in reference to the voyage of De Gama, and the near coincidence +of situation gives great probability to this supposition. [Greek: +prason] signifies a leek, and is also used to denote a sea-weed of a +similar green colour, and the name may either have been derived from the +verdure of the point, or from the sea-weeds found in its neighbourhood. +At all events, Prasum cannot be farther south than Cape Corientes, or +farther north than Quiloa or the Zanguebar islands. The harbour of +Mozambique has seldom less than eight or ten fathom water, which is so +clear, that every bank, rock, or shallow can be easily seen. + +"The Moors, so often mentioned, are supposed by Bruce to have been +merchants expelled from Spain by Ferdinand and Isabella, who first fixed +their residence on the western coast of Africa, and extending themselves +eastwards, formed settlements in Arabia and Egypt, till the oppressions +of Selim and Soliman, the Turkish emperors, interrupted their commerce, +and obliged them to disperse along the coast of Abyssinia and eastern +Africa. Besides the impossibility, chronologically, for the assigned +causes having produced the supposed effect, there is no necessity for +having recourse to this improbable hypothesis. From being best acquainted +with their Moorish conquerors, the Spaniards and Portuguese have always +been accustomed to name all the Arabians Moors, wherever they found them, +and even gave at first the name of _black_ Moors to the Negroes, whence +our old English term _Black-a-moors_. It is well known that the Arabs, +especially after their conversion to Mahometanism, were great colonizers +or conquerors; even the now half-christian kingdom of Abyssinia was an +early colony and conquest of the pagan Arabs, and its inhabitants are +consequently _white_ Moors in the most extended Portuguese sense. The +Arab, or Moorish kingdoms along the African coast of the Indian ocean, +are branches from the same original stem, and the early Mahometan +missionaries were both zealous and successful in propagating Islaemism +among the most distant pagan colonies of their countrymen. As all zealous +Mussulmen are enjoined the pilgrimage of Mecca, and commerce mixes +largely with religion in the holy journey, by which the faithful from +every distant region often meet at Mecca, and induce each other to extend +their commercial adventures to new regions, it may possibly have been, +that some Moors originally from Spain, may even have reached Mozambique +before the time of De Gama; but it is ridiculous to suppose that all the +Moors on the African coast had been Spaniards. The overthrow of the great +Moorish kingdom of Granada only took place five or six years before the +present voyage. + +"The island of Mozambique, which does not exceed a league in +circumference, is described as low and swampy, and was inhabited by Moors +who had come from Quiloa and Sofala. It was afterwards much resorted to +by the Portuguese as a winter station, and became the key of their Indian +trade. The African coast stretches out on both sides of the island into +two points, that on the north-east called Pannoni, off which a shoal with +three islets extends, some way into the sea. The southern point is called +Mangale[30]." + +When the Moorish governor of Mozambique[31] was informed of the arrival +of the Portuguese, and that Coello was come to anchor in the harbour, he +fully supposed that they were Turks or Moors from some distant place, and +immediately came to visit him, apparelled in fine silk, with many +attendants. Coello received him very courteously; but as neither he nor +any in his ship could speak their language, the governor soon retired. +Coello gave him, however, a red cap, on which he seemed to set little +value, and presented him likewise with some black beads, which he carried +away in his hand, both being given and received in token of friendship. +On leaving the ship, he required Coello, by signs, to let him have the +boat to carry him on shore, which Coello readily agreed to, and sent some +of his men to the land along with him. These the governor carried to his +house, and feasted them on dates and other things, and sent back with +them a pot of preserved dates to Coello, with which he regaled the +general and his brother when they had entered the harbour. On the arrival +of the other two ships, the governor again sent off some of his people to +visit them, still taking them for Turks, presenting many pleasant and +delicate viands, and asking permission to visit them in person. The +general, in return, sent the governor a present, consisting of red hats, +short gowns, coral, brass basons, hawks bells and many other things, +which he slighted as of no value, and asked why the general had not sent +him scarlet, which he chiefly desired. + +Soon afterwards the governor came off to visit the general; who, being +apprized of his coming, ordered all the ships to be dressed out in their +flags. He likewise made all the sick and infirm men to be kept out of +sight, and brought a good many of the most alert men from the other ships, +whom he ordered to be secretly armed, in case of any violence or +treachery on the part of the Moors. The governor came on board, +accompanied with many men, all well apparelled in silk, having many ivory +trumpets and other musical instruments, on which they played almost +without ceasing. The governor was a lean man, of good stature, dressed in +a linen shirt down to his heels, over which he wore a long gown of Mecca +velvet, having a cap of silk of many colours, trimmed with gold, on his +head, at his girdle he wore a sword and dagger, and had silk shoes. The +general received him on entering the ship, and led him to an awning, +trimmed up in the best manner they were able. The general then begged him +not to be offended that no scarlet had been sent, having brought none +with him, and that his ships only contained such merchandize as were fit +to be bartered for victuals for the people; and that his only object at +present was to discover the way to the Indies, for which purpose he had +been sent by a great and mighty king, his master. All this was conveyed +through the interpretation of Fernan Martin[32]. The general then ordered +an entertainment of the best meats and wines which the ship afforded, to +be set before the governor and his principal attendants, of all which +they partook willingly, even drinking wine with good will. The governor +asked whether they came from Turkey, as he had heard say that the Turks +were a fair people like them, and desired to see our country bows, and +the books of our law. To this the general answered, that he and his men +were not from Turkey, but from a kingdom in their neighbourhood; that he +would most willingly shew his bows and other weapons, but had not the +books of our law, as they were not needed at sea. Then some cross-bows +were brought, which were bent, and shot off in presence of the governor, +also some of our harness or defensive armour, with all of which he was +much pleased, and greatly astonished. + +During this conference, the general learnt that the port of Calicut in +India was 900 leagues distant from Mozambique; and, as there were many +shoals in the course, that it was very necessary to have a pilot from +this place. He learned also that there were many cities along the coast. +He likewise understood, that the kingdom of Prester John was far from +this place, in the inland country[33]. Considering the expediency of +having a pilot, the general requested to have two from the governor, who +agreed to the demand, on condition that they should be well used. The +reason of wishing to have two was, lest one might die during the voyage, +and our people were much pleased with this promise. The governor came a +second time to visit the general, and brought with him both the pilots +whom he had promised; to each of whom were given thirty crowns and a coat, +each crown being worth five shillings, under this condition, that +whenever one of them should go on shore, the other should remain on board, +that one might always stay by the ship while in harbour. + +Notwithstanding these friendly meetings, speeches, and assurances, it +soon appeared, after the departure of the governor, that the Moors had +learned, during their intercourse with our people, that they were +Christians, on which the former friendship and good will of the Moors +towards them was changed to wrath and fury, and they henceforwards used +every endeavour to kill our men, and to take possession of the ships. The +governor, therefore, and his people, used every effort for this +mischievous purpose, and had certainly succeeded, if the Almighty had not +moved the heart of one of the Moorish pilots who had been received into +the Portuguese fleet, to reveal the same to the general; who, fearing +lest the infidels might suddenly execute their purpose, as being numerous +in comparison to his small company, determined to remain no longer in the +harbour. Wherefore, on Saturday the 10th March 1498, being seven days +after his arrival, he quitted the harbour of Mozambique, and cast anchor +close to an island, at the distance of a league from that place; +intending, on Sunday, to hear mass on shore, that they might confess and +receive the sacrament, which had not been done since leaving Lisbon. + +After the ships were come to anchor in this place of safety from being +burnt by the Moors, which the general greatly dreaded, he determined to +go back to Mozambique in his boat, to demand the other pilot who had been +promised, but who still remained on shore. Leaving his brother with the +fleet, in readiness to come to his aid if needful, the general went +towards Mozambique with his boat, accompanied by Nicholas Coello, and the +Moorish pilot. On their way they saw six _zambucos_ or boats, filled with +Moors, coming towards them, armed with long bows and arrows, and also +with shields and spears. The Moors called to our people to come along +with them to the town; and the Moorish pilot, who explained their signals, +advised the general to do so, as the governor would not otherwise deliver +the other pilot, who still remained on shore. The general was much +displeased at this advice, believing the pilot only wished him to +approach the shore, that he might be able to run away, and therefore +ordered him to be secured as a prisoner. He likewise gave orders to fire +at the Moorish boats from his ordnance. When Paulo de la Gama heard the +shot, believing the general to be in more danger than he actually was, he +immediately came with the ship Berrio under sail to his aid. On seeing +this, the Moors fled away in such haste that the general could not +overtake them, and therefore returned with his brother to where the other +ships were at anchor. + +Next day, being Sunday, the general and all his men went on shore, where +they heard mass, and received the sacrament very devoutly, having +confessed the evening before. After this they re-embarked and set sail +the same day. Having no hope of procuring the other pilot, the general +ordered to release him whom he had confined, and carried him on the +voyage. But he, willing to be revenged for the indignity he had +experienced, determined on carrying the Portuguese fleet to the island of +Quiloa, which was all peopled with Moors; and, as it seemed, intended to +inform the king of that place that our ships belonged to the Christians, +that he might destroy them and kill the crews. For this purpose, he +craftily persuaded the general not to be in trouble for want of the other +pilot, as he would carry him to a great island, on hundred leagues from +thence, which was inhabited half by Moors, and half by Christians, who +were always in war with each other, and where he might easily find pilots +to conduct him to Calicut. Though the general was much pleased with this +information, he yet did not give implicit credit to the Moor, but +promised him high rewards if he carried him in safety to that country, +and so went forward on the voyage with a scant wind. + +On the Tuesday the fleet was still in sight of the land from which they +took their departure, and remained becalmed all that day and the next. On +Wednesday night, a gentle breeze sprung up from the eastward, on which +the fleet stood off to seaward, but on Thursday morning, on again making +the land, they were four leagues to leeward of Mozambique, whence plying +to windward, they came back that evening to the island where they had +heard mass on the Sunday before, where they cast anchor and remained +eight days waiting for a fair wind. While here at anchor, a white Moor, +who was a _molah_ or minister among the Moors of Mozambique, came on +board the generals ship, representing that the governor was much grieved +at the breach of peace and friendship between them, which he would now +gladly renew. To this the general made answer, that he would make no +peace with the governor unless he sent him the other pilot whom he had +hired and paid. With this answer the _molah_ departed, and never came +back. After this, while still waiting for a fair wind, there came another +Moor on board, accompanied with his son, a boy, and asked the general to +give him a passage to the city of Melinda, which he said was on his way +to Calicut. He said that he was a native of the country near Mecca, +whence he had piloted a ship to Mozambique, and would gladly go with him, +that he might return to his own country; and farther, he counselled the +general not to remain in expectation of any answer from the _zeque_, who +he was sure would make no peace with him, on account of his hatred to the +Christians. The general was rejoiced at the coming of this Moor, +expecting to acquire information from him concerning the straits of the +Red Sea, and of the towns on the coast between Mozambique and Melinda, by +which he had to sail, and therefore gave orders to receive this Moor and +his son on board. + +As the ships were rather short of water, the general and the other +captains determined upon entering the harbour of Mozambique, to take in +what they needed; but ordered strict watch to be kept, lest the Moors +should set the ships on fire. They entered therefore again into the +harbour on Thursday; and when night came, they went in their boats in +search of water, which the Moorish pilot assured them was to be found on +the firm land, and offered to guide them to the place. Leaving Paulo de +la Gama in charge of the ships, and taking Nicholas Coello and the pilot +along with him in the boats, the general went on shore about midnight to +the place where the pilot said that water was to be had. But it could not +be found; whether that the pilot misled them in hope of escaping, or +finding he could not escape, did so out of malice. Having spent the whole +night fruitlessly in search of water, and day beginning to dawn, the +general returned to the ships for more force, lest the Moors might set +upon him and his small company at a disadvantage. Having furnished his +boats with a larger force of armed men, he returned to the shore, still +accompanied by Coello and the Moorish pilot, who, seeing no means of +escaping, now pointed out the watering-place close by the shore. At this +place they observed about twenty Moors armed with darts, who shewed as if +they meant to prevent them from taking water. The general therefore gave +orders to fire three guns, to force them from the shore, that our men +might be able to land unopposed. Amazed and frightened by the noise and +the effect of the shot, the Moors ran away and hid themselves in the +bushes; and our people landed quietly, and took in fresh water, returning +to the ships a little before sunset. On arriving, the general found his +brother much disquieted, because a Negro, belonging to John Cambrayes, +the pilot of Paulo de la Gama, had run away to the Moors, though himself +a Christian.[34] + +Upon Saturday the 24th of March, being the eve of the annunciation of our +Lady, a Moor appeared early in the morning on the shore, abreast of the +ships, calling out in a loud and shrill voice, "that if our men wanted +any more water they might now come for it, when they would find such as +were ready to force their return." Irritated at this bravado, and +remembering the injury done him in withholding the promised pilot, and +the loss of the Negro, the general resolved to batter the town with his +ordnance in revenge, and the other captains readily agreed to the measure. +Wherefore they armed all their boats, and came up before the town, where +the Moors had constructed a barricade of boards for their defence on the +shore, so thick that our men could not see the Moors behind. Upon the +shore, between that defence and the sea, an hundred Moors were drawn up, +armed with targets, darts, bows, arrows, and slings, who began to sling +stones at the boats as soon as they came within reach. They were +immediately answered with shot from our ordnance, on which they retired +from the shore behind their barricade, which was soon beaten down, when +they ran into the town, leaving two of their men slain. The general and +his men now returned to the ships to dinner, and the Moors were seen +running from that town to another; and so much were they afraid of the +Portuguese, that they abandoned the island, going by water to another +place on the opposite side. After dinner, our people went with their +captains on shore, to endeavour to take some of the Moors, with the hope +of procuring restitution of the Negro belonging to Cambrayes, who had run +away from the ships, and they were likewise desirous of recovering two +Indians, who were said by the Moorish pilot to be detained as captives in +Mozambique. + +On this occasion, Paulo de la Gama seized four Moors who were in a boat; +but a great many Moors in other boats escaped, by hastening on shore and +leaving their boats behind, in which our men found much cotton cloth, and +several books of their Mahometan law, which the general ordered to be +preserved. The general and the other captains ranged in their boats along +side of the town, but did not venture on shore, not having sufficient +force, nor could they get any speech of the Moors. Next day they went on +shore at the watering-place, where they took what was needed without any +opposition from the Moors. Being now hopeless of recovering the Negro, or +of procuring the Indian captives, it was determined to depart; but the +general resolved to be revenged on the town and people for their enmity. +For which reason, he went against it next day with ordnance, and +destroyed it in such sort that the Moors had to abandon it, and flee into +another island within the country.[35] This being done, the fleet weighed +anchor on Tuesday the 27th of March, and departed from Mozambique, whence +they proceeded to two little rocks, which they called St George, and +where they came to anchor in waiting for a wind, which was now contrary. +Soon afterwards the wind came fair and they departed, but the wind was so +light, and the currents so strong, that they were forced in a retrograde +course. + +The general was much pleased to find that one of the Moors taken by his +brother at Mozambique was a pilot, and was acquainted with the navigation +to Calicut. Proceeding on their voyage, they came, on Sunday the first of +April, to certain islands very near the coast, to the first of which they +gave the name of _Ilha da Açoutado_, because the Moorish pilot of +Mozambique was here severely whipt by order of the general, for having +falsely said that these islands were part of the continent, and likewise +for not shewing the way to the watering-place at Mozambique, as before +related. Being cruelly whipt, the Moor confessed that he had brought them +to this place expressly that they might perish on the rocks and shoals of +these islands, which were so numerous and so close together, that they +could hardly be distinguished from each other. On this the general stood +out to sea, and on Friday the 4th of April,[36] standing to the north- +west, he came in sight, before noon, of a great land, with two islands +near the coast, around which were many shoals. On nearing the shore, the +Moorish pilots recognized it, and said that the Christian island of +Quiloa was three leagues astern; on which the general was much grieved, +believing certainly that the natives of Quiloa had been Christians, as +represented by the pilots, and that they had purposely taken a wrong +course that the ships might not come there. The pilots, to conceal their +treachery, alleged that the winds and currents had carried the ships +farther than they reckoned. But in truth, they were more disappointed in +this than even the general, as they had reckoned upon being here revenged +upon the Portuguese, by having them all slain. In this God preserved our +people from the intended danger most miraculously, for if they had gone +to Quiloa they had all surely perished; as the general was so fully +persuaded of the natives being Christians, as reported by the pilot, that +he would doubtless have landed immediately on his arrival, and have +thereby run headlong to a place where he and all his people would have +been slain. Both parties being thus sorry for having missed Quiloa, the +general because he hoped to have found Christians, and the Moorish pilots +because of their intended treachery, it was determined to put back with +the intention of seeking for it; but still the wind and currents opposed +their purpose, and they tried a whole day in vain. This doubtless +proceeded from the providence of God, and his merciful goodness to our +men, who were thus preserved by miracle from the malicious and devilish +intentions of the two Moorish pilots of Mozambique. + +The fleet being thus baffled and tossed to and fro, it was determined to +bear away for the island of Mombaza, in which the pilots said there were +two towns, peopled both by Moors and Christians. But they gave out this +as before to deceive our people, and to lead them to destruction; for +that island was solely inhabited by Moors, as is the whole of that coast. +Understanding that Mombaza was seventy miles distant, they bore away for +that place, and towards evening, they came in sight of a great island +towards the north, in which the Moorish pilots pretended there were two +towns, one of Christians and the other of Moors; making this false +assertion to make our people believe that there were many Christians on +this coast. While pursuing their voyage towards Mombaza for some days, +the ship San Raphael chanced one morning, two hours before day, to get +aground on certain shoals, two leagues from the shore of the continent. +Paulo de Gama immediately made signals to apprize the other ships of his +situation and their danger; on which they had the good fortune to avoid +the shoals and got safely to anchor. The boats from the other ships were +immediately sent off to assist Paulo de Gama in the St Raphael; and, on +seeing that the tide was then low, the general was much rejoiced, as he +well knew she would float again with the tide of flood; whereas, before, +he was much afraid she might be totally lost. He therefore gave orders to +carry all their anchors out to deep water, to prevent her from getting +farther on the shoal. By the time this was done day broke, and soon after +at low water the St Raphael was quite dry on a sand bank, having taken no +harm in striking. While waiting for the tide of flood, our people named +these sands _Os baixos de Sam Rafael_, or the Shoals of St Raphael, and +named certain islands and hills of the continent, then in sight, the +islands and hills of St Raphael. + +While the ship remained thus dry, and the people walking about on the +sand, they saw two boats full of Moors, who came to our ships, bringing +many sweet oranges, much better than those of Portugal. These men told +the general not to fear any damage to the ship which was aground, as she +would float uninjured with the next flood; and the general was so much +pleased with this good heartening, that he gave them several presents, +which they accepted with many thanks; and understanding that our fleet +intended to put in at Mombaza, they requested to be carried thither. The +general granted their request, and permitted them to remain on board, the +others returning from our ships to their own country.[37] When it was +full sea, the St Raphael floated and got off the shoal, and the fleet +proceeded on its voyage. + +Following the coast to the north-eastwards, the fleet came to anchor +outside of the bar of the harbour of Mombaza, about sunset of Saturday +the 7th of April. Mombaza is on an island very near the shore of the +continent, and has plenty of provisions, such as millet, rice, and cattle, +both large and small, all well grown and fat, especially the sheep, which +are uniformly without tails; and it abounds in poultry. It is likewise +very pleasant, having many orchards, abounding in pomegranates, Indian +figs, oranges, both sweet and sour, lemons, and citrons, with plenty of +pot-herbs, and it has an abundant supply of excellent water. On this +island there is a city having the same name, Momabza, standing in lat. +4°S. which is handsomely built on a rocky hill washed by the sea. The +entrance of the haven has a mark or beacon, and on the very bar there is +a little low fort, almost level with the water.[38] + +Most of the houses of this place are built of stone and lime, having the +ceilings finely constructed of plaster, and the streets are very handsome. +This city is subject to a king of its own, the inhabitants being Moors, +some of whom are white and others brown[39]. The trade of this city is +extensive, and its inhabitants are well dressed, especially the women, +who are clothed in silk, and decorated with gold and precious stones. The +harbour is good and much frequented by shipping, and it receives from the +African continent, in its neighbourhood, great quantities of honey, wax, +and ivory. + +The general did not enter the harbour that night because it grew late, +but commanded to hoist the flags in compliment, which the people did with +much mirth and joy, in hope that they had come to an island in which +there were many Christians, and that next day they might hear mass on +shore. They had likewise great hope that the sick, who were almost the +whole crews, might here recover their health; though, indeed, they were +much reduced in number, many having died during the voyage. Soon after +our ships came to anchor, although night approached, a large boat, +containing about a hundred men, all armed with swords and targets, was +seen coming towards the fleet. On reaching the generals ship, they would +have all come on board with their weapons, but the general only permitted +four of their principals to come aboard, and even they unarmed; causing +them to be told in their own language, that they must excuse his +precaution, being a stranger, and not knowing therefore whom he might +trust. To those whom he permitted to come on board he gave courteous +entertainment, presenting them with such conserves as he had, of which +they readily partook; and he requested of them not to take ill that he +had thus refused entrance to so many armed men. They said that they had +merely come to see him, as a new and rare thing in their country, and +that their being armed was merely because such was the custom of the +country, whether in peace or war. They also said, that the king of +Mombaza expected his arrival, and would have sent to visit him, if it had +not been so late, but certainly would do so next day. Their king, they +added, was rejoiced at his arrival, and would not only be glad to see him, +but would load his ships with spices. They also said that there were many +Christians on the island, who lived by themselves; at which the general +was much pleased, believing their story, which agreed with what the two +pilots had said. Yet he entertained some jealous doubts, for all their +fair speeches, and wisely suspected the Moors had come to see if they +could lay a train to take our ships. In this he was perfectly right, as +it afterwards appeared that this was their sole intent. The king of +Mombaza had received perfect intelligence that we were Christians, and of +all that we had done at Mozambique, and plotted to be revenged, by taking +our ships and killing our men. + +Next day, being Palm Sunday, still prosecuting his wicked purpose, the +king sent some white Moors with a message to the general, declaring his +great joy at our arrival, inviting him into the harbour, and engaging to +supply him with all things he might be in need of; and, in token of amity, +sent him a ring, a sheep, and many sweet oranges, citrons, and sugar +canes. These white Moors were likewise instructed to pretend that they +were Christians, and that there were many Christians in the island. All +this was so well counterfeited, that our people actually believed them to +be Christians, on which account the general received them with much +courtesy, and made them some presents, sending a message to the king that +he would certainly come farther into the harbour next day. He also sent a +present to the king of a fine branch of coral. And, for the greater +security, he sent along with these white Moors, two of our banished men, +who had been embarked expressly for such hazardous undertakings, or for +being left on shore where it might be deemed expedient, to become +acquainted with the circumstances of various places, and to be taken on +board again. These men, and the Moors who had been on board, were met in +landing by a number of people, curious to see and examine them, who +accompanied them all the way to the kings palace, where they had to pass +through three several doors, each guarded by an armed porter, before they +came to the place where the king was. They found the king in no very +great state, yet he received them well, and commanded the Moors who had +brought them on shore to show them the city. In going through the streets, +our men saw many prisoners in irons; but, not knowing the language, they +could not ask who or what these were, yet believed they might be +Christians, us our general was informed by the Moorish pilots, and the +kings two messengers, that there were Christians on the island, and that +the Christians and the Moors had wars together. Our men were likewise +carried to the house in which the merchants of India dwelt, who were said +to be Christians. These people, learning that our men were Christians, +shewed much joy at receiving them, embracing and banqueting them, and +shewed them a piece of paper on which the figure of the Holy Ghost was +painted, which they worshipped on their knees, with great shew of +devotion, as if they had been what they pretended. The Moors then +informed our men by signs, that there were many other Christians at +another place, too far for carrying them there; but that they should be +conducted to see them when our ships came into the harbour. All this was +done craftily to entice our people into the harbour, where they were +determined to destroy them all. + +After our two men had seen the city, they were conducted back to the king, +who ordered them to be shewn ginger, pepper, cloves, and wheat, giving +them samples of them all to be carried to the general, with assurance +that he had great store of all these commodities, and would give him his +loading if he desired it. They were likewise told, that he had great +plenty of gold, silver, amber, wax, ivory, and other riches, which he +would sell at lower prices than they could be bought in any other place. +This message was brought off on Monday to the general; who, hearing the +kings offer to furnish him with a loading of these commodities, was much +rejoiced, and was much pleased with the information brought by the two +convicts, and their good report of the people, city, and country, and +more especially on account of the _two_ Christians whom they had seen in +the house of the Indian merchants. After a consultation with the other +captains, it was determined to enter the port next day, and to accept the +spices offered by the king of Mambaza, after which, to continue the +voyage to Calicut; and, if they could not procure similar articles there, +to return contented with what might be got in this place. In the meantime, +several of the Moors visited our ships, conducting themselves with much +gentleness and humility, and evincing an appearance of friendship and +kindness to our people, as if they had been long and familiarly +acquainted. + +When the tide of flood was sufficiently advanced on the following morning, +the general gave orders to weigh anchor, intending to carry the ships +into the harbour. But the Almighty Disposer of events, not willing that +he and his company should fall into the snare which the Moors had laid +for their destruction, interposed to avert the danger, and to work their +safety. For, when the generals ship had weighed anchor, and was about to +enter the port, she touched on a shoal by the stern; upon which, he +immediately let fall his anchor again, which was likewise done by the +other captains. Seeing this, the Moors who were on board concluded that +he would not enter the harbour that day, and instantly took to their boat, +which was alongside, and made for the city: At the same time, the pilot +of Mozambique leapt from the stern of the admirals ship into the water, +and was taken into the boat by the Moors. The admiral called out to them +to bring him back, but all in vain; on which he began to suspect that the +Moors and their king had evil intentions towards him and his people, and +was thankful for the accident which had detained him from the harbour, +and preserved him from the purposed treachery. After explaining his +apprehensions to the other captains, he commanded, in the evening of this +day, that two of the Moors who had been made prisoners at Mozambique +should be put to the torture, to endeavour to ascertain whether any +treachery was intended, and to force them to disclose the same. This was +done by dropping melted bacon upon their flesh; and they immediately +confessed that treason was intended, and that the pilots had escaped by +swimming from the ship, as fearing the same had been discovered. On this +confession, the general resolved on no account to enter the harbour; yet +determined to put another Moor to the torture, to learn if he were in +confederacy with the rest. But this Moor, on seeing preparations made for +the purpose, although his hands were bound, leapt into the sea; which was +likewise done by another Moor before day-light. + +Having thus discovered the secret mischiefs which had been prepared +against him, the general gave thanks to God, by whose good providence he +and his people had been delivered from imminent hazard of death among the +infidels; whereupon he and his company joined in the _Salve regina_ with +great devotion. After this, lest the Moors might attempt any thing +against their safety during the night, he ordered a strong and vigilant +armed watch to be kept. It is worthy of notice, that all the sick among +our people, who were indeed many, began presently to get well from their +first coming to Mombaza; so that in this time of their great necessity +and danger, they found themselves sound and strong, beyond all human hope, +and far above the ordinary course of nature; for which reason it can only +be attributed to the marvellous and supernatural power of God, +miraculously done at this peculiar instant time of need, for the +preservation of these poor and distressed persons, whose only hope of +safety was in him. After the night watch was set, those of the Berrio +felt the cable by which they lay at anchor swagging, as if shaken by a +great tunny, of which there were many in this place, very large and +excellent food: But, on giving more attention to the circumstance, they +perceived that this was occasioned by their enemies the Moors, some of +whom were swimming about the cable, and were cutting it with knives or +falchions, that the ship might drift on shore and fall a prey to them. On +seeing this, our men scared them away by crying out, and gave notice to +the other ships to be on their guard against similar attempts. Some +people from the San Raphael went immediately to the assistance of the +Berrio, and found some of the Moors about the chains and tacklings of the +foremast, who cast themselves into the sea, and swam, along with those +who had attempted to cut the cable, to certain boats that were in waiting +at a short distance, in which, as our people afterwards learnt, there +were a great number of the Moors, who now rowed away to the city in all +haste. + +Our fleet still remained off the harbour of Mombaza, all the Wednesday +and Thursday following; during both of which nights the Moors came off in +boats, which always lay close by the shore, whence some of them swam to +the ships, endeavouring to cut our cables: But our men kept such strict +watch, that they were unable to succeed. Our people, however, were always +in much fear and perplexity, lest the Moors might burn our ships; and it +was wonderful they did not make the attempt by means of the ships they +had in the harbour, which, in all human probability, they had succeeded +in, killing and destroying us all. It was conjectured that they were +deterred from making this attempt, from fear of the ordnance in our ships; +but whatever might appear to us as the cause of their not using open +force, it was assuredly the good pleasure and favour of God, that put +their hearts in fear against making an open attack, by which we were +preserved from the execution of their cruel purposes towards us. + +The reason of the general remaining during the two days off Mombaza was, +that he might endeavour to procure two pilots from thence to carry him to +Calicut, without which assistance the voyage would have been very +difficult, as our pilots had no knowledge of that country. But finding +none were to be had, he took his departure from that place on Friday +morning, though with a very light wind. On leaving the anchorage, he was +forced to leave one of his anchors behind, as the crew was so completely +exhausted by hauling up the rest, that they were unable to weigh this one. +It was afterwards found by the Moors, and carried into their city, where +it was deposited near the kings palace. When Don Francisco de Almeida, +first viceroy of the Indies, took this place from the Moors, this anchor +was there found, as I shall afterwards relate in the second book of this +work. + +Departing thus from Mombaza, the fleet continued its voyage along the +coast to the north-east, and having very light wind, was obliged to come +to anchor in the evening near the shore, about eight leagues from Mombaza. +Towards the dawn of next day, two sambuccos, or little pinnaces, were +seen about three leagues to the leeward of the fleet, and out at sea; on +which, in hope of procuring some pilots who could carry him to Calicut, +the general ordered the anchors to be weighed, and he and the other +captains gave chase to the sambuccos the whole of that day. Towards +vespers, the general came up with and captured one of these pinnaces, but +the other escaped to the land. In the captured pinnace there were +seventeen Moors, among whom was an old man who seemed master over the +rest, and had his young wife along with him. In this boat there was great +store of silver and gold, and some victuals. On the same evening the +fleet came to anchor off Melinda, which is eighteen leagues from Mombaza, +and is in lat. 3° S. This place has no good harbour, being only an almost +open roadstead, having a kind of natural pier or reef of rocks on which +the sea beats with much violence, owing to which the ships have to ride +at a considerable distance from the shore. The city stands in a broad +open plain, along the shore, surrounded with many palms, and other sorts +of trees, which are green the whole year. It has also many gardens and +orchards, abounding with all kinds of herbs and fruits, and many +fountains of good water. Their oranges are particularly excellent, very +large and sweet. They have also abundance of millet and rice, plenty both +of cattle and sheep, and great store of fine poultry, which are very +cheap. Melinda is a large city, with fair streets, and many good houses +of stone and lime, containing several storeys, with windows, and having +terraced roofs made of lime and earth. The native inhabitants are black, +of well proportioned bodies, having curled hair; but many strangers +resort thither and dwell in the city, who are Moors from Arabia, who +conduct themselves in a commendable manner, especially the gentlemen or +better sort. These, from the girdle upwards, go naked; but below the +girdle they are dressed in silk, or fine stuffs of cotton, though some +wear short cotton cloaks, after the old fashion. On their heads they wear +certain cloths embroidered with silk and gold. They wear also rich +daggers, ornamented with silken tassels of many colours, and very +handsome swords. They are all left-handed, and go constantly armed with +bows and arrows, taking great delight in archery, at which they are very +expert. They account themselves good horsemen; yet there is a common +saying on this coast, _the horsemen of Mombaza, and the women of +Melinda_, as in Mombaza they are excellent horsemen, and the women of +Melinda are very handsome, and dress richly. + +In this city also there are many Gentiles from the kingdom of Cambaya in +India, who are great merchants and trade to this place for gold, which is +found in this country, as likewise ambergris, ivory, pitch, and wax; all +of which commodities the inhabitants of Melinda exchange with the +merchants of Cambaya for copper, quicksilver, and cotton cloth, to the +profit and advantage of both parties. The king of this city is a Moor, +who is served with far more state than any of the kings on this coast to +the southwards. Being arrived over against this city, the general and all +the people of the fleet were much rejoiced at seeing a city resembling +those of Portugal, and gave thanks to God for their safe arrival. Being +desirous of procuring pilots to navigate the fleet to Calicut, the +general commanded to come to anchor, meaning to use his endeavours for +this purpose. For, hitherto, he could not learn from the Moors he had +lately captured, whether any of them were pilots; and though he had +threatened them with the torture, they always persisted in declaring that +none of them had any skill in pilotage. + +Next day, being Easter eve, the old Moor who had been made prisoner in +the pinnace, told the general that there were four ships belonging to +Christians of the Indies at Melinda, and engaged, if the general would +allow him and the other Moors to go on shore, he would provide him, as +his ransom, Christian pilots, and would farther supply him with every +thing he might need. Well pleased with the speeches of the old Moor, the +general removed his ships to within half a league of the city, whence +hitherto no one came off to our fleet, as they feared our men might make +them prisoners; for they had received intelligence that we were +Christians, and believed our ships were men of war. On the Monday morning, +therefore, the general commanded the old Moor to be landed on a ledge, or +rock, opposite the city, and left there, expecting they would send from +the city to fetch him off; which they did accordingly as soon as our boat +departed. The Moor was carried directly to the king, to whom he said, as +instructed by the general, what he chiefly desired to have. He farther +said, that the general desired to have amity with the king, of whom he +had heard a good report, hoping by his aid, and with the will of God, he +might be enabled to discover the route to India. The king received this +message favourably, and sent back the Moor in a boat to the general, +accompanied by one of his own servants and a priest, saying, that he +would most willingly conclude a treaty of amity with him, and should +supply him with what pilots he needed. These messengers likewise +presented the general from the king, with three sheep, and a great many +oranges, and sugar canes, which he thankfully accepted; desiring the +messengers to acquaint their master, that he gladly agreed to the +profered amity, and was ready to confirm the same between them, and +promised to enter their harbour next day. He farther desired them to +inform the king, that he was the subject of a great and powerful +sovereign in the west, who had sent him to discover the way to Calicut, +with orders to enter into peace and amity with all kings and princes on +whose territories he might happen to touch by the way. That it was now +_two years_[40] since he left his own country, and that the king his +master was a prince of such puissance and worth as he was convinced the +king of Melinda would be glad to have for a friend. He then dismissed the +messengers, sending as a present to their king a hat of the fashion of +the time, two branches of coral, three brass basons, two scarfs, and some +small bells. + +On the second day after Easter, the general removed his ships nearer the +city. The king knowing this, and believing that the king of Portugal must +be a high-spirited prince, and the general a worthy subject, who had +hazarded himself in so long and dangerous a voyage, became desirous of +seeing such men; wherefore, he sent a more honourable message to the +general, saying, that he proposed next day to visit him in person, +intending that their meeting should be on the water; and sent him a +present of six sheep, with a considerable quantity of cloves, ginger, +pepper, and nutmegs. Upon this message, the general removed his fleet +still nearer the city, and came to anchor close to the four ships of the +Indies, of which the old Moor had made mention as belonging to Christians. +When the owners of these ships learnt that we were Christians, they came +immediately to visit our general, who happened then to be in the ship of +Paulo de la Gama. These men were of a brown colour, but of good stature +and well proportioned, dressed in long white cotton gowns, having large +beards, and the hair of their heads long like women, and plaited up under +their turbans or head-dresses. The general received them with much +kindness and attention, asking, by means of an interpreter, who +understood the language of Algarve, or Arabic, whether they were +Christians. These men had some knowledge of that language, though it was +not their own tongue, but had learnt it in the course of their trade and +conversation with the Moors of Melinda, of whom they advised the general +to beware, lest their inward intentions might be far different from their +outward shew. Willing to make trial if these men were really Christians, +the general caused a picture to be shewn them, on which our Lady was +painted weeping, surrounded by some of the apostles, but without +informing them what this was meant to represent. Immediately on this +being set before them, they fell down and worshipped the picture, praying +for some time. The general then asked if they were of Calicut; on which +they answered they were of Grangalor[41], still farther off, and could +give him no information respecting Calicut. From this time, so long as +our fleet remained at Melinda, these people came every day on board the +ship of Paulo de la Gama, to pay their devotions before this picture, +offering to the images which it represented gifts of pepper and other +things. These Indian Christians, according to their own account, eat no +beef. + +On the last day of the week after Easter, and in the afternoon, the king +of Melinda came off in a great boat to our fleet. He was dressed in a +cassock of crimson damask lined with green satin, and wore, a rich cloth +or turban on his head. He sat in a chair, of the ancient fashion, very +well made and wrought with wire, having a silk cushion; and on another +chair beside him, there lay a hat of crimson satin. An old man stood by +him as his page, who carried a very rich sword with a silver scabbard. In +the boat there were many sacbuts, and two ivory flutes eight spans long, +on which they played by a little hole in the middle, agreeing and +according well with the music of the sacbuts. The king was likewise +attended by about twenty Moorish gentlemen, all richly dressed. When the +king had nearly attained our ships, the general went to meet him in his +boat, gaily decorated with flags and streamers, himself dressed in his +best apparel, and attended by twelve of the principal officers of the +squadron, leaving his brother in charge of the ships. On the boats +meeting, the two parties made every demonstration of friendship and +respect; and the Moorish king immediately offered to come on board the +generals boat, that he might see him the better. The general accordingly +received him with all respect, and the king shewed as much honour and +courtesy to the general as if he had been likewise a king. The Moorish +king, after examining the dress and appearance of the general and his men +with the utmost attention, asked the general the name of his king, which +he commanded to be immediately written down. He particularly inquired +respecting the power of the king of Portugal, and the general gave the +most satisfactory answers to all his questions; particularly detailing +the reasons of his being sent to discover Calicut, that Portugal might be +thence supplied with spices, which were not to be had in his own country. +The king, after giving him some information on these points, and +respecting the straits of the Red Sea, promised to furnish the general +with a pilot to carry him to Calicut, and then earnestly solicited him to +accompany him to the city, where he might solace and refresh himself in +the palace, after the fatigues and dangers of so long a voyage; and +promised, if the general would do so, that he the king would visit him on +board. To this the general prudently answered that he was not authorised +by his instructions to go on shore, and that he could not answer for +deviating from the orders of his sovereign. On this the king observed, +that if he were to visit the ships, he could not well answer for his +conduct to the inhabitants of his city; yet, he was grieved that the +admiral refused to go into the city, which should be at his will and +pleasure, and that of the king his master, to whom he should either write +or send an ambassador, if the general would call in at Melinda on his +return from Calicut. The general gave the king thanks for his politeness, +and promised to return that way; and, while this conversation was going +on, he sent for the Moors who had been taken in the pinnace, whom he +presented to the king, saying, he would most gladly perform any other +service that lay in his power to the king. The king was greatly pleased +with this gift, which he valued as much as if the admiral had given him +another city equal to Melinda. + +Having ended their conversation, and confirmed their mutual friendship, +the king rowed through among our ships, examining them with much pleasure +and admiration, and was saluted in passing by many discharges of the +ordnance, at which he and his attendants seemed much delighted. On this +occasion, the general attended upon him in his own boat out of respect, +and the king observed, that he never was so much pleased with any men as +with the Portuguese, and would most gladly have some of them to help him +in his wars. To this the general answered, that if his highness were to +have experience of what they were able to perform, he would like the +Portuguese still better; and that they should certainly give him aid, if +it should please the king of Portugal to send any of his war ships to +Calicut, which he did not doubt would be the case, if it were Gods will +to permit the discovery of that place. After the king had satisfied his +curiosity, he requested of the general, since he would not go himself +into the city, to permit two of his men to go and see the palace, +offering to leave his own son, and one of his chief priests, which they +named Caçis[42], in pledge for their safe return. To this request the +general consented, and sent two of our men along with the king: He, at +his departure, requested that the general would next day, in his boat, +come close to the shore, when he should be gratified with a sight of the +native horsemen going through their evolutions. After this they separated. + +Next day, being Thursday, the general and Nicholas Coello went in their +boats well armed along the shore, according to the invitation of the king, +keeping at a small distance from each other for mutual defence in case of +need, where they saw many men skirmishing on the shore. As our boats +approached the royal palace, certain of the kings attendants brought him +in a chair down some stone stairs which led to the water; and, being then +very near the generals boat, the king entered into friendly conversation +with him, and once more entreated him to land and go to the palace; +saying, that his father, who was lame, was exceedingly desirous to see +him, and even offered, that, while the general remained on shore, he and +his children would go on board the ships as hostages for his security. +But our general, still dreading that some bitter treachery might lurk +beneath this honied speech, continued to excuse himself from landing, as +he had not permission from his own prince to do so, and must obey him, in +all things. After this, taking his leave of the king, he rowed past the +ships of the Indian merchants, which he saluted in passing with his +ordnance; and when they saw us pass, they held up their hands, exclaiming +Christe! Christe! + +That night, having obtained leave from the king, our men made them a +great feast, with much diversion, also of squibs, firing of guns, and +loud cries. The fleet remained at anchor for two days without any message +from the shore, on which account the general was much distressed, fearing +the king had taken offence at his refusal to go on shore, and might break +the peace and amity between them, and not send him any pilot. But on +Sunday the 21st of April, a person who was in high credit with the king, +came off to visit the general, who was much disappointed when this person +brought no pilot, and again began to entertain suspicions of the kings +intentions. When the king learnt this, and that the general remained +merely for the purpose of having a pilot, he sent him one who was a +Gentile, called _Gosarate_[43] in their language, and whose name was +_Canaca_, sending an apology at the same time for not having sent this +person sooner. Thus the king and the general remained friends, and the +peace continued which had been agreed between them. + +"De Barros and Faria give this pilot the name of _Malemo Cana_, and say +that he belonged to one of the Indian ships of Cambaya, then at Melinda. +De Barros adds, that he shewed De Gama a very small chart of the coast of +India, laid down with meridians and parallels, but without rhumbs of the +winds. This pilot shewed no surprise on seeing the large wooden and metal +astrolabes belonging to the Portuguese, as the pilots of the Red Sea had +long used brass triangular instruments and quadrants for astronomical +observations, and that he and others who sailed from Cambaya, and the +ports of India, navigated by the north and south stars, and the +constellations of the eastern and western hemispheres; and, though they +did not use these instruments in navigation, they employed one made of +three pieces of board, similar to the _balhestillia_, or cross-staff of +the Portuguese. + +"In a collection of papers published in 1790, called _Documentos +Arabicos_, from the royal archives of Lisbon, chiefly consisting of +letters between the kings of Portugal and the tributary princes of the +east in the sixteenth century, the _zeque, sheik_, or king of Melinda, +with whom De Gama afterwards made a treaty of alliance, and whose +ambassador he carried into Portugal, was named Wagerage[44]." + +Having thus procured a pilot, and provided all things necessary for the +voyage, De Gama departed from Melinda for Calicut, on Friday the 26th of +April 1498[45], and immediately made sail directly across the gulf which +separates Africa from India, which is 750 leagues[46]. This golf runs a +long way up into the land northwards; but our course for Calicut lay to +the east[47]. In following this voyage, our men saw the north star next +Sunday, which they had not seen of a long while; and they saw the stars +about the south pole at the same time. They gave thanks to God, that, +whereas it had been represented to them, that in this season, which was +the winter of the Indies, there were always great storms in this gulf, +they now experienced fair weather. On Friday the 18th of May, twenty- +three days after leaving Melinda, during all which time they had seen no +land, they came in sight of India, at eight leagues distance, the land +seeming very high. Canaca, the pilot, tried the lead and found forty-five +fathoms, upon which he altered his course to the south-east, having +fallen in with the land too far to the north. Upon the Saturday, he again +drew near the land, but did not certainly know it, as the view was +obscured by rain, which, always falls in India at this season, being +their winter. On Sunday the 20th of May, the pilot got view of certain +high hills which are directly behind the city of Calicut, and came so +near the land that he was quite sure of the place; on which he came up +with great joy to the general, demanding his _albrycias_, or reward, as +this was the place at which he and his company were so desirous to arrive. +The general was greatly rejoiced at this news, and immediately satisfied +the pilot, after which, he summoned all the company to prayers, saying +the _salve_, and giving hearty thanks to God, who had safely conducted +them to the long wished-for place of his destination. When prayer was +over, there was great festivity and joy in the ships, which came that +same evening to anchor two leagues from Calicut. Immediately upon +anchoring, some of the natives came off to the ships in four boats, +called _almadias_, inquiring whence our ships came, as they had never +before seen any resembling their construction upon that coast. These +natives were of a brown colour, and entirely naked, excepting very small +aprons. Some of them immediately came on board the general, and the +Guzerat pilot informed him these were poor fishermen; yet the general +received them courteously, and ordered his people to purchase the fish +which they had brought for sale. On conversing with them, he understood +that the town whence they came, which was in sight, was not Calicut, +which lay farther off, and to which they offered to conduct our fleet. +Whereupon the general requested them to do this; and, departing from this +first anchorage, the fleet was conducted by these fishermen to Calicut. + +Calicut is a city on the coast of Malabar, a province of the second India, +which begins at the mount of Delhi, and ends at Cape Comory, being sixty- +one leagues in length, and fifteen leagues broad[48]. The whole of this +country is very low, and apt to be covered with water, having many +islands in its rivers, which flow into the Indian Sea. This country of +Malabar is divided from the kingdom of Narsinga by a very high hill. The +Indians report that this land of Malabar was covered by the sea of old, +which then reached to the foot of the hills, and thence to a hill, where +now the islands of the Maldives are found, which were then firm land; and +that in after times it destroyed that latter country, and laid bare the +country of Malabar, in which are many pleasant and rich cities, dependent +upon trade, which they carry on principally with Calicut, which exceeds +all cities of our days in riches and in vice. Its foundation and rise was +as follows: In ancient times, this country of Malabar was entirely ruled +by one king, who dwelt in the city of _Coulan_. In the reign of the last +king of this race, named _Saranaperimal_[49], who died 600 years ago, the +Moors of Mecca discovered India, and came to the province of Malabar, +then inhabited by idolaters, and governed by an idolatrous king. From the +time of the coming of these Moors, they began to reckon their years as we +do, from the birth of our Saviour[50]. After the coming of the Moors into +Malabar, they insinuated themselves so much into the confidence of the +before-mentioned king, that he became a convert to their law, renouncing +the religion of his country, and embracing Mahometism with such zeal, +that he resolved to go and end his days in the temple of Mecca. Having +thus resolved, out of love to the Mahometan sect, to abandon his kingdom, +he called his kindred together, and divided all his territories among +them, reserving only twelve leagues of country near the place where he +intended to embark, not then inhabited, which he bestowed upon one of his +cousins who acted as his page. To this kinsman he gave his sword and +turban, as ensigns of dignity; commanding all the other nobles, among +whom he had distributed the rest of his territories, to obey this person +as their emperor, the kings of Coulan and Cananor only excepted; whom +also, and all the others, he debarred from coining money, which was only +to be done by the king of Calicut. Having thus given away his whole +dignities and possessions, and set every thing in order, he embarked from +the place where Calicut now stands; and because this king embarked from +that place on his pilgrimage to Mecca, the Moors have ever since held +Calicut in so high devotion, that they and all their posterity would +never take their lading from any other port. From that time forwards, +they discontinued trade with the port of Coulan, which they had used +formerly, and that port therefore fell to ruin; especially after the +building of Calicut, and the settlement of many Moors in that place[51]. + +As the Moors are merchants of most extensive dealings, they have rendered +Calicut, as the centre of their trade, the richest mart of all the Indies; +in which is to be found all the spices, drugs, nutmegs, and other things +that can be desired, all kinds of precious stones, pearls and seed-pearls, +musk, sanders, aguila, fine dishes of earthen ware, lacker[52], gilded +coffers, and all the fine things of China, gold, amber, wax, ivory, fine +and coarse cotton goods, both white and dyed of many colours, much raw +and twisted silk, stuffs of silk and gold, cloth of gold, cloth of tissue, +grain, scarlets, silk carpets, copper, quicksilver, vermilion, alum, +coral, rose-water, and all kinds of conserves. Thus, every kind of +merchandize from all parts of the world is to be found in this place; +which, moreover, is very quiet, being situated along the coast, which is +almost open and very dangerous. Calicut is surrounded by many gardens and +orchards, producing all the herbs and fruits of this country in great +abundance, having also many palms and other sorts of trees, and abounds +in excellent water. This part of India produces but little rice, which is +a principal article of food in these parts, as wheat is with us; but it +procures abundance of that and all other kinds of provisions from other +countries. The city is large, but the dwellings consist only of straw +huts; their idol temples, and chapels, and the kings palace excepted, +which are: built of stone and lime and covered with tiles; for, by their +laws, no others are permitted to build their houses of any other material +than straw. At this time, Calicut was inhabited by idolaters of many +sects, and by many Moorish merchants, some of whom were so rich as to be +owners of fifty ships. These ships are made without nails, their planks +being sewed together with ropes of _cayro_, made of the fibres of the +cocoa-nut husk, pitched all over, and are flat-bottomed, without keels. +Every winter there are at least six hundred ships in this harbour, and +the shore is such, that their ships can be easily drawn up for repairs. + +"The subjects of the following digression are so intimately connected +with the first establishment of the Portuguese in India, as to justify +its introduction in this place, which will greatly elucidate the +narrative of Castaneda; and its length did not admit of being inserted in +the form of notes. It is chiefly due to the ingenious and Reverend James +Stanier Clarke, in his Origin and Progress of Maritime Discovery, +extracted by him from various sources." + +"The name of this country, Malabar, is said to be derived from _ulyam_, +which signifies, in the original language of that part of India, +_skirting the bottom of the hills_, corrupted into Maleyam or Maleam, +whence probably came Mulievar, and Mala-bar. In a MS. account of Malabar, +it is said that little more than 2300 years ago, the sea came up to the +foot of the _Sukien_ mountains, or the western _gauts_. The emerging of +the country from the waters is fabulously related to have been occasioned +by the piety or penitence of Puresram Rama, who prayed to _Varauna_, the +God of the ocean, to give him a track of land to bestow on the Bramins. +Varauna accordingly commanded the sea to withdraw from the _Gowkern_, a +hill near Mangalore, all the way to Cape Comorin; which new land long +remained marshy and scarcely habitable, and the original settlers were +forced to abandon it on account of the numerous serpents by which it was +infested: But they afterwards returned, being instructed to propitiate +the serpents by worshipping them." + +"At first this country was divided into four _Tookrees_ or provinces, +these into _Naadhs_ or districts, and these again into _Khunds_ or small +precincts. The Bramins established a kind of republican or aristocratical +government, under a few principal chiefs; but jealousies and disturbances +taking place, they procured a _Permaul_ or chief governor from the prince +of Chaldesh, a sovereignty in the southern Carnatic: Yet it is more +likely that this sovereign took advantage of the divisions among the +chiefs of Malabar, to reduce them under his authority. These permauls or +viceroys were for a long while changed every twelve years; till at length +one of them, named Sheo-Ram, Cheruma Perumal, or Shermanoo Permaloo, the +Sarana-perimal of Castaneda, became so popular that he set his master +_Kishen Rao_, the rajah of Chaldesh, at defiance, and established his own +authority in Malabar. An army was sent into Malabar to reduce the country +again to obedience, but it was defeated, and from this event, which is +said to have happened 1000 years ago, all the rajahs, chief _nayres_, and +other lords of Malabar, date the sovereignty and independence of their +ancestors in that country." + +"After some time, Shermanoo-Permaloo, either became weary of his +situation, or from attachment to the Mahometan religion, resolved to make +a division of Malabar among his dependents, from whom the present +chieftains are descended. Such is the current story among the inhabitants +of Malabar; yet it is more probable that his dependent chieftains, +disgusted with his conversion to the religion of Mahomet, revolted from +his authority, and contrived this story of his voluntary surrender and +division of his dominions, to justify their own assumptions. After this +division of his kingdom, it is said that an _erary_, or person of the +cast of cow-herds, originally from the banks of the Cavery, near Errode +in the Carnatic, who had been a chief instrument of the success of +Shermanoo-Permaloo in the war against rajah Kishen Rao, made application +to Shermanoo for some support. Having very little left to give away, +Shermanoo made him a grant of his own place of abode at Calicut, and gave +him his sword; ankle-rings, and other insignia of command, and presented +him with water and flowers, the ancient symbols of a transfer of property. +It is said that this cowherd rajah was ordained principal sovereign over +the other petty princes among whom Malabar was divided, with the title of +Zamorin, and was authorized by Shermanoo to extend his dominion over all +the other chieftains by force of arms. His descendants have ever since +endeavoured, on all occasions, to enforce this pretended grant, which +they pretend to hold by the tenure of possessing the sword of Shermanoo +Permaloo, and which they carefully preserve as a precious relic." + +"From the period of the abdication of Shermanoo, to that of the arrival +of the Portuguese at Calicut, the Mahomedan religion had made +considerable progress in Malabar; and the Arabian merchants received +every encouragement from the Samoories or Zamorins, as they made Calicut +the staple of their Indian trade, and brought large sums of money yearly +to that place, for the purchase of spiceries and other commodities. As +the rajahs of Cochin and other petty sovereignties on the coast, were +exceedingly jealous of the superior riches and power of the zamorins, and +of the monopoly of trade enjoyed by Calicut, they gave every +encouragement to the Portuguese to frequent their ports; from whence +arose a series of warfare by sea and land, which has finally reduced them +all under subjection to the Europeans." + +"According to an Arabian author, _Zeirreddien Mukhdom_, who is supposed +to have been sent to assist the zamorins and the Mahomedans in India, in +their wars with the Portuguese, Malabar is then said to have been divided +among a multiplicity of independent princes or rajahs, whom he calls +_Hakims_, some of whom commanded over one or two hundred men, and others +one, ten, fifteen, or even as high as thirty, thousand, or upwards. +The three greatest powers at that time were, the _Colastrian_[53] rajah +to the north, the zamorin of Calicut in the centre, and a rajah in the +south, who ruled from Coulan, Kalum, or Coulim, to Cape Comorin, +comprehending the country now belonging to the rajah of Travancore." + +"We now return from this digression, to follow the narrative of the +Portuguese Discovery and Conquest of India, as related by Castaneda." + +So great was the trade and population of Calicut and the surrounding +country, and the revenues of its sovereign through these circumstances, +that he was able to raise a force of thirty thousand men in a single day, +and could even bring an hundred thousand men into the field, completely +equipt for war, in three days. This prince, in the language of the +country, was styled the Zamorin, or Samoryn, which signifies Emperor; as +he was supreme over the other two kings of Malabar, the king of Coulan +and the king of Cananor. There were indeed other princes in this country, +who were called kings, but were not so. This zamorin or king of Calicut +was a bramin, as his predecessors had been, the bramins being priests +among the Malabars. It is an ancient rule and custom among these people, +that all their kings must die in a pagoda[54], or temple of their idols; +and that there must always be a king resident in the principal pagoda, to +serve those idols: Wherefore, when the king that serves in the temple +comes to die, he who then reigns must leave his government of temporal +affairs to take his place in the temple; upon which another is elected to +take his place, and to succeed in ruling the kingdom. If the king who is +in possession of the temporal authority should refuse to retire to the +pagoda, on the death of the king who officiated in spirituals, he is +constrained to do so, however unwilling. + +The kings and nobles of Malabar are of a brown complexion, and go naked +from the waist upwards, all the under parts of their bodies being clothed +in silk or cotton Vestments; yet they sometimes wear short gowns on their +upper parts, called _basus_, of rich silk, or cloth of gold, or of +scarlet, splendidly ornamented with precious stones, of all which the +zamorin hath great store. They shave their beards, leaving only the hair +on their upper lips, and do not shave the head like the Turks. In general, +the natives of this country, even of the higher ranks, use little state +in their households, and are very sparing in their diet; but the zamorin +is served with considerable splendour. These kings or nobles never marry; +but every one has a mistress of the Nayre cast, which, among the Malabars, +are considered as the gentry; even the zamorin has only a mistress, who +has a house of her own near the palace, and a liberal allowance for the +charges of her household and maintenance at her own disposal. Upon any +dislike or difference, he may always leave her for another. The children +are only considered as the offspring of the mother, and have no right or +title to inherit the kingdom, or any thing else belonging to the father; +and when grown up, are only held in that rank or estimation which belongs +to the blood or parentage of their mother. Brothers succeed to brothers; +and in lack of these, the sons of their sisters, who do not marry, and +have no certainty respecting the fathers of their children; as they are +very free and dissolute in their manners, choosing paramours as they +please. + +These sisters of the zamorin, and other kings of Malabar, have handsome +allowances to live upon; and when any of them reaches the age of ten, +their kindred send for a young man of the Nayre cast, out of the kingdom, +and give him great presents to induce him to initiate the young virgin; +after which he hangs a jewel round her neck, which she wears all the rest +of her life, as a token that she is now at liberty to dispose of herself +to any one she pleases as long as she lives. + +When these kings are at war with each other, they often go personally +into the field, and even join personally in fight upon occasion. When one +of them dies, the body is carried out into the fields, and burned on a +pile of sanders, and of another sweet smelling wood called _aguila_, all +his brothers and kindred, and all the nobles of the country being present +at the ceremony; which is uniformly postponed to the third day after +death, that all may have time to gather from a distance, and may have an +opportunity of being assured whether his death was natural, or caused by +violence: Since, if he died by the hand of any one, all are bound to +prosecute revenge. After the body is burnt, and the ashes buried, the +whole company shaves every part of their bodies, even to the youngest +child of these idolaters. This is their token of mourning; and during the +ensuing thirteen days, they all refrain from chewing betel, any one +infringing this law being punished by cutting his lips. During this +period of thirteen days, he who is to succeed to the throne must abstain +from all exercise of government, that any one who pleases may have an +opportunity of urging any valid objection why he should not acquire the +vacant government. After, this the successor is sworn before all the +nobles of the country, to preserve and enforce all the laws and customs +of their ancestors, to pay the debts of his predecessor, and to use his +utmost endeavours to recover any portion of the kingdom that may have +been lost. While taking this oath, having his sword in his left hand, he +holds in his right hand a burning candle, on which is a gold ring, which +he touches with his fingers. After this they throw some grains of rice +over him, using many other ceremonies, and numerous prayers, and then +worship the sun three times. When all these ceremonies are gone through, +all the _Caymayles_, or lords of noble birth, taking hold of the candle, +take an oath to be true and faithful subjects to the new king. + +After the end of the thirteen days mourning, they all begin to chew betel, +and to eat flesh and fish as formerly, the new king alone excepted. He is +bound to mourn for his predecessor during a whole year, chewing no betel, +eating no flesh or fish, neither shaving his beard nor cutting; his nails +during all that time. He must eat only once a-day, washing himself all +over before this single meal, and devoting certain hours of every day to +prayer. After the expiry of the year, he uses a certain ceremony for the +soul of the king his predecessor, much like our solemn dirge; at which +100,000 persons are often assembled, among whom he distributes large alms. +When this ceremony is ended, the prince is confirmed as inheritor of the +kingdom, and all the people depart. + +The zamorin of Calicut, and the other kings of Malabar, have each one +especial officer, to whom the administration of justice is confided, and +whose authority in all matters of government is as ample as that of the +king himself. The soldiers employed by these kings are called _Nayres_, +who are all gentlemen, and who follow no other office or employ but that +of fighting when needed. They are all idolaters, armed with bows, arrows, +spears, daggers of a hooked form, and targets, and they march in a very +regular and warlike manner; but they go entirely naked and barefooted, +wearing only a piece of painted cotton cloth, which reaches from the +girdle to the knees, and a cloth or kerchief on their heads. All these +men live continually at the charge of the king and nobles of the country, +from whom they have small stipends for their maintenance; and they esteem +themselves so highly on account of their gentility of blood, that they +will not touch an husbandman, nor allow any such to enter into their +dwellings. When any husbandman goes through the streets they must +continually call out aloud _hoo hoo_; for if commanded by a nayre to make +way, they may be slain if they refuse. The king cannot raise any one to +the rank of a _nayre_, who are all such by descent. These _nayres_ serve +very faithfully under those who give them their wages, not sparing by day +or night to use their best endeavours to serve their chiefs, nor making +any account of want of food or sleep, or of fatigue, when their service +is required or may be effectual. Their expences are so small, that on +half-a-crown, which is their only monthly pay, they can sufficiently +maintain themselves and a boy, whom each has as a servant. + +By the laws of this country, these nayres cannot marry, so that no one +has any certain or acknowledged son or father; all their children being +born of mistresses, with each of whom three or four nayres cohabit by +agreement among themselves. Each one of this confraternity dwells a day +in his turn with the joint mistress, counting from noon of one day to the +same time of the next, after which he departs, and another comes for the +like time. They thus spend their lives without the care or trouble of +wives and children, yet maintain their mistresses well according to their +rank. Any one may forsake his mistress at his pleasure; and in like +manner, the mistress may refuse admittance to any one o£ her lovers when +she pleases. These mistresses are all gentlewomen of the Nayre cast; and +the nayres, besides being prohibited from marrying, must not attach +themselves to any woman of a different rank. Considering that there are +always several men attached to one woman, the nayres never look upon any +of these children born of their mistresses as belonging to them, however +strong a resemblance may subsist, and all inheritances among the nayres +go to their brothers, or the sons of their sisters, born of the same +mothers, all relationship being counted only by female consanguinity and +descent. This strange law prohibiting marriage, was established, that +they might have neither wives or children on whom to fix their love and +attachment; and that being free from all family cares, they might the +more willingly devote themselves entirely to warlike service. And the +more to animate these gentlemen in the service of the wars, and to +encourage them to continue in the order of nayres, they are privileged +from all imprisonments, and from the punishment of death on all ordinary +occasions, except for the following crimes; killing another nayre, or a +cow which is an object of worship, sleeping or eating with an ordinary +woman, or speaking evil of the king. When the king has received authentic +information of any of these offences having been committed, he issues a +written mandate to one of the nayres, commanding him to take two or three +other nayres in his company, and to slay the nayre who has committed this +offence against the laws. In obedience to this warrant, they attack him +with their swords and put him to death where-ever they happen to find him, +and then affix the royal order upon his body, that all may know the +reason of his death. + +It is not permitted to any nayre to assume arms, or to enter into any +combat, till he has been armed as a knight. When a nayre becomes seven +years old, he is set to learn the use of all kinds of weapons, their +masters first pulling and twisting their joints to make them supple, and +then teaching them to fence and handle their arms adroitly. Their +principal weapons are swords and targets; and these teachers, who are +graduates in the use of the weapons, are called _Panycaes_, who are much +esteemed among the nayres, and all their former scholars, however +advanced in life or however high their dignity, are bound at all times to +give them due honour and reverence when they meet; likewise, every +_nayre_ is obliged to take lessons from these professors for two months +yearly, all their lives: By this means they are very skilful in the use +of their weapons, in which they take great pride. When a nayre desires to +be armed as a knight, he presents himself before the king, accompanied by +all his kindred and friends, and makes an offering of sixty gold fannoms +[55]. On which he is asked by the king if he is willing to observe and +follow the laws and customs of the nayres, to which he answers in the +affirmative. Then the king commands him to be girt with a sword, and +laying his right hand on his head, utters certain words as if praying in +so low a voice that he is not heard. The king then embraces the young +nayre, saying aloud in their language, "Take good care to defend the +Bramins and their kine." On this the nayre falls down and does reverence +to the king; and from that time he is considered as a knight, or member +of the fraternity of nayres. When any of the nayres enters into the +peculiar service of the king or of any individual noble, he binds himself +to die with and for him, and they keep their oaths. For, if their master +should happen to be slain in any war or otherwise, they will fight till +they are all slain; and if they cannot accomplish their purpose at the +time, or happen to be absent at the slaughter of their master, they go +afterwards in search of the person who has done the deed, and never leave +off till they are themselves slain. + +The Malabars are much given to soothsaying, and have lucky and unlucky +days. They worship the sun moon and stars, the fire, cows, and the first +thing they meet on going out of a morning, believing every manner of +vanity. The devil is often in them, but they say it is one of their gods +or _pagods_, as they call him. But whosoever or whatsoever it may be, it +constrains them to utter terrible words, which are believed by the king. +When the devil enters into a nayre, he goes with a naked sword before the +king, shaking and trembling and giving himself many wounds, saying, "I am +such or such a god, and am come to tell thee such and such a thing," +crying out, and behaving himself like a madman or one possessed. If the +king makes any doubt of what he says, he continues to roar still louder +and to slash himself more severely, till the king gives credit to his +assertions. There are other tribes or lineages of people among the +Malabars, of various sects and divers customs, of whom it were too +tedious to speak in this place, who are all under obedience to the +several kings and nobles. The Moors alone are exempted from this +obedience, on account of the large customs they pay for their merchandize, +owing to which they are held in high estimation at Calicut. + +Having come to anchor on the outside of the bar or reef of Calicut, the +general sent one of the Portuguese convicts on shore, in one of the +almadias which had conducted the ships to this port; instructing him to +see what kind of a place it was, and to make trial of what kind of a +reception might be looked for, seeing we were Christians, and as the +general believed that the people were likewise Christians. When this man +landed, he was immediately surrounded by great numbers of the natives, +staring at him as a stranger. These people asked of the fishermen what +man this was whom they had brought on shore? to which they answered, that +they supposed him to be a Moor, and that he belonged to the three ships +which were riding without the bar. But the people of Calicut wondered +much to see a person who was clothed so very differently from the Moors +who came from the Red Sea. Some of these people who had knowledge of +Arabic spoke to this man, but he could not understand or answer them, at +which they were much astonished. Yet, believing him to be a Moor, they +conducted him to a house where two Moors dwelt who came originally from +Tunis and had established themselves in Calicut. On his appearance, one +of these Moors whose name was Bontaybo[56], who could speak Spanish, +immediately recognized him for a Portuguese, having often seen people of +our nation at Tunis in the reign of King John, in a ship named La Reyna +which often traded to that port. As soon as Bontaybo saw the Portuguese, +he exclaimed in Spanish, _Devil take you, what brought you here_? He +farther inquired which way he had travelled so as to arrive at Calicut? +To this the banished man answered, telling how many ships our general had +brought with him; at which Bontaybo was much amazed, wondering how they +could possibly come by sea from Portugal to India. He then asked what +they sought at so great a distance from home? And was answered that they +came in search of Christians and spices. Bontaybo then asked why the +kings of France and Spain and the Doge of Venice had not sent their ships +likewise? Because, said our man, the king of Portugal would not allow +them. To this Bontaybo said, he was much in the right. After some farther +conversation in this way, Bontaybo gave him good entertainment, +commanding certain cakes of wheat flour and honey, called _apes_ by the +Malabars, to be set before him; and then said that he would accompany him +to the ships to wait upon the general. + +Bontaybo accordingly came on board our general, whom he immediately +addressed in Spanish, saying, "Good luck! good luck! many rubies, many +emeralds. Thou art bound to give God thanks for having brought thee where +there is abundance of all sorts of spices, precious stones, and all the +other riches of the world." On hearing this, the general and all the +people were greatly astonished, not expecting to meet any one so far from +home who understood their language; and even shed tears of joy for this +happy circumstance, and their safe arrival. They all then joined in +humble and hearty thanks to the Almighty, by whose favour and assistance +alone this great happiness and good fortune had been accorded to them. +The general embraced Bontaybo, whom he made to sit beside him, and +questioned him if he were a Christian, and how he came to Calicut. +Bontaybo told him frankly that he was a Moor from Tunis in Barbary, and +had come to Calicut by way of Cairo and the Red Sea, and explained how he +came to know the Portuguese, as has been already mentioned. He farther +declared, that he had always been well disposed towards the Portuguese +nation, having always found them worthy of confidence and friendship in +all their dealings; and, having been a friend to them in times past, he +would not discontinue his good will, and was ready and willing to do +every thing in his power to serve them, and to assist them in the objects +for which they had now come to Calicut. The general gave him many thanks +for his good will, and promised to reward him liberally for the friendly +aid he might give to him and his expedition, expressing his extreme +satisfaction at being so fortunate as to meet such a person in this place, +believing that God had sent him here to promote the great objects of this +voyage, for which he passed through so many and long continued dangers, +being quite sensible that he must have reaped little profit from all his +labours without such friendly assistance. + +The general then requested information from Bontaybo, as to the character +of the king or zamorin of Calicut, and whether, in his opinion, he would +willingly receive him as ambassador from the king of Portugal. Bontaybo +represented the zamorin as a prince of good and honourable dispositions, +who, he was convinced, would gladly receive the general as ambassador +from a foreign king; more especially, if the objects of his voyage were +to establish a trade with Calicut, and if the general had brought with +him any merchandize proper for that purpose; since the advantages which +the zamorin derived from the customs upon trade formed the chief source +of his revenue. He farther informed the general, that the zamorin resided +at this time at Panane, a village on the coast about five leagues from +Calicut; and advised that the general should send a message there to +notify his arrival, and the reasons of his coming. The general was well +pleased with this advice and presented certain gifts to Bontaybo, along +with whom he sent two of his men to Calicut, requesting Bontaybo to +direct them on their way to Panane, which he did accordingly. When these +messengers came into the presence of the zamorin, one of them, named +_Fernan Martyn_, declared to him, by means of an interpreter, "That he +waited upon his highness on the part of his general, who had arrived in +the port of Calicut with three ships, having been sent there by the king +of Portugal with letters to his highness, which the general begged +permission to present to him." On hearing this message, and before giving +any answer, the zamorin commanded each of the two messengers to be +presented with a piece cotton cloth and two pieces of silk, such as he +used in his own apparel; after which he inquired of Fernan Martyn what +king it was who had sent him these letters, and how far his dominions +were from thence. Fernan fully answered these inquiries, adding, that he +was a Christian prince, and that those whom he had sent in the ships now +at Calicut were Christians; and related what great and numerous dangers +they had passed through during their voyage. The zamorin was much amazed +at the incidents of the voyage which Fernan related at some length, and +expressed his satisfaction that so powerful a prince of the Christians +should think of sending an ambassador to him from so great a distance. He +then desired Fernan to inform the general, that he heartily welcomed him +and his people into his dominions, advising him to bring his ships to +anchor near a village called _Pandarane_ some way below where the ships +then lay, as a far better harbour than Calicut which is an open and very +dangerous road for shipping. The zamorin desired likewise that the +general might come by land from that place to Calicut, where he would be +ready to receive him. After this, the zamorin sent a pilot to navigate +the ships to the harbour of Pandarane; but, on coming to the bar of that +port, the general did not think it advisable to enter so far within the +harbour as the pilot proposed, fearing lest he might expose himself to +danger by reposing too great confidence in these people, and placing +himself too much within their power. In this he acted with much prudent +foresight, by which he wisely avoided the injuries which were afterwards +attempted against him at this place. + +On his arrival at Pandarane, the general received a message from the +kutwal[57] of Calicut, intimating that he and other nobles awaited him on +shore by order of the zamorin, to conduct him to the city, and that he +had permission to land whenever he pleased[58]. But as the day drew near +a close, the general returned an answer excusing himself from landing +that night. He immediately called a council of the other captains and +principal officers of the fleet, to take their advice on the present +emergency, to whom he intimated his intention of going to visit the king +of Calicut on purpose to settle a treaty of trade and amity. Paulo de +Gama, his brother, strongly objected to his venturing on shore; alleging +that although the natives of the place were Christians, as they still +believed them, yet there were many Moors among them who were much to be +feared as his mortal enemies; since these people at Mozambique and +Mombaza, where they had only passed by their ports, endeavoured to +destroy them all, they were much more to be feared at Calicut where we +had come on purpose to enter into competition with them in trade, by +which their profits would be diminished. It was therefore the more +probable that they would use every effort to destroy the general, on whom +our whole hope of safety and success depended; and, however much the +zamorin might regret the commission of such a deed, he could not restore +him to life: besides which, the Moors were inhabitants of the place, +where they had much interest, whereas the general was an utter stranger. +Likewise, it was quite impossible for them to be assured that the king of +Calicut might not have leagued with the Moors for his death or captivity; +either of which would ruin their voyage and prove the destruction of them +all, and all the toils and dangers they had passed through would prove in +vain. To prevent all this danger, he strongly urged that the general +should on no account go on shore, but should depute one of the captains, +or some other person in the fleet in his stead; alleging that commanders +in chief ought never to subject themselves to personal danger, unless in +cases of the most urgent necessity. + +All the officers were of the same opinion. But the general answered, that +even if he were perfectly assured that his landing were to occasion his +instant death, he would not refrain from going to visit the king of +Calicut, to endeavour to settle amity and trade, and that he might +procure some spices and other commodities from the place, by means of +which their discovery of Calicut might be proved on their return into +Portugal: As otherwise, if we returned without any of the productions of +the Indies, their discovery would be discredited, and their honour and +veracity called in question. "Think not therefore," said he, "but I will +rather die, than leave it in hazard that the long time we have already +spent, and may yet employ, shall be lost, and others sent to ascertain +the truth of our discoveries, while envious persons may have it in their +power to discredit our services. Neither do I run into such hazard of +death, nor expose you to such dangers as you suppose; seeing that I am +going to a city inhabited by Christians, and to a king who wishes the +concourse of many merchants in his dominions, as the more of these that +frequent his port so much the greater must be his revenue from the +customs upon trade. It is not my intention to stay long on shore, so as +to give opportunity to the Moors to complot against me; as I propose only +to talk with the king and to return in three days, by which time you may +have every thing in readiness for our departure. If I should have the good +fortune, by the will of God, to establish trade and amity with the king of +Calicut, I would not exchange the honour and credit of that transaction +for any treasure that could be given me; neither can the king of Calicut +settle this affair so well with any other person, as he will honour me the +more for being the captain-general of this fleet and the ambassador of our +king. Should any other go in my stead, the king might look upon himself as +slighted and insulted, under an idea that I do not esteem him worthy to be +visited by myself, or that I do not trust him on his word and assurance. +Besides, it is not possible for me to give sufficiently ample instructions +to any one I might send, to enable him to do what may be necessary under +every circumstance that may arise, as I myself might do. Even if it should +chance that they kill me, it were better this should happen in the +discharge of my duty, than that I should preserve my life by neglecting to +perform it. You, my friends, remain at sea in good ships: And if you hear +of any mischance befalling me, my desire is that you shall immediately +depart and carry home news of our discovery. As for our present subject, +there need be no farther argument; as I am determined, with the blessing +of God, to proceed to visit the king at Calicut." + +When this determination was made known the captains made no farther +objections, and chose out twelve persons to accompany him, among whom +were Diego Diaz his secretary, Fernan Martinez the interpreter, John de +Sala who was afterwards treasurer of the Indies, and nine others; and +Paulo de Gama, his brother, was appointed to act as captain-general +during his absence. The general, before going on shore, gave pointed +orders that no person should on any account be permitted to come on board +the ships; but that all who were desirous of any intercourse with them +should remain in their boats or almadias. He likewise directed that +Nicholas Coello should come every day with his boat well armed as near +the shore as he could with safety, on purpose to keep up an intercourse +between the ships and himself. All these things being settled, the +general went on shore with his twelve attendants, all in their best +attire; their boat furnished with much ordnance, dressed out with flags +and streamers, and sounding trumpets all the way from the ships to the +shore. On landing, the general was received with every demonstration of +respect by the kutwal, attended by 200 nayres, and a great concourse of +natives, both of the country and from the city of Calicut. After +compliments were passed, the general was placed in an _andor_ or litter, +which the king of Calicut had sent for his use. In this country it is not +customary to travel on horseback, but in these andors. This vehicle is +like a horse-litter, except that they are very plain with low sides, and +are carried by four men on their shoulders, who run post in this manner, +carrying the king or any noble person when on a journey, and going at a +great rate. The person in the andor may either sit or lie as he pleases; +and certain servants carry umbrellas, which they call _bueys_, to shelter +the person in the andor from the sun and rain. There are other andors +which have a curved cane over them like a bow, and are so light that they +can be carried by two men. + +The general being mounted in one andor and the kutwal in another, they +set out for a town called Capocate[59], all the rest being on foot; but +the kutwal appointed certain people of the country to carry the baggage +of our men, which was restored to them at Capocate, where the party +stopped for refreshment, the general and his people being in one house +and the kutwal in another. Our people were here provided with boiled fish, +with rice and butter, and some of the country fruits which are very good, +though quite different from ours. One of these fruits is called _lacas_, +and another Mango, and they have figs likewise. The water was excellent, +and as good as any in Portugal. After resting and refreshing themselves +at Capocate, the general and his suite were embarked in a vessel called +an _ensangada_, consisting of two almadias lashed side by side. The +kutwal and his train embarked in many other boats; and the whole went up +a river which discharges itself into the sea at this place. The numbers +of people that came to the river side to view our men as they passed was +quite countless, by which it appears that the country was well inhabited. +After going about a league up this river, our people came to a place +where many large ships were drawn up on the shore. The whole party here +disembarked and proceeded by land, the general and kutwal in andors as +before, being surrounded by thousands who were curious to see the +strangers, even many women pressing into the crowd with their children +slung at their backs. + +From this place the kutwal carried the general to one of their pagodas or +idol temples, into which they entered, and which the kutwal said was a +church of great holiness. This the general believed to be the case, +fancying it to be a church of the Christians; which he the more readily +believed, as he saw seven little bells hung over the principal door. In +front of this entry, there stood a pillar made of wire as tall as the +mast of a ship, on the top of which was a weathercock likewise made of +wire. This church was as large as a moderate convent, all built of +freestone, and covered, or vaulted over with brick, having a fine outward +appearance as if its inside were of splendid workmanship. Our general was +much pleased with this church, as he actually believed himself in a +Christian country, and gladly entered along with the kutwal. They were +received by the priests, who were naked from the waist upwards, having a +kind of petticoats of cotton hanging down from the girdle to their knees, +and pieces of calico covering their arm-pits, their heads legs and feet +bare. They were distinguished by wearing certain threads over their right +shoulders, which crossed over their breasts under their left arms, much +in the way in which our priests used formerly to wear their stoles when +they said mass. These men are called kafrs[60], and are idolaters, +serving as priests in the pagodas of Malabar; and on the general going +into the pagoda, they took holy water with a _sprinkle_ from a font, and +threw it over the kutwal and him and their attendants. After this, they +gave them powdered sandalwood to throw upon their heads, as used to be +done amongst us with ashes; and they were directed to do the same on +their arms. But our people, as being clothed, omitted this latter part of +the ceremony, complying with the other. + +In this pagoda they saw many images painted on the walls, some of which +had monstrous teeth projecting an inch from their mouths, and some had +four arms; all of them so ugly that they seemed like devils, which raised +doubts among our people whether they were actually in a Christian church. +In the middle of the pagoda stood a chapel, having a roof or dome of +freestone like a tower, in one part of which was a door of wire, to which +there led a flight of stone steps. On the inside of this tower an image +was observed in a recess of the wall, which our men could not see +distinctly, as the place was somewhat dark, and they were not permitted +to go near, as none were allowed to approach except the priests. But from +certain words and signs, our people understood this to be an image of the +Virgin; on which the general and his attendants went upon their knees to +say their prayers[61]. John de Sala, however, being very doubtful that +this was not a Christian church, owing to the monstrous images on the +walls, said, as he fell on his knees, "_If this be the devil, I worship +God_," on which the general looked at him with a smile. The kutwal and +his people, as they approached the chapel, prostrated themselves three +times on their faces with their hands extended before them, after which +they arose and said their prayers standing. + +From this place they went forwards to the city of Calicut, and were taken +at their arrival into another pagoda similar to the former. After this, +on entering the city, the crowd was so great that they could hardly make +their way through the streets. The general was astonished to see such +multitudes, and praised GOD for having brought him in safety to this city, +humbly beseeching his divine mercy so to guide him on his way that he +might accomplish the objects of his expedition, and return safely into +Portugal. At length the pressure of the crowd became so great that the +bearers were unable to get forwards, and the whole company were forced to +take shelter in a house. They were here joined by the kutwals brother, a +nobleman who was sent by the king to accompany the general to the palace, +and had many nayres along with him. The procession again set out, +preceded by many trumpets and sacbuts sounding all the way; and one of +the nayres carried a _caliver_, which he fired off at intervals. After +they were joined by the kutwals brother, the mob gave way for the +procession to pass, and shewed as much reverence as if the king himself +had been present. There went in the procession at least 3000 armed men, +and the multitudes of spectators, in the streets, at the doors and +windows, and on the roofs, were quite innumerable. The general was well +pleased at his honourable reception, and said pleasantly to those of his +company, "_They little think in Portugal how honourably we are received +here_." + +The procession arrived at the palace an hour before sunset. Though only +constructed of earth, the palace was very extensive and seemed a handsome +structure, having great numbers of trees interspersed among the different +buildings, with pleasant gardens full of fine flowers and odoriferous +plants, and many fountains; as the zamorin never goes out of the palace +while resident in Calicut. On arriving at the palace, several caymals and +other noblemen came out to receive the general, who led him to a large +square immediately in front of the gates, whence they passed through four +several courts, at the gate of each of which there were ten porters who +were obliged to lay about them with sticks among the people to clear the +way. On coming to the gate of the house in which the king resided, they +were met by the chief bramin, or high priest of the royal household, a +little old man, who embraced the general, and conducted him and his +people into the palace. At this time the people pressed forwards with +much eagerness to get a sight of the king, which they very seldom do as +he goes very rarely out of the palace; and the multitude was so great +that some of them were stifled in the throng, which would likewise have +been the case with two of our men, if they had not gone on before, with +the assistance of the porters, who severely hurt many of the mob, and +forced them to make way. On passing the last gate, the general and his +attendants entered along with the noblemen into a great hall, surrounded +with seats of timber raised in rows above one another like our theatres, +the floor being covered by a carpet of green velvet, and the walls hung +with silk of various colours. The king was of a brown complexion, large +stature, and well advanced in years. He lay on a sofa covered with a +cloth of white silk and gold, and a rich canopy over his head. On his +head he had a cap or mitre adorned with precious stones and pearls, and +had jewels of the same kind in his ears. He wore a jacket of fine cotton +cloth, having buttons of large pearls and the button-holes wrought with +gold thread. About his middle he had a piece of a white calico, which +came only down to his knees; and both his fingers and toes were adorned +with many gold rings set with fine stones; his arms and legs were covered +with many golden bracelets. Close to his sofa there stood a gold shallow +bason on a gold stand, in which was _betel_, which the king chewed with +salt and _areka_. This last is a kind of fruit about the size of a nut, +and is chewed all over India to sweeten the breath, and is supposed to +carry off phlegm from the stomach and to prevent thirst. The king had +likewise a gold bason on a golden stand, into which he spat out the betel +when chewed; and a gold fountain with water for washing his mouth. The +king was served with betel by an old man who stood close to the sofa; all +the others who were in the presence held their left hands to their mouths, +that their breaths might not reach the king; and it is thought unseemly +for any one to spit or sneeze in the presence. + +When the general entered the hall in which the king sat, he stooped or +bowed down three times according to the custom of the country, lifting up +his hands as one that praised God. The king immediately made signs for +the general to draw near, and commanded him to be seated on one of the +seats; and the rest of the Portuguese came forwards, making similar +reverences, and were likewise commanded to sit down opposite the king. +Water was then presented to all the company to wash their hands, which +was very refreshing, for, though it was then winter, they were very hot. +They were then presented with figs and jakas, and the king was much +pleased to see them eat, laughing at them and conversing with the old man +who served him with betel. Our people being thirsty, called for water, +which was brought to them in a golden ewer, and they were directed to +pour the water into their mouths as it is reckoned injurious to touch the +cup with their lips. They accordingly did as they were directed; but some +poured the water into their throats and fell a coughing, while others +poured it beside upon their faces and clothes, which much amused the king. +After this, the king desired the general by an interpreter, to speak to +those who were present as to the purpose of his coming to Calicut. But +the general was not satisfied with this, and signified that he was +ambassador from the king of Portugal, a powerful prince, and that +Christian princes were not used to receive the embassies of other +sovereigns by means of a third person, but by themselves in person in the +presence only of a few of their principal persons: and this being the +usage of his country, he chose to deliver his message only to the king +himself. The king agreed to this, and commanded the general and Fernan +Martinez who acted as interpreter, to be conducted into another chamber, +which was adorned with as much magnificence as the first. + +As soon as the king entered this chamber, he took his seat on a sofa, +attended only by his interpreter, the chief bramin, the old man who served +him with betel, and the comptroller of his household. The king then +asked the general, from what part of the world he was come, and what were +his desires. He answered, that he was ambassador from the king of Portugal, +the most powerful of the Christian sovereigns in the west, both in extent +of dominions, numbers of people, and riches. That he and his predecessors, +hearing that there were Christian kings and princes in the Indies, of +which the zamorin of Calicut was the chief, were exceedingly desirous of +sending some of their captains to discover the way, that they might enter +into friendship with the king of this country as brothers; and for this +reason he had been sent to his highness: Not that the king his master had +any need of his riches, having abundance already and more than was needed +both of gold and silver and other valuable things. That all the former +captains who had been sent at great charges upon this discovery, after +having employed a year or more in vain and having consumed all their +victuals, had returned again into Portugal. But that the present king Don +Manuel, being anxious to bring this great enterprize to a successful +conclusion, had entrusted him with command of three ships well supplied +with provisions, commanding him not to return to Portugal without +discovering the way to the Christian king of Calicut, and would certainly +order his head to be cut off if he returned without fulfilling his orders. +The said king his master had given him two letters to deliver to his +highness, which he would present next day as it was now somewhat late; +when he would convince his highness that the king of Portugal was his +friend and brother, and should request of highness, in confirmation of +friendship, to send an ambassador to the king of Portugal, as was the +custom among Christian princes. The zamorin expressed his satisfaction +with this embassy, and told the general that he made him welcome to his +capital; and, since the king of Portugal desired to be his friend and +brother, he would be the like to him, and should send an ambassador to him +as desired. The zamorin then made inquiry into many circumstances +respecting Portugal; how far distant it was from Calicut, how long the +general had been upon the voyage, and other things: And as it grew late, +the king allowed him to retire, first asking him whether he would reside +with the Moors or the Malabars; but as the general chose rather to have a +house to himself, the king gave orders to a Moor who was his factor, to +accompany him, and to provide him with every thing necessary for his +accommodation. + +Leaving the palace late, it being now towards ten o'clock, the kutwal and +the rest who had accompanied him there, escorted him back to where he was +to lodge; and as they were on their way, all on foot, there fell such rain +that the streets ran in torrents, insomuch that the factor gave orders to +some of the people to carry our general on their backs. The general was +displeased at this and at the delay, and asked angrily at the factor if he +meant to carry him all night through the streets. The factor made answer +that he could not do otherwise, as the city was large and much scattered. +He then conducted him into his own house to rest for some time, and +procured a horse for him to ride; but, as the horse had no saddle, the +general preferred going on foot. At length he was brought to a very good +lodging, to which his people had previously brought all his baggage. + +Next day, being Tuesday, the general was greatly rejoiced to see so +promising a commencement of his business, and resolved upon sending a +present to the zamorin; upon which he sent for the kutwal and the kings +factor, to whom he shewed the present which he proposed sending. This +consisted of four _capotas_ or cloaks of scarlet cloth, six hats, four +branches of coral, twelve _almasares_, a box containing seven brass +vessels, a chest of sugar, two barrels of oil, and a cask of honey. The +kutwal and factor laughed in derision at this present, saying, that this +was no fit present for their king, the poorest merchant presenting one +more valuable. They desired him rather to send gold, as the king would +accept, of nothing else. The general was offended at this, saying, if he +had been a merchant he would have brought gold; but, being an ambassador, +he had brought none. That what he now offered were his own goods, and not +belonging to the king his master; who, being uncertain if he should ever +reach Calicut, had given him nothing to offer as a present to the zamorin. +But, at his next coming, knowing now certainly the route, the king his +master would send gold and silver and otter rich articles. To this they +answered, that these things might be, but it was the custom of this +country for every stranger who had speech of the king to make him a +present in proportion to the greatness of his rank. The general replied it +was very proper their customs should be observed, and therefore he desired +to send this present, which he could not make more valuable, for the +reasons already assigned; and if they would not suffer it to be carried to +the king, he should send it back to his ships. They answered he might do +so, for they would not consent to have such a present sent to the king. +The general, much displeased, said he would go speak with the king himself, +and would then return to the ships, meaning to have informed the king of +all that had passed in regard to the intended present. This they said was +very proper; but, as they would be detained long at court in attending him, +they were obliged in the mean time to go upon other business, and would +return to escort him to court, as the king would be angry if he went +without them, he being an entire stranger; and besides, he could not go in +safety unaccompanied, because of the great numbers of Moors who resided in +that city. Giving credit to their words, the general consented to this +arrangement, and said he would wait for their return, which he expected +would be without delay: But they did not return all that day, as they had +been gained over by the Moors to thwart the purposes of the general. + +The Moors in Calicut had received information of the transactions of the +Portuguese at Quiloa, and of the taking of the _sambuco_ off Melinda; and +knowing that we were Christians, were very jealous of our arrival at +Calicut. Bontaybo had told the Moors that our purpose was not merely to +discover Calicut from curiosity, but that spices were in great estimation +in Portugal, which abounded in gold and silver, and to which all kinds of +merchandize was at present transported that went from Calicut by way of +the Red Sea; and finally, that the settlement of a direct trade by the +Portuguese with Calicut would tend greatly to the profit of the zamorin. +All this the Moors very well understood: But, considering that we were +Christians, they believed, if we should establish trade with Calicut, +that their own commodities would fall in price, and most of their profits +be destroyed. Wherefore they consulted together how to induce the zamorin +to take the general prisoner, to seize our ships, and to kill all our men; +that they might not return into Portugal with any intelligence concerning +Calicut. Upon this they associated themselves with some of those who were +in greatest credit with the zamorin, to whom they procured access, and +represented to him, That he ought not to be deceived by the Christians, +for the general was no ambassador as he pretended, but a pirate who went +about to rob and plunder whereever he came. They asserted having received +undoubted intelligence of this from their factors in Africa; where after +entering into a friendly correspondence with the _xeque_, who even +visited the general in his ship, gave him many presents, and provided him +with a pilot to bring him to Calicut, he had battered the town with his +ordnance, and killed several of his subjects. That he had afterwards +taken some _sambucos_ laden with merchandize, treating the xeque and his +subjects like enemies. In like manner they misrepresented the conduct of +the general at Mombaza and Melinda, turning every thing that had occurred +to his dishonour. They reasoned from these misrepresentations, that he +could not be an ambassador sent to maintain peace and amity, as he would +not, in that case, have been guilty of these base hostilities, and would +assuredly have brought the king a present worthy of the sovereign he +pretended to come from. + +The king was much amazed at this discourse, and told the Moors that he +would consider and determine what was proper for him to do. The Moors +also told the kutwal of all that they had said to the king, with whom he +was in great credit, and requested of him to persuade the king not to +listen to this embassage. The kutwal then went to the king, who told him +all that the Moors had said, and the kutwal advised him to do as the +Moors had requested. On this the king changed his good intentions towards +the general, yet endeavoured to conceal his purposes. The Moors then +waited on the general under pretence of friendship, offering to instruct +him how best to conduct himself, saying that it was customary for all +persons who came from other places to Calicut on business with the king +to bring him a present. On this the general shewed them the present he +had proposed making, which the kutwal and the factor had made so light of; +and, with whom they agreed, saying it was by no means a fit present, and +would rather seem a mockery, and give offence. Even Bontaybo agreed in +this opinion; and asked the general why he had not brought better things, +as he knew that Portugal abounded in all manner of rich commodities. But +the general excused himself as formerly, by saying that it was quite +uncertain whether he might ever have come to Calicut. + +The general remained the whole of this day in his lodgings, much +displeased that the kutwal and factor had not returned according to +promise, and was at one time resolved to have gone to court without them; +yet thought it better to wait till next day. In the afternoon of the +Wednesday, the kutwal and factor made their appearance, when he mentioned +his dissatisfaction at their long absence; but they talked of other +things, and gave him no answer on that subject. At length they +accompanied him to the palace; but the king, having greatly changed his +mind towards him, made him wait three hours for admission, and then +ordered that only two of his people should be admitted into the presence +along with himself. Though the general considered this separation of his +people as not looking well, he went into the presence attended by Fernan +Martinez and Diego Diaz, his interpreter and secretary. The king did not +receive him so well as formerly, and said with a severe countenance that +he had expected him all the preceding day. Not willing to give him the +true cause of his absence, lest it might lead to a conversation +respecting the present, the general said he had tarried at home to +recover from the fatigue of his long voyage. On this the king observed, +that he pretended to have been sent on an embassy of friendship from a +rich and powerful king, and that he did not well understand what kind of +friendship was intended, since he had sent him no present. To this the +general answered, That it was not to be wondered that the king his master +had sent no present to his highness, considering the extreme uncertainty +of his being able to come to this place by a way never before attempted, +and unknown till now. But, now that the way was discovered, and God +spared him to return to Portugal, his master would assuredly send him +princely gifts, worthy of them both: And if his highness would have the +goodness to give credit to the letters which he had brought from the king +his master, he would there learn the intentions of the king of Portugal +in sending him to Calicut. Instead of desiring to see the letters, the +king asked him whether he was sent in search of stones or of men; and if +sent to discover men, how came it that the king his master had sent no +present? And since it was manifest that he had brought him nothing, he +demanded of him to send him the golden image of the Virgin, which he +understood was in his ship. + +The general, much concerned to find the king so much changed towards him, +on account of not bringing him a present and amazed at this strange +demand, said that the image of the Virgin Mary of which his highness had +been told, was only of wood gilt, and not of gold; and besides, as this +holy image had protected him during his long perils on the sea, and had +brought him so far in safety, he was unwilling to part with it. The +zamorin made no reply to this, but immediately demanded that he should +produce the letters from the king of Portugal. One of these was written +in the Portuguese language, and the other in Arabic; and the general +explained that this had been done, because the king his master did not +know which of these might be understood in the dominions of his highness: +And, since he now knew that Portuguese was not understood in India, +whereas Arabic was, he requested that some Christian of the Indies who +understood Arabic might be employed to interpret the letter, because the +Moors were known to be enemies to the Christians, and he was afraid lest +they might purposely give it a wrong interpretation. The king gave orders +to this purpose, but no Indian could be found who was able to read the +letters, or at least who would acknowledge that he could read them. +Seeing that it was now necessary that it should be read by the Moors, the +general requested that Bontaybo should be one of those appointed for the +purpose, placing more reliance on him than the others, as he was an +acquaintance. The king accordingly commanded the letter to be read by him +and other three Moors; who, having first read it over to themselves, +interpreted it aloud to the king, to the following effect: "As soon as it +became known to the king of Portugal, that the king of Calicut was one of +the mightiest kings of all the Indies and a Christian, he was anxious to +establish a treaty of amity and commerce with him, that he might procure +spices, which were in great abundance in his country, and to procure +which the merchants of many parts of the world trade thither: And, if his +highness would give a licence to send for spices, he would send many +things from his kingdom which were not to be had in the dominions of his +highness; or if these things were not satisfactory, of which the general +could shew him some samples, he was willing to send money, both gold and +silver, to purchase the spices. And finally referring his highness to the +general for farther information." + +On hearing this letter interpreted, and being desirous that his revenues +might increase by the resort of many merchants to his dominions, the +zamorin evinced his satisfaction at what he had heard; and assuming a +more friendly deportment towards the general, asked him what were the +articles of merchandize that could be had from Portugal. De Gama named +many different kinds; particularly mentioning such as he had samples of +along with him, and likewise their money, and requested permission to go +on board his ships that he might bring these things to his highness, +offering to leave four or five of his men in his lodgings during his +absence. Giving now more credit to the general than to what had been said +by the Moors to his prejudice, the king told De Gama he might go on board +when he pleased, taking all his men with him, as there was no call for +any of them remaining on shore. He likewise said the general might freely +bring his goods on shore, and sell them to the best advantage. The +general was greatly satisfied with this permission, of which he had no +hopes at the first, on seeing the unfriendly reception he had met with at +the commencement of his audience. He went back, therefore, to his lodging, +accompanied by the kutwal; and the day being near a close, he deferred +returning on board that night. + +De Faria gives a somewhat different account of what passed at this second +audience[62]. "It was wonderful that the zamorin, not knowing how to be +properly assured of the truth, should rely on the faith of him who was +accused by his ministers. For, as if he had really known in what +detestation the Portuguese hold a lie, although to their own advantage, +he sent for De Gama, and told him plainly that he had been informed his +embassy was all a counterfeit, and that he was some banished man or a +fugitive: Yet at the same time offered, even if it were so, to give him a +kind reception, and to make him handsome appointments in his service; and +promised to rely entirely on his word for information respecting the +truth of the whole story. De Gama heard the king to an end with a firm +countenance, and declared himself highly sensible of the confidence +reposed in him. He then proceeded to answer all that had been alleged +against him, which he completely overturned by irrefragable argument in a +long and eloquent speech, preserving the utmost gravity and composure +throughout the whole. The zamorin eyed him steadfastly the whole time, +hoping to be enabled to judge of the truth or falsehood of his assertion +by his countenance; and concluded, from the unconcernedness of his looks, +the eloquence of his words, and the firm gravity of his whole demeanour, +that no deceit could lurk under such appearances of sincerity, that the +Moors had accused him maliciously, and had imposed on his ministers. He +therefore frankly allowed De Gama permission to return to his ships, and +to land his merchandize, if he had any: Saying, that while that was doing, +he would prepare a satisfactory answer to the letter of the king of +Portugal." + +On the next day, being the last of May, the kutwal sent a horse to the +general to carry him to Pandarane; but having no furniture, he requested +to be supplied with an _andor_, which was sent accordingly, when De Gama +immediately set out for Pandarane, all his people accompanying him on +foot. The kutwal remained at Calicut, but a considerable number of nayres +escorted the general on his way. When the Moors learnt that the general +was gone to the ships, they went together to the kutwal, making large +offers of money to him, if he would pursue the general, and detain him a +prisoner under some feigned pretence; when they would take some +opportunity of having him slain, in such way that the blame should not +attach to the kutwal. And when he objected that the zamorin might punish +him for detaining the general contrary to his orders, they engaged so to +deal with the zamorin as to obtain his pardon for that offence. Induced +by a large bribe, and encouraged by this promise, the kutwal followed De +Gama in such haste that he soon passed our men, who lagged behind on +account of the great heat. On overtaking De Gama, he asked by signs why +he was in such haste, and where he was running to? The general answered +in the same manner, that he was running to avoid the heat. On coming to +Pandarane, as his men were not come up, the general declined going into +the town till they should arrive, and went into a house to get shelter +from the rain. The people did not get to the town till near sunset, +having lost their way; on which the general said if it had not been for +their absence he would have been by this time on board. The general +immediately desired the kutwal to order him to be furnished with an +almadia or pinnace, to carry him and his people on board; but the kutwal +said it was now late, and the ships so far away that he might miss them +in the dark, for which reason he had better stay till next day. The +general then said, if he were not immediately furnished with an almadia, +he would return to the king and complain that he was detained contrary to +his license, and even mentioned as if he meant to return immediately to +Calicut. To dissemble the more, the kutwal said he might have thirty +instead of one, if he needed them, and pretended to send out to procure +almadias, while at the same time he commanded the owners to hide +themselves that they might not be found. + +In the mean time, while messengers were dispatched on pretence to seek +almadias, the general, having a strong suspicion that evil was intended +towards him, walked leisurely along the water side, and sent off Gonzales +Perez and two other mariners, to go on before and endeavour to find +Nicholas Coello with his boats, and to caution him to keep out of the way, +lest the kutwal might send off to seize his boats and men. While Perez +and the others were absent on this errand, it drew far into the night; +and not choosing to go off till he learnt what success Perez had met with, +he at length agreed to stay all night. Having placed De Gama in the house +of a Moor for the night, the kutwal pretended that he would go in search +of the three mariners who were absent; but he did not return till next +morning. The general then required to have an almadia to carry him and +his people on board. Before answering, the kutwal spoke some words to his +nayres in their own language, and then desired the general to give orders +to have the ships brought near the shore oh which he should have leave to +depart. On this the general became still more afraid that some treachery +was intended; yet answered boldly, that he would give no such order while +he remained on shore, as that would make his brother believe he was a +prisoner and had issued this order under restraint, on which he would +immediately depart for Portugal without him. The kutwal then threatened +stoutly that he should never be allowed to go off, unless he complied +with this demand. The general, in return, declared he should immediately +return to Calicut if not allowed to go on board, and make a complaint of +his conduct to the king. The kutwal even dared him to do this, yet took +care it should not be in his power, as he had ordered the doors to be +kept shut and guarded by armed nayres, to prevent any of the Portuguese +from going out. Yet it was the will of God that the kutwal dared not to +kill the general or any of his men, although the Moors had bribed him +with a great sum of money, and notwithstanding his great credit with the +zamorin. His anxiety to have the ships brought near the shore was, that +the Moors might be able to board them and kill all their people; and, +seeing it in this light, the general was equally determined to prevent +their nearer approach. Finding he could not prevail on the general to +command the ships to be brought near the shore, and having no pretence to +justify either keeping him prisoner or offering him any wrong, the kutwal +next endeavoured to persuade him to order the sails and rudders on shore; +at which the general only laughed, saying the king had given full +permission to go on board without any such conditions, and assured him +the king should be fully informed of all his unjust proceedings. + +The general and his people now pretended to be in want of necessaries +from the ships, and requested leave to send some of his people on board, +while he should remain on shore; but this the kutwal refused, and our +people began to be seriously alarmed. At this time Gonzalo Perez returned, +supposing the general at liberty and that he waited for him and his +companions. Perez informed De Gama that he had seen Coello, who waited +for him with the boats near the shore. The admiral was exceedingly +anxious that the kutwal should not know of this circumstance, lest he +might send out a number of armed almadias to capture them; and therefore +urged Perez to return secretly to give Coello warning to return to the +ships and keep constantly on the alert for fear of an attack. When Coello +got this intelligence, he immediately set off, and the kutwal caused him +to be pursued by several almadias full of armed men, but he made his +escape. The kutwal made another attempt to induce the general to order +his brother to bring the ships near the shore, but in vain; for the +general told him, his brother, even if he were to write such an order, +would not obey, or, were he disposed to do so, the other officers in the +ship would prevent him. The kutwal observed that he could not give credit +to this, as he was sure any thing he commanded would be obeyed. But no +arguments could prevail on the general to this measure, which he was +satisfied was meant for facilitating the destruction of the fleet to +gratify the Moors. + +The whole of this day was spent in this manner, and in the night our +people were confined in a large paved yard surrounded with walls, and +under even a stronger guard than attended them during the day; and even +the general began to fear as well as the men, that they would be +separated from one another. Yet he trusted, when the zamorin should come +to know the usage they had received, he would give orders for their +release. That night, the kutwal came to sup with the general and sent a +supply of fowls and rice. Finding that he could not prevail over the +constancy of De Gama, he determined at last to set him at liberty. Next +day, therefore, being Saturday the second of June, he desired the general, +since he had promised to the king to bring his merchandize on shore, that +he ought to do so; as it was the usage of all merchants who came to +Calicut to land their goods and crews, and not to return to their ships +till all was sold; and he promised, when this was done, to give him free +liberty to depart. Although the general gave very little credit to his +fair words, he yet said, if the kutwal would provide almadias for the +purpose, he would order his goods on shore; but was certain his brother +would not allow the boats to leave the ships while he was detained on +shore. The kutwal was now content to get the goods into his power, as he +understood from the general they were of great value, and allowed the +general to send off a message to his brother. He therefore sent off a +letter by two of his men, in which he gave his brother an account of his +situation, confined to his lodging but otherwise well used, and desiring +him to send some of the merchandize on shore to satisfy the kutwal; but, +directing him, in case he was much longer detained, to believe that he +was kept prisoner by order of the zamorin; whose only object was to get +the Portuguese ships into his power, not having time to arm his own ships +for that purpose. For this reason, if not set at liberty immediately +after the goods were landed, he required his brother to return without +delay to Portugal, and inform the king of all that had happened; that the +trade of so fine a country might not be lost to his country. And farther, +to inform the king in what state he remained, trusting that his royal +master would send such an armament as would enforce his restoration to +liberty. + +On receiving this letter, and a circumstantial relation from the +messenger of all that had happened on shore, Paulo de Gama immediately +sent the goods; but said in answer to the general, that he could not +answer to his honour to return to Portugal without him, and he trusted +God would enable the small force he had still in the fleet, with the aid +of his ordnance, to compel the kutwal to liberate him. On the merchandize +being landed, the general delivered it over into the custody of Diego +Diaz as factor, with Alvora de Braga as his clerk, whom he left in a +house provided for them by the kutwal; after which he went on board the +ships. He then refused to send any more goods on shore, till those +already there were sold and paid for, and determined not to run himself +again into danger by venturing on shore after what had already past. At +this the Moors were grievously vexed, as they thought it more easy for +them to have destroyed him on land than on board the ships. On purpose to +entice him to land once more, the Moors made a mock of his goods, +pretending they were good for nothing, and did all in their power to +prevent them from selling. Thinking that the zamorin knew nothing of all +these transactions, he sent him an account of the whole five days +afterwards, by his factor, of all that had happened, and of the injurious +conduct of the Moors respecting the sale of the goods. The king seemed +much offended by these proceedings, sending the general word that he +would punish all those who had used him ill, yet the kutwal remained +unpunished. The king likewise sent seven or eight merchants of Guzerate, +who were idolaters, to buy the goods, accompanied by an honest nayre, to +remain with Diaz at the factory to defend him against the Moors. Yet all +this was only done colourably, that the Moors might not appear to suborn +the merchants; for these men bought nothing, and even beat down the price +of the commodities, to the great satisfaction of the Moors; who now +boasted that no person would buy our goods any more than they. Yet none +of the Moors durst venture to our factory, after they heard a nayre was +stationed there by the kings order. If they did not love us before, they +hated us ten times worse now, and when any of our men landed, they used +to spit on the ground in contempt, calling out Portugal! Portugal! But by +the especial order of the general, our people took no other notice than +merely laughing at their insolence. + +As none of the merchants would buy our goods, the general supposed that +this was occasioned by their being lodged at Pandarane, where none of the +merchants of Calicut resided; and requested leave, by a messenger, from +the zamorin, to have the goods removed to the city. This permission was +immediately granted, and the king issued orders to the kutwal to see them +removed, and even to pay the persons who carried them, that nothing +belonging to the king of Portugal might be subject to any charges in his +country. The general would not trust himself any more on shore, although +Bontaybo, who frequently came off to visit him, advised him to wait on +the king, lest the great credit of the Moors might again prevail over his +mind. But considering this man as a Moor, the general never put much +trust in him, nor informed him of his intentions; yet always received him +kindly, and gave him money and other gifts, that he might bring him +intelligence of what was passing on shore. + +After the Portuguese merchandize was removed to Calicut, the general +permitted one man daily from each of the ships to go on shore, to see the +city and to purchase any thing they had a mind for; always taking +especial care that one party returned on board before another landed. Our +people were courteously received and entertained by the natives, and were +even lodged in their houses occasionally. They bartered several things on +shore, such as bracelets of brass and copper, pewter, and other European +articles, for the productions of the country, as freely and quietly as if +they had been in Lisbon. Fishermen, and others of the idolaters came off +to the ships, selling fish, cocoa-nuts, and poultry, for biscuit or money; +while others came off with their children, merely to have a sight of our +ships. On all these occasions, the general commanded them to be well +treated and to have food given them, to conciliate the people and to +secure the friendship of the zamorin. This continued till the tenth of +August, during which time the ships had always some of the natives on +board. + +Seeing the quietness of the people, and their familiarity with his men, +who never met with any injury from the Moors or nayres, the general +believed the zamorin was willing to preserve friendship and peace with +the subjects of Portugal, and determined upon establishing a factory in +Calicut for the sale of his commodities, although very little of what was +landed had as yet been sold. By this means, he hoped to lay a sure +foundation for the establishment of trade, against the next expedition +which the king his master might send, if GOD pleased to send him home +with the intelligence of the discovery. Accordingly, with the advice and +concurrence of the captains and other principal officers of the fleet, he +sent a present by Diego Diaz to the zamorin, consisting of scarfs of +different colours, silks, corals, and various other articles. Diaz was +desired to say to the king, that the general begged his highness to +excuse his presumption in sending such a present in token of his entire +devotion to his service, having nothing worthy of the acceptance of so +great a prince. That the time now drew near when it would be necessary to +depart on his return to Portugal; and therefore, if his highness meant to +send an ambassador to the king of Portugal, he had better give orders +that he might soon be ready to embark. Presuming upon what his highness +had already agreed to, and on the kindness hitherto shewn to him and his +people by his highness, he requested permission to leave a factor and +clerk in Calicut along with his merchandize, as a memorial of peace and +amity between his highness and the king of Portugal, as a testimony of +the truth of the embassy with which he had been entrusted, and in pledge +of farther embassy from the king his master as soon as the discovery was +made known. He likewise prayed his highness to send on board as a full +confirmation of his having actually made the voyage to India, a _bahar_ +of cinnamon, another of cloves, and a third of some other spices, which +should be paid for by the factor out of the first sales of the goods in +his possession. It was four days after Diaz received this order before he +could get access to the zamorin, though he went every day to the palace +for this purpose. At length he was admitted to audience; and on seeing +Diaz with his present, the king asked him what he wanted in so stern a +manner that he was afraid of being killed. After delivering the message +from the general and wishing to deliver the present, the king refused to +see it, and commanded that it should be delivered to his factor. The +answer he gave to the message was, that since the general wished to +depart he might do so, but must first pay him 600 _serasynes_[63], +according to the custom of the country. + +Diaz, on his return to the factory with the present intended for the king, +was accompanied by many of the nayres, which he thought was from respect: +but immediately on entering the house, the nayres remained at the door, +forbidding him or any other person to go out. After this, a proclamation +was made through the city, forbidding any boat or almadia to go on board +our fleet on pain of death. Yet Bontaybo went off secretly, and gave +warning to the general not to venture on shore or to permit any of the +people to land; as he had learned from the Moors, that any who might do +so would surely lose their lives. Bontaybo said farther, that all the +fair words of the king proceeded from dissimulation, that he might entice +the general and his people on shore to kill them all; all which evil +intentions were occasioned by the Moors, who made the king believe that +the Portuguese were thieves and pirates, who had come to Calicut to steal +such merchandize as should be brought there; and who had come to spy out +the land, that they might return with a great armament to invade his +dominions. All this was confirmed by two Malabar idolaters, and the +general was in great uncertainty how best to proceed on the present +emergency. That same night, after dark, a Negro slave belonging to Diaz +came off, with the information that Diaz and Braga were made prisoners, +and with an account of the answer which the king had given to his message, +what he had ordered to be done with the present, and of the proclamations +which were made through the city. Diego Diaz, being anxious to have these +things communicated to the general, had bribed a fisherman to carry this +man on board, as he could not well be recognized in the night owing to +his colour. The general, though much offended at these injurious +proceedings, was unwilling to depart till he might see the end of these +things, and therefore waited to see whether anyone might come off to the +ships. Next day, being Wednesday the 15th of August, only one almadia +came off, in which there were four boys, who brought fine precious stones +for sale. Although the general believed they were spies, he received them +kindly, and gave no hints of having heard that Diaz was made a prisoner; +expecting that others of more importance might come on board through whom +he might procure the enlargement of Diaz and Braga. By these boys he +wrote to Diaz, but couched in such a manner that it might not be +understood if it fell into any other hands. The letter was delivered +according to its direction, and the boys told the king of their reception +on board, by which he believed that the general knew not of the +imprisonment of his people. On this he sent off other persons to the +ships, who were strictly enjoined not to disclose the treatment which the +factor had experienced. This was done out of policy to deceive the +general and to detain our ships, till the king might be able to send his +own fleet to set upon him, or till the ships might arrive from Mecca to +take him prisoner. + +Some of the Malabars continued to come off daily, all of whom the general +commanded to be well entertained, as he saw none of sufficient importance +to be detained. But, on the Sunday, six principal Malabars came on board, +attended by fifteen men in another pinnace. Believing that the king would +liberate Diaz and Braga in return for these men, he made them all +prisoners; and sent a letter in the Malabar language, by two of the +native boatmen, to the kings factors, demanding his factor and clerk in +return for those men he had detained on board. On perusal of this letter, +the kings factor communicated the same to the king, who commanded him to +take the Portuguese to his own house, that he might not appear to have +had any hand in their detention; and then to restore them to the general +in return for the Malabars, whose wives had made a great clamour about +the detention of their husbands. + +Seeing that his people were not sent on board, the general weighed anchor +on Wednesday the 23d of August and set sail, meaning to try if this shew +of going away would have the effect of recovering Diaz and Braga, in +return for these Malabars whom he had detained. The wind being contrary, +he came to anchor in an open road, four leagues from Calicut, where the +ships remained till the Saturday. As there was no appearance of getting +back his people, De Gama again set sail; but for want of wind had to come +again to anchor, almost out of the sight of land. An almadia now came to +the ships with certain Malabars, who said that Diaz and the others were +in the kings palace, and would be assuredly sent on board next day. Not +seeing the detained Malabars, these people believed they had been all put +to death. This affected delay proceeded entirely from craft, that they +might gain time to fit out the Calicut fleet, and for the arrival of the +ships from Mecca, when their combined force might environ and destroy the +Portuguese. The general ordered these messengers to go back to Calicut, +and not to return without his men or letters from them, as otherwise he +should sink them; and that if a satisfactory answer was not sent him +without delay, he would cut off the heads of all the Malabars whom he had +detained. The Malabars returned to Calicut with this message; and a wind +springing up, the general made sail, and came to anchor off Calicut about +sunset. + +Next day, seven almadias came off to the fleet, in one of which were +Diego Diaz and Alvora Braga, the others being filled with many of the +natives. These people, however, were afraid to come on board, and put +Diaz and Braga into the boat which was astern of the generals ship, and +then put off to a little distance, waiting for the generals answer. Diego +told the general, that when the king learnt of his having sailed, he sent +for him to the palace, assuming a pleasant countenance as pretending to +be ignorant of his imprisonment, and asked him why the general had kept +his subjects as prisoners on board. On being told the reason, he said the +general was in the right. He then asked if his own factor, who was +present, had extorted any presents; for he well knew that one of his +predecessors had been put to death not long before, for taking bribes +from merchant strangers. After this, the king desired Diaz to request the +general to send him the stone pillar having the cross and the arms of +Portugal, which he had promised to set up; and to know whether he would +leave Diaz as factor in Calicut. Diaz likewise presented a letter for the +king of Portugal, which was written on a palm leaf by Diaz, and signed by +the zamorin, to the following effect: + +"Vasco de la Gama, a gentleman of thy house, came to my country, of whose +arrival I was very glad. In my country there is abundance of cinnamon, +cloves, pepper, and precious stones. The commodities I wish to procure +from your country are, silver, gold, coral, and scarlet." + +Convinced of the duplicity of the zamorin, De Gama made no answer to the +message; but sent back all the nayres whom he had detained, desired them +to tell the king he should return the others who were in custody, on +receiving back his merchandize. He sent however the stone pillar which +had been required. On the next day Bontaybo came on board, saying that +the kutwal, by order of the zamorin, had seized all his property, +alleging that he was a Christian who had come overland to Calicut as a +spy from the king of Portugal. Bontaybo said, he was sure this bad +treatment had proceeded from the suggestion of the Moors; and, as they +had seized his goods, he was sure they meant personal violence, on which +account he had made his escape. The general gave him a kind reception, +offering to carry him to Portugal, promising that he should recover +double the value of his goods, besides, that he might expect to be well +rewarded by the king of Portugal. To this arrangement Bontaybo gladly +consented, and had a good cabin assigned him by order of the general. +About ten o'clock the same day, three almadias full of men came off to +the ships, having some scarfs laid on their benches, as being part of our +goods; and these were followed by four other almadias, one after the +other. The Malabars pretended that they had brought off all the goods, +which they offered to put into his boat, and required him in return to +deliver up the rest of the prisoners. But convinced this was a mere +deception, the general desired them to go away, as he would have none of +their merchandize, and was resolved to carry the Malabars to Portugal as +witnesses of his discovery. He added, if God spared his life, he should +convince them whether the Christians were thieves, as the Moors had made +the king of Calicut believe, who had therefore treated him with so much +injustice. He now commanded several cannon to be fired, on which they +were afraid and made off. + +It was certain, if the kings ships had been afloat that they would have +been sent to attack our ships; but they were all hauled upon shore on +account of the winter season. Wherefore we may attribute it to Providence +that our ships happened to arrive here at this season, that thereby they +might escape and carry home news of having discovered the Indies, to the +great advancement of the Catholic faith. + +Although greatly rejoiced at having made the discovery of the route to +Calicut and the Indies, he was much distressed at the behaviour of the +zamorin, believing that the next expedition that might be sent out would +be subject to great danger; but as he was unable to do any thing more at +this time, he consoled himself with the knowledge he had thus acquired of +the safe navigation, and that he had procured specimens of the spices, +drugs, precious stones, and other commodities which were to be procured +at this place. Having now nothing to detain him here, he departed from +Calicut, carrying with him the Malabars whom he had made prisoners; as he +hoped by their means a good agreement might be entered into with the +zamorin on sending out the next fleet from Portugal. On the Thursday +after his departure, being becalmed about a league from Calicut, about +sixty _tonys_, or boats of the country, came off to the fleet filled with +soldiers expecting to have taken all our ships. But the general kept them +off by frequent discharges of his artillery, though they followed him an +hour and a half. At length there fell a heavy shower of rain attended +with some wind, by which the fleet was enabled to make sail, and the +enemies returned to the land. He now proposed to direct his course for +Melinda; but made little way along the coast, by reason of calms. At this +time, having in mind the good of the next ships which might come to +Calicut, he thought fit to send a soothing letter to the zamorin, which +was written in Arabic by Bontaybo; in which he apologized for having +carried off the Malabars, as evidences of his having been at Calicut. He +said he was sorry that he had left no factor, lest the Moors might put +him to death; and that he had been deterred by the some cause from having +frequently landed himself. That, notwithstanding all that had happened, +the king his master would be glad to have the friendship of the zamorin, +and would assuredly send him abundance of all those commodities he might +need; and that the trade of the Portuguese to his city would henceforth +redound to his great profit. This letter was entrusted to one of the +Malabars, who was set on shore and ordered to deliver it to the zamorin. + +Continuing his course along the coast, the fleet came on the ensuing +Thursday among certain rocky islands, from one of which that was +inhabited there came off several almadias, having fish and other victuals +for sale. The general treated these people kindly, giving them shirts and +other articles to their great contentment; and, with their approbation, +set up a cross on the island, which was named _El padron de Sancta Maria_. +As soon as night approached, and the wind began to blow from the shore, +the fleet made sail, always keeping near the land. On the Thursday after, +being the 19th of September, they came in sight of a pleasant high land, +off which lay six little islands, where he came to anchor. Going here on +shore in search of fresh water, a young man was met with, who was or +pretended to be a Christian. This person carried our men to a river, +where they found a spring of excellent water issuing out of the rock; and +for his services they gave him a red nightcap. Next morning four natives +came off in a small boat, with many gourds and cucumbers for sale. These +people said that their country produced cinnamon, and two of our people +were sent onshore to see whether this were true, who brought with them +two green boughs which were said to be cinnamon, of which they had seen a +large grove, but it turned out only to be the wild kind. At their return, +these men were accompanied by more than twenty natives, who brought hens, +gourds, and cows milk for sale, and who said, if the general would send +some of his men on shore, he might have abundance of dried cinnamon, hogs, +and poultry: But he dreaded treachery, and would not allow any of his +people to go on shore. Next forenoon, when some of our men went to a part +of the shore at some distance from the ships to cut wood, they suddenly +came in sight of two boats lying close to the land, and returned with +intelligence of what they had seen; but the general would not send to +inquire what these might be until after dinner. In the mean time, one of +the men in the top gave notice that he saw eight large ships out at sea, +which were then becalmed. The general gave immediate orders to have every +thing in readiness in case of an attack, and as the wind served both +fleets, they soon came within two leagues of each other. The enemies +perceiving our fleet approaching, fled towards the shore; but one of +their rudders breaking, the men belonging to that ship escaped in their +boats, and Coello immediately took possession, expecting to find it laden +with rich commodities. Nothing was found however, except cocoa-nuts and a +kind of sugar called _melasus_, which is prepared from palms or date +trees. He also found on board many bows and arrows, swords, spears, and +targets. The other seven ships were run aground, so that our ships could +not get near them, as drawing too much water; but our people followed in +their boats, and drove them out of their vessels by firing upon them with +their ordnance. Next day, while our fleet was at anchor, seven men came +off from the land in an almadia, who reported that these eight ships had +been sent by the zamorin from Calicut to capture our fleet, as they had +been informed by some of the fugitives[64]. + +From this place the general removed to the island of _Ansandina_, at a +short distance, where he was told he might procure good water. This +island is very small, and only a league from the continent. It contains +several woods, and two cisterns, or conduits, built of freestone, one of +which is six feet deep, supplied with excellent water from certain +springs; and the sea around has great quantities of fish. Before the +Moors traded with India, this island was well inhabited by the native +idolaters, having many goodly buildings, and especially some fine pagodas. +But when the Moors resorted to this coast from the Red Sea, they used to +take in their wood and water at this place, and abused the inhabitants so +intolerably that they abandoned the place, and pulled down most of their +pagodas and all their other buildings. These Gentiles were natives of +that part of the continent which belongs to the king of _Narsingas_, and +used often to repair thither to perform their devotions to three black +stones which were in a chapel of one of the pagodas, which still remains. +This island is called _Ansandina_[65] in the Malabar language, which +signifies the Five Islands, and is so named because there are other four +islands round about. + +Coming to anchor here, the general sent Coello on shore with an armed +escort, to examine the country, and to see if there were any convenient +place for new-graving their ships bottoms, as they had been long at sea +and had a long run before them. Every thing being found convenient, and +the measure approved of by all the captains, it was determined to lay +their ships successively aground for this purpose. The ship called the +Berrio was first laid on shore; and while occupied in repairing and +cleaning her bottom, many of the natives came off from the continent to +sell victuals to our people. While this was going forwards two small +brigandines were seen rowing towards our ships, ornamented with flags and +streamers on their masts, beating drums and sounding trumpets, and filled +with men who plied their oars. At the same time, five similar vessels were +seen creeping along shore, as if lying by to help the others if needful. +The Malabars who supplied our people with provisions, warned the general +to beware of these vessels, which belonged to pirates who roamed about in +these seas, robbing all they met under pretence of peace[66]. The general +believed he might have taken these two vessels, if he had allowed them to +come close up with his ships, but did not choose to run any risk; +wherefore, as soon as they came within gun-shot, he ordered all the cannon +belonging to the two ships which remained afloat to be fired at them; on +which, calling out in a loud voice, _Tambarane! Tambarane!_ which is their +name for God, they fled away. Nicholas Coello, who was in his boat, +followed after them, firing off his ordnance; but the general, fearful of +any mischance, called him back by signal. + +Next day, when the general and all his men were on shore at work upon the +Berrio, twelve natives, who appeared to be men of some consequence, came +to the island in two small _paraos_, and presented a bundle of sugar +canes. These people asked permission to go on board the ships, as they +had never seen any such before; but the general was much offended with +this, fearing they might be spies. While engaged in conversation with +these men, other two _paraos_ made their appearance, having as many men. +But those who came first, seeing the general displeased, advised these +new comers not to land. When the Berrio was repaired, the generals ship +was brought aground to receive the same attentions. + +While the general and the other captains were on shore, busied in the +repairs of the San Michael, there came one day a man in a little _parao_, +seemingly about forty years old, and not of that country, as he was +dressed in a _sabaco_, or gown of fine cotton reaching to his heels, his +head covered with a kerchief or towel, which partly covered his face, and +wearing a faulchion or crooked cymeter at his girdle. Immediately on +landing, he went up and embraced the general, as if he had seen or known +him before, and treated the other captains with the same politeness. He +told them he was a Christian, born in Italy, and had been brought when a +child into the Indies. That he now dwelt with a Moorish lord named +_Sabayo_, who ruled a certain island called Goa, about twelve leagues from +thence, and who had 40,000 horsemen on that island. That, as his dwelling +was now among the Moors, he conformed externally to their worship, though +in his heart a Christian. That learning certain men had come in ships to +Calicut, such as had never been seen before in the Indies, and that no one +understood their language, he immediately understood that they must be +_Frangnes_,[67] for so the Christians are named in the Indies. That he was +desirous of seeing them, and had asked leave of _Sabayo_ to come and visit +them; which, if he had not obtained, he would have died of vexation. That +Sabayo had not only granted him leave for this purpose; but desired, if he +found the strangers to be from his country, to offer them any thing they +might stand in need of which his country produced; particularly spices and +provisions. And besides, if they would come and live with him, Sabayo +would entertain them honourably, and give them sufficient to live on. The +general asked many questions concerning the country of Sabayo and other +things, to which he made answer. After which he requested to have a cheese +from the general, to send on shore to a companion, as a token of having +been well received. The general suspected some mystery in this man, yet +ordered a cheese and two new loaves to be given him, which he sent away to +his companion. He continued talking with great volubility, and sometimes +so unguardedly as to raise suspicions of his being a spy. On this Paulo de +la Gama, who particularly suspected him, inquired of some of the natives +if they knew who this man was; they immediately told him he was a pirate, +who had boarded many other ships while laid aground. On receiving this +information, the general ordered him to be carried on board his ship, then +aground, and to be whipped well till he should confess whether all that he +had said was true or false; also, what was his purpose in coming thither, +and whether he were actually a Moor or a Christian. He still insisted that +he was a Christian, and that all he said was true, declaring the +information given by the natives to be entirely groundless. The general +now ordered a more cruel torment to be inflicted to extort confession, +causing him to be hoisted up and down by the members: when at length he +declared he would tell the truth. He then acknowledged himself a spy, sent +to discover how many men the general had, and what were their weapons, as +he was much hated on all that coast for being a Christian; and that many +_atalayas_ or foists were placed in all the bays and creeks of the coast +to assail him, but dared not till they were joined by forty large armed +vessels that were getting ready to fall upon him. But he said he knew not +certainly when these vessels might be ready. The general now ordered him +to be confined under hatches, intending to carry him into Portugal, as a +fit person to give the king his master intelligence respecting the Indies, +and ordered him to get refreshing victuals, and that his cure should be +looked well after. + +On receiving this information of the designs of his enemies, the general +would stay no longer than was necessary for completing the repairs of his +own ship, which was got ready in ten days. About this time, the general +was offered 1000 _fanons_ for the ship which had been taken by Coello; but +he refused to sell any thing to his enemies, and ordered her to be burnt. +When the generals ship was ready, and the fleet had taken in a supply of +water, they departed from the island of _Ansandina_, or Anchediva, on the +5th of October 1498, steering directly out to sea on their course for +Melinda. After sailing about 200 leagues from that island, the Moor[68] +whom they had taken prisoner, seeing no prospect of escape, now made a +full and true confession. He acknowledged that he lived with Sabayo, the +lord of Goa, to whom word was brought that the general was wandering about +in those seas, like one who knew not where he was, upon which orders were +given to fit out a powerful fleet to make him prisoner. In the mean time, +learning that the general was at the isle of Anchediva, Sabayo commanded +him to go thither to visit him, to get intelligence of his strength and +intentions, and to endeavour to entice him to Goa; where it was Sabayos +intentions to make him and all his people prisoners, and to employ them in +his wars against the neighbouring princes, as they were reported to be +valiant men. After this confession, the general gave this man better +treatment, allowing him both clothes and money. Some time afterwards he +became a Christian, by the name of Gaspar de la Gama, taking his name of +Gaspar from one of the three kings of the Magi[69], and his surname from +the general, who stood god-father at his baptism. + +The general pursued his course for Melinda, where he proposed to take on +board an ambassador from the xeque of that place. In the early part of +this voyage he endured severe storms and contrary winds, which were +succeeded by calms, during which the heat of the sun was quite +insufferable, and the voyage much delayed, insomuch, that water began to +grow scarce, and the people had to be put on short allowance. Owing to +these circumstances, the people were afflicted with the same disease in +their gums, from which they had formerly suffered such great distress in +the river of Good Signs[70], on the outward voyage. Their arms and legs +also swelled, and many tumours broke out over their bodies, proceeding +from a pestilent stinking humour, which threw them into a flux, of which +thirty persons died. From the continuance of calms and contrary winds, +and the mortality among the people, the whole company became amazed, and +believed they should never be able to get out from their present +distressing situation; insomuch, that they solicited the general to +return to Calicut, or some other part of India, and submit to what God +might appoint, rather than to die on the sea of these terrible diseases, +for which there was no remedy, especially as both provisions and water +began to fail. De Gama reasoned with them to little purpose, as they had +been now four months at sea, and there hardly remained, sixteen persons +in each ship able to do duty, some of whom even were afflicted with the +diseases of which the others had died. It is even said that Paulo de la +Gama and Nicholas Coello had agreed to return to India, if any wind +should spring up that would have served for the voyage. + +At length a favourable wind sprung up unexpectedly, and in sixteen days +they came in sight of land on Wednesday the 2d of February 1499, at which +the mariners were much rejoiced, and soon forgot all their past troubles +and dangers. As they came near the land towards evening, the general gave +orders to keep their heads out to sea during the night, to avoid rocks or +shoals. As there were no person on board who knew where they were, a Moor +alleged they had steered direct for Mozambique; saying there were certain +islands 300 leagues from the shore, and directly over against that place, +where the natives were continually subject to the disease which had been +so fatal to our men. When morning came, they stood towards the land, when +they came before a large and goodly city, surrounded with walls, having +fair and lofty houses, and a large palace on a height in the middle of +the city, seeming to be a magnificent building. This city is called +Magadoxo, and stands on one side of the Gulf of India on the coast of +Ethiopia[71], an hundred and thirteen leagues from Melinda, the situation +of which I shall explain hereafter. Knowing this to be a city of the +Moors, he would not stop at this place, but commanded many shots of +ordnance to be fired as he sailed past. Not being sure how far it was to +Melinda, and fearing to overshoot that port, he lay too every night; and +on Saturday the 5th of February, lying over against a village of the +Moors, named Pate[72], 103 leagues from Magadoxo, there came off eight +_terradas_, or boats of that country, filled with soldiers, and making +direct for our fleet, from whence we shot off so many pieces of ordnance, +that they soon fled back to the shore, and our people could not follow +for want of wind. Next Monday, being the 7th of February, the fleet +arrived at Melinda. The king immediately sent off his congratulations to +the general on his arrival, with a present of fresh provisions. De Gama +sent Fernan Martinez on shore to return the compliments of the king, to +whom he sent a present. On account of the great number of sick on board, +the fleet stopped here for ten days, during which time he caused a land- +mark to be erected on shore, with leave of the king, as a token of +friendship. Having provided provisions and water for the ships at this +place, he departed on the morning of Wednesday the 17th of February, +taking with him an ambassador from the king of Melinda, to negotiate a +treaty of perpetual peace and friendship with the king of Portugal. + +Considering that there were not sufficient men remaining for navigating +all the ships, the general and the other captains agreed to burn one of +them, and the San Rafael was chosen to be sacrificed, because she was all +open, and had not been brought aground at Anchediva when the other two +were repaired. Accordingly, after taking out all her stores and +merchandize, which employed them during five days, she was burnt at +certain shoals, called the Shoals of St Raphael[73]. During these five +days, the fleet procured a considerable quantity of hens from a village +on the coast called _Tangata_. Leaving this place, the two remaining +ships came on the 20th February to the island of Zenziber, which is in +six degrees of S. latitude, at ten leagues distance from the continent. +This is a considerable island, having other two in its neighbourhood, one +called _Pemba_, and the other _Moyfa_. These islands are very fertile, +having abundance of provisions, and great quantities of oranges. The +inhabitants are Moors, who are by no means warlike and have few weapons, +but are well clothed in silk, and cotton vestments, which they purchase +at Mombaza from the merchants of Cambaya. The women are ornamented with +jewels of gold and silver, the former being procured at Sofala, and the +latter from the island of St Lawrence, or Madagascar. Each of these three +islands has a separate king, who, with all their subjects, are of the +Mahometan religion. + +When the king of the island of Zenziber was informed of the arrival of +our ships, he sent immediately to compliment the general, accompanied +with great presents of the fruits and other productions of the country, +and requested his friendship, to which the general gladly agreed and sent +suitable answers. After remaining here eight days for refreshments, the +general departed on the 1st of March, and came to anchor beside the isle +of St George in the bay of Mozambique. Next day he caused a mark to be +erected on this island, where he went on shore and heard mass; and +departed thence without any intercourse with the inhabitants of +Mozambique. On the 3d of March, he came to the island of St Blas, where +the ships remained for some time to take in water, and to provide a stock +of sea wolves, and _solitarios_, which were salted to serve as provision +for the remainder of the voyage, and for which they were most thankful to +God. Departing from thence, they were driven back by a westerly wind +right contrary; but Providence sent them a fair wind, by means of which +they doubled the Cape of Good Hope with infinite pleasure on the 20th of +March, all the remainder of the crews being now strong and in good health, +with the cheering prospect of speedily returning to Lisbon. They now had +a fair wind, which lasted them twenty days, and sped them on towards St +Jago. The fair wind now failed them and delayed their voyage. Trying the +lead on Thursday the 25th of April, they found twenty-five fathom; and +the least water they had all that day was twenty fathom, on which account +the pilots concluded they were on the shoals of the Rio Grande. + +Of the rest of this voyage, till the arrival of the general at the island +of St Jago, I have found no account; except that, when, approaching that +place, Nicholas Coello parted company one night with the general, and +made direct for Portugal, that he might carry the first intelligence to +the king of the discovery of India; and arrived at _Cascais_ on the 10th +of July 1499[74]. He went immediately to the king, whom he informed of +all that had befallen the general in his discovery of the Indies, and of +the commodities which had been brought from thence; of which discovery, +and of the prospect which it held out of a direct trade with India by sea, +the king was as glad as when he had been proclaimed king of Portugal. + +After the separation of Coello, De Gama pursued his voyage for the island +of St Jago, both because his brother Paulo was sick with consumptive +complaints, and because his ship was in very bad condition; all her seams +being open. At that island, he freighted a caravel, in hope of being able +to get his brother home to Portugal, and left John de Sala in charge of +his own ship, to have her repaired and new rigged before proceeding for +Lisbon. The general and his brother left St Jago in the hired caravel for +Lisbon; but the disease of Paulo de Gama increased so rapidly, that he +was forced to put in at the island of Tercera, where Paulo de Gama +departed this life like a good Christian and a worthy gentleman. When he +had buried his brother, Vasco de Gama set sail for Portugal, and arrived +at Belem in September 1499; having been two years and two months absent +on this voyage. Of 108 men whom he had taken with him, only fifty[75] +came home alive; which was a large proportion, considering the great and +numerous dangers they had gone through. + +When the general had returned thanks to God for his preservation and +success, he sent notice of his arrival to the king, who sent Diego de +Sylva y Menesis, Lord of Portugalete, and many other gentlemen, to +conduct him honourably to court, which they did through a prodigious +concourse of people, eager to see the man who had made so wonderful a +voyage, and whom they had long thought dead. Being come into the presence, +the king honoured him as one who, by the discovery of the Indies had done +so much for the glory of God, for the honour and profit of the king of +Portugal, and for the perpetual fame of the Portuguese name in the world. +The king made him afterwards a knight, and gave him and his heirs +permission to bear the royal arms of Portugal, as also to set at the foot +of the escutcheon two does, which are called gamas in the Portuguese +language. He also gave him a perpetual pension or rent-charge of 300,000 +rees[76] yearly, out of the tythe fish in the village of _Sinis_, in +which he was born, and a promise of being made lord of that village; and +till these grants were executed in form, he allowed him 1000 crowns a-year; +which, after the royal grants were made, reverted to the house of the +_Contratation_ of the Indies. It was also granted, that when the trade +with India should be established, he might bring home spices to the value +of 200 ducats yearly, without paying any duty. He also gave him other +possessions and rents, and a note of remembrance or promise to make him a +lord[77]. Nicholas Coello was promoted to be a gentleman of the royal +household, and received possessions and rents to bear his charges[78]. +The king himself, in consequence of these discoveries, assumed the new +title, of _Lord of the conquest and navigation of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, +and the Indies_. + + +[1] By Mr Clarke this person is named Gonçalo Nunez. + +[2] Mr Clarke alleges, that Lichefield, our original translator, has + fallen into an error in this date, which ought to have been the 28th + July.--E. + +[3] If Saturday were the 5th July, on which the fleet sailed from Lisbon, + the 3d of August must have been on Thursday. But it does not seem + necessary to insist upon such minute critical accuracy; which, besides, + is unattainable.--E. + +[4] This strange expression probably means, that Gama stretched directly + across the gulf of Guinea, not creeping as usual along the coast, and + endeavoured to make a direct course for the Cape of Good Hope.--E. + +[5] Our old English translator, Lichefield, strangely mistakes in calling + this place the _island_ of Sancta Haelena; which is assuredly St Elena + bay, in lat. 32° 40' S. It has since been sometimes named St Martin's + bay, but the proper and general name is the bay of St Elena, the S. W. + point of entry being called St Martin's Point.--E. + +[6] Perhaps the Berg river, at the bottom of St Elena bay.--E. + +[7] This paragraph is added to relation of Castenada from the works of + Faria and Osorius.--Clarke. + +[8] If the Thursday on which they came in sight of the Cape were the 16th, + the Wednesday following must have been the 22nd of the month.--E. + +[9] This paragraph is an addition to the text of Castaneda from Osorius-- + Clarke, I. 342 + +[10] From the circumstances in the text, this watering-place of St Blaze + is probably what is now called St Katherines or St Sebastians Bay; yet + that place hardly exceeds forty-seven Portuguese leagues east from the + cape. The sixty leagues of the text would carry us almost a degree + farther east, to what is now called Kaffercroyts river. Clarke removes + this place still farther to Flesh Bay, otherwise called Angra de St + Braz, or Aguada de St Braz by De Barros. This latter place is seventy + Portuguese leagues, or above eighty marine leagues east from the cape. + --E. + +[11] This account seems erroneous, whether St Katherines or Flesh Bay be + the one in question, as both ought to be safe in north winds, and the + winds between the S and E points give both a lee shore.--E. + +[12] Probably a species of Penguins: Lichefield calls them _stares_, as + large as ducks; Osorius says the natives called them _satiliario_, and + that they were as big as geese.--E. + +[13] Probably Rock Point, forming the western boundary of Algoa or + Zwartkops bay, in long. 27° E. bring the rocky extreme promontory of + the Krakakamma ridge.--E. + +[14] It is infinitely difficult to guess the course of these early voyages, + without latitudes or longitudes, and only estimated distances by dead + reckoning in uncertain leagues; but the Rio del Infante of this voyage + and that of Diaz, is probably that now called Great-fish river, in the + Zuureveld of Graaff Reynet, in long. 28° 20' E which, however, is + twenty-six Portuguese leagues, or thirty geographical leagues from + Rocky Point, instead of the fifteen leagues of the text.--E. + +[15] The sixty leagues in the text are inexplicable on any rational + supposition, as they seem to have again made the Rocks de la Cruz, or + rather Rocky Point, said just before to be only fifteen leagues from + Infante river, to which they were then bound.--E. + +[16] The Portuguese ships appear to have been now on the coast of Natal, + or the land of the Caffres, certainly a more civilized people than the + Hottentots of the cape. But the circumstance of Alonzo understanding + their language is quite inexplicable: as he could hardly have been + lower on the western coast than Minz, or perhaps Congo. Yet, as a belt + of Caffres are said to cross the continent of Africa, to the north of + the Hottentots, it is barely possible that some Caffre slaves may have + reached the western coast.--E. + +[17] This grain was probably what is now well known under the name of + millet.--E. + +[18] According to Barros, _Aguada da boa Paz_.--Clarke. + +[19] Gibb's Orosius, I. 50. + +[20] The text here ought probably to be thus amended, "He and his brother, + _with_ Nicholas Coelle," &c.--E. + +[21] These probably swam off to the ships.--E. + +[22] De Faria alleges that the people of this river were not so black as + the other Africans, and wore habits of different kinds of stuffs, both + cotton and silk, of various colours, and that they understood Arabic; + and adds, that they informed De Gama there were white people to the + eastwards, who sailed in ships like those of the Portuguese. Osorius + likewise says, that one of the natives spoke Arabic very imperfectly, + and that De Gama left two of his convicts at this place, which he + called San Rafael.--Clarke. + +[23] There is no circumstance in the text from which the situation of this + river can even be conjectured. Clarke, p.440, alleges that it was + Soffala; and yet, in a note in his preceding page, says, "That De Gama + seems to have passed Cape Corientes during the night, and to have kept + so far from land, on account of a strong current setting on shore, as + not to have noticed Sofala." In the notes on the Lusiad, this river of + Good Signs is ascertained to have been one of the mouths of the + Zambeze, or Cuama River, which divides Mocaranga from the coast of + Mozambique; the different mouths of which run into the sea between the + latitudes of 19° and 18° S.--E. + +[24] They were evidently afflicted with the scurvy; and accordingly De + Barros refers the disease to its proper cause, "Having been for so + long a time confined to the use of salt fish and corrupted biscuit.-- + Clarke." + +[25] Addition to the narrative of Castaneda, from De Barros.--Clarke. + +[26] This obscure expression seems to mean that De Gama wished them to + precede the ships, and point out the way into the harbour.--E. + +[27] This expression has probably been misunderstood by the original + translator. It appears that these Moors of Mozambique spoke Arabic, + here called the language of Algarve, and finding themselves understood + and answered by the strangers, mistook the Portuguese for Moors.--E. + +[28] Mozambique is in lat. 15° 35' S. and in 41° of E. Long--E. + +[29] The observations here inserted, and marked with inverted commas, are + made by the Editor of the present collection. They are much too long + for insertion in the form of a note, and appeared of too much + importance to be omitted; being chiefly from Clarke, I. 447.--E. + +[30] For the materials of this addition to the text of Castaneda, we are + chiefly indebted to the Progress of Maritime Discovery, p. 447, 458. + --E. + +[31] His name, as given by Osorius, was _Zacocia_, and De Barros adds, + that he wore richly embroidered clothes, and had his sword ornamented + with diamonds.--Clarke. + +[32] This is probably the same person named Fernan Alvares on a former + occasion.--E. + +[33] It is added by De Barros, that three _Abexijs_, or Abyssinians, from + the territory of _Preste Joano_, came on board the fleet, along with + the Moors who brought provisions; and, seeing the image of the angel + Gabriel painted on the ship of that name, and being accustomed to such + representations of angels in their own country, they made their + adorations to this holy picture.--Clarke. + +[34] Mr Clarke, Progr. of Marit. Disc. I. 464, strangely misrepresents + this story; saying, "that _the pilot_ of Paulo de la Gama had deserted + to the Moors, though a Christian."--E. + +[35] According to De Burros, after the inhabitants abandoned the town, + the zeque sent De Gama a pilot to navigate Coello's ship, from whom De + Gama learnt that Calicut was a months voyage from Mozambique.--Clarke, + I. 464. + +[36] If Sunday, as above, were the first of April, the Friday following + must have been the 6th.--E. + +[37] The text is here obscure; but it would appear that only some of the + men belonging to these two boats remained on board, and the rest + returned to the coast. Not that the Moorish pilots from Mozambique + were here dismissed, as the text of Lichefild's translation seems to + insinuate.--E. + +[38] Motta, in the Portuguese East Indian Pilot, places this town in lat. + 3º 50'S. He says the entrance is much incommoded with shoals, and so + narrow in some places as not to exceed the length of a ship. This city + is said to have once stood on a peninsula, converted into an island by + cutting a canal across the isthmus.--Clarke, I. 469. + +[39] This may be understood that part of the inhabitants were unmixed + Arabs, comparatively whites; while others were of a mixed race between + these and the original natives, perhaps likewise partly East Indian + Mahometans, of a similar origin.--E. + +[40] This is surely an oversight in Castaneda or his translator, for + _one_ year.--E. + +[41] It is difficult to ascertain what place in India is here meant. + Cranganore comes nearer in sound, but is rather nearer Melinda than + Calicut; Mangalore is rather more distant. The former a degree to the + south of Calicut, the latter not quite two to the north; all three on + the Malabar coast. On a former occasion, Castaneda says these + merchants were of Cambaya or Guzerat, above eleven degrees north of + Calicut.--E. + +[42] This seems to be the same office with that named Kadhi, or Khazi, by + the Turks and Persians, which is rather the title of a judge than of a + priest, which is named Moulah.--E. + +[43] It is probable that this passage should be thus understood, "The + king sent him a pilot, who was an idolater from Guzerate, &c."--E. + +[44] The addition to, or observations on the text, inserted in this place + within inverted commas, are from Clarke, I. 486, 487.--E. + +[45] In Lichefild's translation this date is made the 22d; but the Friday + after Sunday the 21st, must have been the 26th of the month.--E. + +[46] The difference of longitude between Melinda and Calicut is thirty- + four degrees, which at 17-1/2 leagues to the degree, gives only 575 + Portuguese leagues, or 680 geographical leagues of twenty to the + degree. Thus miserably erroneous are the estimated distances in old + navigators, who could only compute by the dead reckoning, or the log. + --E. + +[47] The course from Melinda to Calicut is about E. N. E. the former being + about three degrees to the S. and the latter almost eleven degrees to + the N. of the line.--E. + +[48] This vague account of the extent of Malabar is erroneous or corrupt, + as sixty-one Portuguese leagues would barely reach from Cape Comorin + to Calicut. The extreme length of the western maritime vale of India, + from Cambay to Cape Comorin, exceeds 250 Portuguese leagues.--E. + +[49] The proper name of this prince who is said to have thus divided the + kingdom of Malabar, was Shermanoo-Permaloo.--Clarke, I. 395. + +[50] This must be erroneous, as the Mahometans reckon from the year of the + Hegira, or flight of Mahomet from Mecca, which commences in 622 of the + Christian era.--E. + +[51] This story seems an Arabian tale, perhaps partly founded upon some + real revolution in the government of Malabar. But it would much exceed + the bounds of a note to enter upon disquisitions relative to Indian + history.--E. + +[52] Laker is a kind of gum that proceedeth of the ant. This marginal note, + in Lichefild's translation of Castaneda, indicates the animal origin + of lac, which has been elucidated of late by Dr Roxburgh.--E. + +[53] From the sequel in the narrative of Castaneda, this Colastrian rajah + seems to have been the sovereign of Cananor.--E. + +[54] This word pagoda, applied by the Portuguese, to denote an Indian, + temple, is said to be derived from a Malabar or Indian word, + _Pagabadi_, signifying any idol.--Astley, I. 51. + +[55] This is described by Castaneda as a coin equal in value to three + crowns. + +[56] By De Faria, this man is named Monzayde.--Astl. I. 30. + +[57] The title of kutwal is of Arabic origin, and properly signifies the + governor of a fort or castle, but the office may be different in + different places. In some instances, the kutwal seems to have been the + deputy-governor, sheriff, or judge of a town.--Astl. I. 30. + +[58] Such are the expressions used by Lichefild; but I suspect the sense + here ought to have been, That the kutwal required De Gama to land + immediately, that he might go to Calicut, on purpose to be presented + to the zamorin.--E. + +[59] In Astley, I. 81. this place is named Kapokats.--E. + +[60] Kafr is an Arabic word, signifying an infidel or unbeliever; and is + applied by the Mahometans to all who do not believe the doctrines of + Mahomet, and especially to all who worship images, including the Roman + Catholics. The priests mentioned in the text were obviously bramins. + The origin of the term here used by mistake, was obviously from the + interpretation of Bontaybo, the friendly Moor; and explains the + mistake of De Gama in believing the Malabars to have been Christians. + Bontaybo applied the same significant term of kafr to the image + worshippers of all denominations, without discriminating one species + of idolater from another.--E. + +[61] On this part of the text, the author, or the original translator, + makes the following singular marginal reflection:--"The general + deceived, committeth idolatry with the Devil."--E. + +[62] Astley, I. 24. a. + +[63] Called in Astley _sharafins_.--Astl. I. 36. + +[64] De Faria says that this fleet belonged to a pirate named Timoja, of + whom frequent mention will be made hereafter; and that the eight ships + were so linked together, and covered over with boughs of trees, that + they resembled a floating island.--Astl. I. 38. a. + +[65] More probably Anche-diva, or Ange-diva.--Astl. I. 38. b. + +[66] These vessels seem more probably to have been the squadron of Timoja. + --Astl. I. 38. c. + +[67] Frangnes, Franghis, or Feringays, a common name all over the East + for Europeans; assuredly derived from the Francs or French, long known + as the great enemy of the Mahometans, by their exploits in the + crusades.--E. + +[68] De Faria says this person was a Jew, and that he made the sign of + the cross from the shore to be taken on board.--Astl. I. 39. b. + +[69] Or rather one of the three kings of Collen.--Astl. I. 39. + +[70] Since called Cuama.--Astl. I. 39. c. + +[71] Magadoxo is in lat. 2° 20' N. and about 45° 40' E. long.--E. + +[72] Pate stands on the coast of Zanguebar, on the Rio Grande, one of the + mouths of the river Zebee, in lat. 1° 50' S. and about 41° 20' E. long. + --E. + +[73] De Faria says this ship was lost on the shoals called after her name + but the men were saved.--Astl. I. 40. a. + +[74] De Faria alleges that Coello was separated by a storm near Cape Verd, + and arrived at Lisbon, thinking De Gama had got home before him.--Astl. + I. 40. b. + +[75] De Faria says fifty-five, and that they were all rewarded by the + king.--Astl. I. 40. c. + +[76] The translator values this pension at 200l. a-year, perhaps equal in + present value to 2000l.--E. + +[77] This does not appear to have been actually done until his return + from India the second time, as will be mentioned hereafter.--E. + +[78] According to Astley, but without quoting any particular authority, + De Gama had a grant from the king of the title of Don for himself and + his descendants, and a pension of 3000 ducats: Coello was raised to + the rank of Fidalgo, or gentleman, and had an appointment of 100 + ducats yearly.--Astl. I. 40. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Voyage of Pedro Alvarez Cabral to India in 1500; being the second made +by the Portuguese to India, and in the course of which Brasil was +Discovered._ + +The certainty of a navigable communication with India, and the vast +riches that were to be had in that country, being now ascertained, the +king resolved to prosecute the discovery, on purpose to spread the gospel +among the idolaters, and to augment his own revenues and the riches and +prosperity of his subjects. For these purposes, he determined to attempt +the settlement of a factory in Calicut by gentle means; hopeful that they +might be persuaded to a friendly intercourse, and might afterwards listen +to the word of God. + +He therefore commanded that a fleet of ten ships and two caravels should +be got ready against next year, to be well laden with all the commodities +which De gama had reported to have current sale in Calicut. There went +others also to Sofala and Quiloa, where also he commanded factories to be +established, both on account of the gold which was to be found there, and +that the ships might have a place to touch and refresh at in their way to +and from India. Over the fleet intended for Calicut, he appointed Pedro +Alvarez Cabral, a gentleman of an honourable house, to be captain-general, +Sancho de Toar being captain of his ship. The names of the other captains, +so far as have come to my knowledge, were Nicholas Coello, Don Luis +Continho, Simon de Myseranda, Simon Leyton, Bartholomew Diaz, who +discovered the Cape of Good Hope, and his brother Diego Diaz, who had +been purser to Vasco do Gama in the former voyage. Of the caravels, Pedro +de Tayde[1] and Vasco de Silviera, were captains. Arias Correa was +appointed supercargo of the whole fleet, and was ordered to remain as +factor in Calicut, having Gonsalo Gil Barboso and Pedro Vas Caninon as +his clerks. Two ships were to remain with the merchandize at Sofala, +where Loriso Hurtado was to be factor. In the whole of this fleet there +embarked 1500 men[2]. + +The general was instructed, besides settling the factories, that if the +zamorin would not quietly consent or give sufficient lading to the ships, +he should make cruel war upon him for his injurious conduct to Vasco de +Gama. If the zamorin consented to the establishment of a factory and +trade, the general was secretly to request him not to allow any of the +Moors of Mecca to remain or to trade in Calicut, or any other harbour in +his dominions, and to promise that the Portuguese should hereafter supply +all such commodities as used to be brought by the Moors, of better +quality and cheaper than theirs. That he should touch at Melinda, to land +the ambassador who had been brought from thence by De Gama, together with +a present for the king of that place. Along with this fleet, the king +sent five friars of the order of St Francis, of whom Fra Henrique was +vicar, who was afterwards bishop _Siebta_, and who was to remain in the +factory to preach the Catholic faith to the Malabars[3]. + +The fleet being in full readiness, the king went in procession, on Sunday +the 7th of March 1500, to hear mass at the monastery of Belem, +accompanied by the captain-general, whom he took along with himself +behind the curtain in the royal seat, to do him the more honour. After +mass, Don Diego Ortis, bishop of Viseu, preached a sermon, in which he +gave high praise to Cabral for undertaking the command of this expedition, +as serving not only the king his temporal master, but the eternal GOD his +spiritual Lord, drawing many comparisons in his favour from the Grecian +and Roman histories. Mass being ended, a banner of the royal arms of +Portugal was delivered to the bishop, who solemnly blessed it, and +returned it to the king, who delivered it to Cabral, that it might be +displayed at his main-top. The bishop then, gave a bonnet to the general, +which had been blessed by the pope, and placed a rich jewel with his own +hands on his head, and gave him his blessing. When these ceremonies were +ended, the king accompanied the captain-general to the water side, where +he and the other captains of the fleet took leave of the king, kissing +his hands, the king giving them Gods blessing and his own; after which +all went on board, and the whole fleet saluted the king by discharging +all the ordnance of all the ships: But the wind being foul, the fleet +could not depart that day, and the king returned to Lisbon. + +Next day, being the 9th of May 1500, having a fair wind, the fleet +weighed by signal from the general, and set sail at eight in the +morning[4]. "_The whole fleete having wayed, did then begin to cut and +spread their sayles with great pleasure and crie, saieng altogether_, Buen +viage, _that is to say, a luckie and prosperous voyage. After all this, +they beganne all to be joyfull, every man to use his severall office: The +gunners in the midst of the ship, hailing the maine sheets with the +capsteine: The mariners and ship boys, some in the forecastell haling +bollings, braces, and martnets: Others belying the sheets both great and +small, and also serving in trimming the sayles, and others the nettings +and foretop sayles: Other some vering the trusses, and also beleying +brases and toppe sayle sheets, and coyling every sort of ropes. It was +wonderful to see such a number of diversities of offices in so small a +roome, as is the bredth and length of a ship_." + +Going on their voyage with a quarter wind, they came in sight of the +Canaries on the 14th of March, and passed St Jago on the 22d. On the 24th +of the same month, the caravel commanded by Vasco de Tayde parted company, +and was never seen afterwards[5]. After waiting two days for the missing +ship, the fleet proceeded on its voyage, and on the 24th of April, came +in sight of land. This was cause of much joy, as it was supposed to be a +country which had not been discovered by De Gama, because it lay to the +west[6] of their course. Cabral immediately sent off the master of his +ship in a small boat to examine the country, who reported that it +appeared pleasant and fertile, with extensive woods and many inhabitants. +The fleet was brought to anchor, and the master sent again on shore to +examine more narrowly into the state of the country and its inhabitants. +His account was that the natives were well proportioned, and of a swarthy +colour, armed with bows and arrows, and all naked. A storm arising at +night, the fleet weighed anchor and stood along; the coast, till they +found a good harbour, in which they all came to anchor, naming it _Puerto +Seguro_, or the Safe Port, as it was quite secure in all weathers. Our +men took two of the natives in an almadia or canoe, who were brought to +the admiral, but no one could understand their language. They had +therefore apparel given them, and were set on shore much pleased. This +encouraged the rest of the natives to mix with our people in a friendly +manner; but finding nothing to detain him here, the general determined to +take in a supply of water, not knowing when he might have another +opportunity. Next day, being in Easter week, a solemn mass was said on +shore under a pavilion, and a sermon was preached by Fra Henrique. During +service, many of the natives gathered around, who seemed very merry, +playing and leaping about, and sounding cornets, horns, and other +instruments. After mass, the natives followed the general to his boat, +singing and making merry. In the afternoon our men were allowed to go on +shore, where they bartered cloth and paper with the natives for parrots +and other beautiful birds, which are very numerous in that country, and +with whose feathers the natives make very shewy hats and caps. Some of +our men went into the country to see the towns or dwellings of the +natives, and reported that the land was very fertile, and full of woods +and waters, with plenty of fruits of various kinds, and much cotton. + +As this was the country now so well known by the name of Brasil, I shall +not say any more about it in this place, except that the fleet remained +here for eight days; during which a great fish was thrown ashore by the +sea, greater than any _tonel_, and as broad as two. It was of a round +form, having eyes like those of a hog, and ears like an elephant, but no +teeth; having two vents under its belly, and a tail three quarters of a +yard broad, and as much in length. The skin was like that of a hog, and a +finger in thickness. The general ordered a high stone cross to be erected +at this place, and named his new discovery _La tierra de Santa Cruz_, or +the Land of the Holy Cross. From hence he sent home a caravel, with +letters to the king, giving an account of his voyage hitherto, and that +he had left two exiles[7] in this place, to examine the country; and +particularly to ascertain if it were a continent, as appeared from the +length of coast he had passed. He sent likewise one of the natives, to +shew what kind of people inhabited the land. Considering the great length +of the voyage he had to perform, Cabral did not deem it proper to spend +any more time in examining this new country, but departed from Puerto +Seguro[8] on the 2d of May, steering his course for the Cape of Good Hope, +which was estimated to be 1200 leagues distant, and having a great and +fearful gulf to cross, rendered dangerous by the great winds which +prevail in these seas during most part of the year. + +On the 12th of May a great comet appeared in the heavens, coming from the +east, and was visible during ten days and nights, always increasing in +splendour. On Saturday the 23d of May, there arose a great storm from the +north-east, attended with a high sea and heavy rain, which forced the +whole fleet to take in their sails. On its abatement they again spread +their foresails; and falling calm towards night, the ships astern spread +out all their sprit-sails to overtake the rest. On Sunday the 24th the +wind again increased, and all the sails were furled. Between ten and +eleven o'clock of that day a water-spout was seen in the north-west, and +the wind lulled. This deceived the pilots as a sign of good weather, +wherefore they still carried sail: But it was succeeded by a furious +tempest, which came on so suddenly that they had not time to furl their +sails, and four ships were sunk with all their men, one of which was +commanded by Bartholomew Diaz, the discoverer of the Cape of Good Hope. +The other _seven_[9] were half filled with water, and had been all lost +if a part of their sails had not given way to the tempest. Soon +afterwards the storm veered to the south-west, but still continued so +violent that they had to drive all that day and the next under bare poles, +and the fleet much separated. On the third day the wind became more +moderate, coming round to the east and north-east, attended by a heavy +swell, and the waves run higher than had ever been seen before, yet the +fleet joined again to their great joy. This wind and high sea continued +for twenty days, during all which time the ships had to lie to, and were +so tossed that no one thought it possible to escape being swallowed up. +During day, the sea was black as pitch, and at night it appeared like +fire. The general, with Simon de Myranda and Pedro de Tayde, bore up to +windward during this long continued gale; while all the rest submitted to +the wind and went at Gods mercy. + +When the storm abated, the general found that, with only two other ships +in company, he had doubled the Cape of Good Hope without having seen it. +On the 16th of July they fell close in with the coast of Africa, in lat. +27°S. but the pilots did not know the coast, and the general would not +allow any one to go on shore. They could see great numbers of people on +the land, yet none came down to the shore to view the ships. Having no +hope of procuring provisions from the natives, the seamen caught great +plenty of fish at this place; after which the general pursued his course +close along shore, where he constantly saw many people, and great numbers +of cattle feeding along the banks of a river which fell into the sea in +that neighbourhood.[10] Proceeding in this manner, the general came to +Sofala, with which the pilots were unacquainted, near which lay two +islands,[11] close by one of which two vessels lay at anchor. These +immediately made for the shore on seeing the Portuguese ships, and being +pursued were taken without resistance. The principal person belonging to +these vessels was a near relation[12] of the king of Melinda, and was +going from Sofala to Melinda with gold. The people were so much afraid on +seeing our ships, that they threw a great part of the gold into the sea, +and most of them escaped on shore. The general was much concerned at his +loss, especially that it should have fallen on the subject and relation +of a prince who was in friendship with the king his master; and after +shewing him every civility, restored the two vessels with all the +remaining gold. The Moor asked Cabral if he had any witches on board, who +could conjure up his gold from the bottom of the sea? Cabral answered, +that the Christians believe in the true God, and do not practice or give +credit to witchcraft. + +Learning from this Moor that he had overshot Sofala, and not being +inclined to turn back, the general continued his voyage to Mozambique; +where he arrived on the 20th of July and took in a supply of water, and +procured a pilot to carry him to the island of Quiloa, towards which he +directed his course. In this part of the voyage he saw several fertile +islands, belonging to the king of Quiloa, who is a powerful prince; his +dominions extending from Cape Corientes almost to Mombaza, along nearly +400 leagues of coast, including the two islands near Sofala, that city +itself and several others to Mozambique, many more all the way to Mombaza, +with a great number of islands; from all which he derives large +revenues.[13] Yet he has few soldiers, and lives in no great state. His +constant residence is in an island named Quiloa, near the continent of +Ethiopia, an hundred leagues from Mozambique. This island is full of +gardens and orchards, with plenty of various kinds of fruits, and +excellent water, and the country produces abundance of _miso_[14] and +other grain, and breeds great numbers of small cattle; and the sea affords +great plenty of excellent fish. The city of Quiloa is in lat. 9°25'S. and +long. 40°20'E. handsomely built of stone and lime, and pleasantly situated +between fine gardens and the sea, having abundance of provisions from its +own island and from other places on the continent. The king and the +inhabitants of the city are Moors of a fair colour using the Arabic +language, but the original natives of the country are Negroes. The Moors +of Quiloa are richly dressed, especially the women, who wear many golden +ornaments. They are great merchants, enjoying the principal trade in gold +at Sofala, whence it is distributed over Arabia Felix, and other countries; +and many merchants resort thither from other places. Hence there are +always many ships in this port, which are all hauled upon the beach when +not in use. These ships[15] have no nails, but are sewed together by rope +made of _cairo_, and have their bottoms payed with wild frankincense, as +the country produces no pitch. The winter here begins in April and ends in +May. + +On arriving at Quiloa, and receiving a safe-conduct for that purpose, the +general sent Alonso Hurtado, attended by seven of the principal officers, +to wait upon the king, signifying that Cabral had come here with the +fleet of the king of Portugal to settle a trade in the city, and had +great store of merchandize fit for that purpose; and to say that he was +desirous to confer with his highness on this subject, but had been +forbidden by the king his master to go on shore. The king agreed to give +Cabral an audience afloat; and, on the following day Cabral waited for +the king in his boat, which was covered over with flags, and attended by +all the other captains in their boats; as now Sancho de Toar and other +two ships had joined company again. The king came in an almadia, +accompanied by many principal Moors in other boats, all decked with flags, +and with many trumpets, cornets, and sackbuts, making a great noise. On +the arrival of the king, the whole Portuguese ordnance was fired off, by +which the king and his train were much alarmed, not having been +accustomed to such a salute. After mutual civilities, the letter from the +king of Portugal was read, proposing the settlement of trade between the +two nations, to which the king of Quiloa assented, and agreed that Alonso +Hurtado should wait upon him next day with an account of the kinds of +merchandize the Portuguese had to dispose of, for which he promised to +give gold in exchange. But when Hurtado went next day on shore, the king +made many excuses for not performing his promise, pretending to have no +need of the commodities, and believing that the general came to conquer +his country. The true reason was because he was a Moor and we were +Christians, and he was unwilling to have any trade or intercourse with us. +After this the general remained three or four days, to see if the king +would change his mind; but he continued inflexible, and strengthened +himself with armed men, as jealous of being attacked. + +Finding that nothing could be done here, the general went on his voyage, +and arrived at Melinda on the 2d of August. At this port he found three +ships at anchor belonging to Moorish merchants of Cambaya; but, though +laden with great riches, he would not meddle with them, out of respect +for the king of Melinda. On coming to anchor the general saluted the king +with all his ordnance; on which the king sent a complimentary message of +welcome, with a present of many sheep, hens, and ducks, and great +quantities of fruits. The general sent a message in return, intimating +that he had come here by orders of the king of Portugal, to know if his +highness had any service which the fleet could perform for him, and to +deliver a letter and a rich present from the king of Portugal, which he +would send whenever his highness pleased to give his commands. The king +was much pleased with this message, and detained the messenger all night, +most part of which he spent in making inquiries respecting the kingdom of +Portugal. As soon as it was day, the king sent two principal Moors to +wait upon the general, declaring his joy at his arrival, and desiring, if +he had need of any thing in the country, to command all there as his own. +The general then sent Aries Correa, the factor-general of the fleet, on +shore to deliver the letter and presents, accompanied by most of the +principal officers, and having all the trumpeters of the fleet sounding +before him. The present consisted of the rich caparison of a riding-horse, +of the most splendid and shewy fashion. The king sent the nobles of his +court to receive Correa in great state, and several women who had censers +or perfuming pans which filled the air with a delightful odour. The king +received Correa in his palace, which was very near the water side, +sitting in his chair of state, and accompanied by many noblemen and +gentlemen. The letter, which was written hi Portuguese on one side and +Arabic on the other, being read, and the present laid before the king, he +and his nobles all in one voice gave thanks to God and Mahomet for +granting them the friendship of so great a prince. During the three days +which the fleet continued here, Correa remained on shore at the kings +particular request, in which he constantly employed himself in inquiries +concerning the customs of the king of Portugal and the conduct of his +government. + +The king of Melinda was very anxious to have Cabral to come on shore to +the palace, but he excused himself as having been ordered by his master +not to land at any port, with which the king was satisfied, yet desired +to have an interview on the water. On this occasion, though the palace +was very near the sea, he went on horseback to the shore, having his +horse decorated with the rich caparisons sent him by the king of Portugal, +which were obliged to be put on by one of our men as none of the natives +knew their use. On coming to the shore, certain principal natives waited +at the foot of the stair, having a live sheep, which they opened alive, +taking out the bowels, and the king rode over the carcase of the sheep. +_This is a kind of ceremony that the witches there do use_.[16] After +this he went to the water side, with all his train on foot, saying in a +loud voice certain words of incantation. The interview with the general +took place on the water in great ceremony, and the king gave him a pilot +to carry the fleet to Calicut. Cabral left two banished men at Melinda to +inform themselves of all the circumstances of the country to the best of +their abilities. One of these, called _Machado_, when he had learned the +Arabic language, went afterwards by land to the straits of the Red Sea, +and from thence by Cambaya to _Balagarte_, and settled with the _sabayo_ +or lord of Goa, passing always for a Moor. This man was afterwards very +serviceable to Albuquerque, as will be seen hereafter. + +Leaving Melinda on the 7th of August, he came to Ansandina or Anche-diva, +on the 20th of that month, where he waited some days for the fleet of +Mecca, which he meant to have attacked. While there, the whole of the +crews confessed and received the sacrament. No ships appearing, the fleet +left Anchediva and sailed for Calicut, coming to anchor within a league +of that place on the 13th of September. Several almadias came off +immediately to sell victuals: And some of the principal nayres, with a +Guzurat merchant, brought a message from the zamorin,[17] declaring his +satisfaction at the arrival of the general at his city, in which every +thing he might need was at his command. The general made a polite answer +to the king, with thanks for his civility, and gave orders to bring the +fleet nearer to the city, in doing which all the ordnance was fired as a +salute, to the great astonishment of the natives, the idolaters among +them saying that it was impossible to resist us. Next day one Gaspar[18] +was sent on shore to the zamorin, desiring to have a safe-conduct for a +deputation from the general to wait on his highness; and along with +Gaspar the four Malabars who had been carried away from Calicut by Don +Vasco de la Gama were sent on shore. These men were all finely dressed in +Portuguese habits, and the whole inhabitants of the city came out to see +them, rejoiced to find they had been well treated. Though the zamorin was +well pleased with the safe return of his subjects, he refused allowing +them to come into his presence as they were only fishermen, or of a low +cast; but he sent for Gaspar, whom he received with civility, and whom he +assured that our people might come on shore in perfect safety. On +receiving this intelligence, Cabral sent Alonso Hurtado to the zamorin, +intimating that the Portuguese fleet had come on purpose to settle trade +and friendship, and that the general wished for an audience in which to +arrange these matters with his highness. But had orders from the king his +master not to go on shore without sufficient pledges for his security; +among whom he demanded the kutwal of Calicut and Araxamenoca one of the +chiefs of the nayres.[19] On this occasion Hurtado was accompanied by a +person who could speak the language, to act as his interpreter. + +The zamorin was unwilling to send the hostages required, alleging that +they were old and sickly, and offered to send others who were better able +to endure the hardships of living on board. Yet he afterwards, at the +instigation of the Moors, was against sending any hostages; as they made +him believe that the general shewed little confidence in his promise, +which was derogatory to his honour and dignity. This negociation lasted +three days, as Hurtado insisted on this as a necessary preliminary. At +length, desirous of having trade settled with us, owing to the advantages +which would accrue to his revenue, the zamorin agreed to give the +hostages required. On which, leaving the command of the fleet in his +absence to Sancho de Toar, Cabral directed that the hostages should be +well treated, but on no account to deliver them to any one even although +demanded in his name. On the 28th of December, Cabral went on shore +magnificently dressed and attended by thirty of his principal officers +and others, the kings servants, in as much state as if he had been king +of Portugal; carrying with him rich furniture for his apartments, with a +cupboard of plate containing many rich pieces of gilt silver. He was met +by many principal nayres, sent by the zamorin to wait upon him, and +attended by a numerous train, among whom were many persons sounding +trumpets sackbuts and other musical instruments. The zamorin waited for +him in a gallery close by the shore, which had been erected on purpose; +and while the general went towards the shore, accompanied by all the +boats of the fleet, dressed out with flags and streamers, the hostages +were carried on board his ship, where they were loath to enter till they +should see the general on shore, lest he might return and detain them; +but were at last reassured of their safety by Aries Correa. On landing, +Cabral was received in great state by several _caymals, pinakals_, and +other principal nayres; by whose directions he was placed in an _andor_ +or chair, in which he was carried to the _serame_ or hall of audience, +where the king waited his arrival. + +The serame or gallery, was all hung round with rich carpets, called +_alcatifas_; and at the farther end the zamorin sat in an alcove or +recess resembling a small chapel, with a canopy of unshorn crimson velvet +over his head, and having twenty silk cushions under him and about him. +The zamorin was almost naked, having only a piece of white cotton round +his waist, wrought with gold. On his head he wore a cap of cloth of gold +resembling a helmet. In his ears he had rich jewels of diamonds, +sapphires, and pearls, two of the latter being as large as walnuts. His +arms, from the elbows to the wrists, were covered with golden bracelets, +set with numberless precious stones of great value; and his legs, from +the knees to the ankles, were similarly adorned. His fingers and toes had +numerous rings, and on one of his great toes he wore a ruby of great size +and wonderful brilliancy. One of his diamonds was bigger than a large +bean. All these were greatly surpassed by his girdle of gold and jewels, +which was altogether inestimable, and was so brilliant that it dazzled +the eyes of the beholders. Beside the zamorin was a rich throne or state +chair, all of gold and jewels; and his _andor_, in which he had been +carried from the palace was of similar richness, and stood near him. He +was attended by twenty trumpeters, seventeen of whom had silver trumpets, +and three of them gold, all the mouth-pieces being finely wrought and set +with jewels. Although in full day, the hall was lighted by many silver +lamps, in the fashion of the Moors. Close by the king there stood a +spitting basin of gold, and several silver perfuming-pans, which produced +an excellent odour. Six paces from the king, he was attended on by his +two brothers, who were the nearest heirs to the kingdom; and a little +farther off were many noblemen, all standing. + +On entering the hall, and seeing the splendid state of the zamorin, +Cabral would have kissed his hand, as is the custom of Europe; but was +informed that this was not customary among them, and therefore sat down +in a chair near the king, which was appointed for him as an especial +honour. He then delivered his letter of credit from the king of Portugal, +written in Arabic, and then said, that the king his master, willing to +cultivate trade and friendship with the zamorin and his subjects, had +given him orders to require permission to establish a factory or house of +trade in Calicut, which should always be supplied with every kind of +merchandize that was in demand; and requested the zamorin to supply a +sufficient loading of spices for the ships under his command, which he +was ready to pay for, either by means of the commodities he had on board, +or in ready money. The zamorin seemed or affected to be pleased with the +embassy, and said that the king of Portugal was welcome to every thing in +his city of which he was in need. At this time the present from the king +of Portugal to the zamorin was brought forwards; which, among other +things, contained, a richly wrought basin and ewer of silver gilt; a gilt +silver flaggon and cover of similar workmanship; two silver maces; four +cushions, two of which were cloth of gold, and the other two of unshorn +crimson velvet; a state canopy of cloth of gold, bound and fringed with +gold; a carpet of rich crimson velvet; two very rich arras hangings, one +ornamented with human figures, and the other with representations of +trees and flowers. The zamorin was much satisfied with this present, and +said the general might either retire to his lodgings for rest and +refreshment, or might return to his ships as he thought best; but, as the +hostages were men of high cast and could not endure the sea, who could +neither eat or drink while on board consistent with their customs, it +became necessary that they should come on shore. Wherefore, if the +general would return to his ship and send these men on shore, and +inclined to come back next day to conclude all matters relative to the +trade of Calicut, the same hostages should be again sent on board. As the +general placed confidence in these assurances of the zamorin, he went on +board, leaving Hurtado and other seven of his people in charge of his +valuables that were left on shore. When at the water side and ready to +embark, a servant of one of the hostages, who was dispatched by the +comptroller of the zamorins household, went before in an almadia or small +pinnace, and gave notice to the hostages that the general was coming on +board. On which they leapt into the sea, meaning to escape to land in the +almadia with the servant: But Aries Correa went immediately with some of +the Portuguese mariners in a boat, and retook two of the hostages, with +three or four of the Malabars belonging to the almadia: The rest of the +hostages, among whom was the kutwal, got to the city. + +When Cabral came on board and learnt what had happened, he ordered the +two remaining hostages to be secured below deck, and sent a complaint to +the zamorin against the conduct of the hostages, laying all the blame on +the comptroller. He desired the messenger to inform the zamorin of the +situation of the two remaining hostages, and to say that they should be +liberated whenever the Portuguese and the goods on shore were sent back +to the ships. Next day the zamorin came to the shore accompanied by 12, +000 men, and sent off the Portuguese people and their commodities to the +ships in thirty almadias, with orders to bring back the hostages. But +none of the Malabars in the almadias dared to approach the ships, being +afraid of the Portuguese, and returned therefore to the land without +delivering our people and commodities. Next day, the general sent some of +his own boats to land the pledges, but at some distance from the almadias; +on which occasion Araxamenoca, one of the hostages, leapt into the sea +with an intention to escape, but was retaken; and while our people were +busied in securing him, the other hostage made his escape. The general +was astonished at the want of truth and honour in these people, and gave +orders to keep Araxamenoca in strict custody; but finding at the end of +three days that the zamorin did not send for him, and that during all +this period he refused all sustenance, Cabral took compassion on him and +sent him to the zamorin, requesting that two of our men who remained on +shore might be sent on board, which was complied with. + +After waiting three days without any message from the zamorin, the +general sent one Francisco Correa to inquire if he inclined to confirm +the agreement between them, in which case he would send Aries Correa on +shore to treat with his highness, for whose safety he required hostages. +The zamorin answered that he was perfectly willing to have the trade +established, and that the general might send Aries Correa or any other +person on shore for that purpose, and transmitted two grandsons of a rich +merchant of Guzerate as hostages. Aries Correa went accordingly on shore, +and was accommodated by the orders of the zamorin with a convenient house +for himself and his goods, which belonged to the Guzerate merchant, who +was likewise commanded to assist Correa in regard to the prices of his +merchandize and all other things relating to the trade and customs of the +place. But this man being a friend to the Moors of Mecca, thwarted him in +all things instead of giving him assistance. The Moors were determined +enemies to our people, both for being Christians, and lest their credit +and advantageous traffic in Calicut might suffer by the establishment of +our trade in that port. Wherefore, by means of their confederacy with the +Guzerate merchant, they took our goods at any price they pleased, and +intimidated the Malabars from trading with us. The Moors concluded that +the establishment of our factory would lower the price of such +commodities as they had to sell, and would inhance the value of the +spiceries, drugs, and jewels which they took in exchange. On this account +they thwarted Correa in all his transactions, offering higher prices than +ordinary for every article, by which he was constrained to buy every +thing at a very dear rate. If at any time he wished an audience of the +zamorin, the Moors always contrived to be present, that some of them +might speak against him. In this conduct they were assisted by +_Samicide_[20], a Moor, who was admiral of Calicut; who likewise hindered +any of our people of the factory from going on board the fleet, and +detained any of our boats that approached the shore, pretending to do this +by command of the zamorin. + +On learning this sinister conduct of the Moorish admiral of Calicut, and +suspecting some intended treachery, the general gave orders to the fleet +to weigh their anchors, and to remove out of the harbour, lest they might +be attacked by the zamorins fleet, and that he might take counsel with +the other captains for the safety of the expedition. On learning this, +the zamorin inquired the reason from Correa, who urged the injurious +behaviour of the Moors, and told him all that they had done. The zamorin +immediately gave orders that the Moors should discontinue their villanous +conduct towards us, and even removed the Guzerate merchant from our +factory, appointing one _Cosebequin_[21] in his place, who, though a Moor, +was a very honest man and behaved to us in a friendly manner. This man +was of great credit in Calicut, being the head of all the native Moors of +that country, who are always at variance with the Moors of Cairo and of +the Red Sea, of whom the admiral Samicide was the chief. The Zamorin gave +farther orders, that our factory should be removed to a house close to +the shore which belonged to Cosebequin, that our merchants might have +greater freedom to buy and sell, without any interruption from the Moors. +For the greater security, a deed of gift was made of this house by the +zamorin to the king of Portugal and his successors for ever, a copy of +which, signed and sealed by the zamorin, was enclosed in a casket of gold +that it might be conveyed to Portugal; and permission was given to +display a flag of the royal arms of Portugal from the top of the +factory[22]. On receiving intelligence of these favourable measures, Cabral +brought back the fleet into the harbour of Calicut, and sent his +compliments of thanks to the zamorin for his gracious and favourable +dispositions. After this, our factory had tolerably good fortune in +conducting its trade by the assistance of Cosebequin: and the natives, +finding our factory favoured by the zamorin, behaved so very civilly to +our people that they could go about wherever they pleased, with as much +freedom and safety as in Lisbon. + +During the subsistence of this friendly intercourse, a large Moorish ship +was descried from Calicut on its voyage from Cochin for Cambaya; and the +zamorin requested our general to make prize of the ship, alleging that it +contained a peculiarly fine elephant which he wished to possess, and +which had been refused to him although he had offered more than its value. +The general answered that he would do this willingly to gratify his +highness; but, as he was informed the ship was large and well manned, +both with mariners and soldiers, it could not be expected to surrender +without resistance, in which some men might be slain on both sides, and +it was therefore necessary he should have the sanction of his highness to +kill these people in case of resistance, which was accordingly granted. +Upon which the general sent Pedro de Tayde in his caravel, accompanied by +a valiant young gentleman named Duarte, or Edward Pacheco, and by sixty +fighting men, with orders to take this ship. Along with them the zamorin +sent certain Moors, that they might witness the manner of fighting used +by the Portuguese. The caravel gave chase to the Moorish ship till night, +and then lost sight of her; but in sailing along shore by moon-light, +they saw her riding at anchor, ready for defence, judging her to be about +600 tons burthen, and to contain 300 fighting men. Pacheco, according to +his orders, did not think proper to lay the Moorish ship on board, but +commanded his ship to be brought to, intending to sink the Moorish ship +by means of his ordnance, in case of necessity. The Moors made light of +our small force, which they greeted with loud cries and the sound of +musical instruments, after which they played their ordnance against our +caravel. They were bravely answered by our men, and one of our balls +struck them between wind and water, so that the Moorish ship took in much +water; and many of their men being killed and wounded by our shot, they +bore away for the bay of Cananor, which was very near, and came there to +anchor beside other four Moorish ships. Pacheco followed them and +continued to batter them with his guns, and had assuredly taken them had +not certain _paroas_ belonging to the Moors come from the port of Cananor +to their assistance. The night growing very dark, Pacheco quitted the bay +lest his caravel might be set on fire by the Moors, and came to anchor +close to an island at a short distance, having had nine of his men +wounded by arrows during the engagement. + +Next morning Pacheco again attacked the Moorish ship, which at last +yielded, to the great displeasure of the natives of Cananor, who had +flocked to the seaside intending to have succoured the Moors; but, on +Pacheco sending a few shots among them, they all dispersed. Pacheco came +next day to Calicut with his prize, where the zamorin came down to the +water side to see the Moorish ship, giving great praise to our people for +their prowess, being much astonished that so great a ship should be taken +by one so much inferior in size and number of men. The general commanded +this ship to be delivered to the zamorin, together with the seven +elephants that were on board, which were worth in Calicut 30,000 crowns. +He also sent a message to the zamorin, saying that he need not be +astonished at this action as he would perform much greater actions to +serve his highness. The zamorin returned thanks for what had been done, +and desired the brave men who had performed this gallant action to be +sent him, that he might do them honour and reward them as they deserved; +and he bestowed large presents upon Pacheco in particular. Some affirm +that the performance of this gallant feat by so small a number of our men +against such great odds, raised fear and jealousy of the Portuguese in +the mind of the zamorin, and made him anxious to get them away from his +country; for which cause he gave his consent to the treachery which was +used against them, as I mean to shew in the sequel[23]. + +The Moors of Calicut were more terrified than ever at the Portuguese in +consequence of the capture of this ship, and were much offended by the +favour bestowed by the zamorin upon our men for their gallantry on this +occasion. They believed that all this was done, out of, revenge against +themselves, for the injuries they had done us, and was intended to induce +them to retire from Calicut; especially as our people brought there as +great store of merchandize as they did, and bought as many spices. Taking +all this into consideration, they procured an audience of the zamorin, to +whom one of their number made the following oration in the name of all +the Moors. + +_"Emparather[24]_ of all the Malabars, as great as the mightiest +sovereign of the Indies, and most powerful among the princes of the earth. +We are astonished that you should debase yourself by receiving into your +country these enemies of your law and strangers to the customs of your +kingdom, who seem pirates rather than merchants. We should not wonder at +your so doing were your city in want of the commodities they bring, or +could not otherwise dispose of the spiceries they purchase: But we, whom +you have long known and whose fidelity you are well assured of by +experience, have always done both to the great increase of your revenue. +You appear to forget all this, by receiving those whom you do not know +into your favour, and employing them to revenge your injuries, as if your +own numerous and faithful subjects were incompetent for the purpose. In +this you dishonour yourself, and embolden these strangers to hold your +power in contempt, and to act as we know they will hereafter, by robbing +and plundering all merchant ships that frequent your port, to the ruin of +your country, and who will at length take possession of your city. This +is the true intent of their coming into these seas, and not to trade for +spices as they pretend. Their country is almost 5000 leagues from hence, +and the voyage out and home is attended by many dangers through unknown +and stormy seas, besides the great cost of their large ships with so many +men and guns; Hence at whatever prices they may dispose of their spices +in Portugal, it is obvious such a trade must be carried on with great +loss; which is a manifest proof that they are pirates, and not merchants, +who come here to rob, and to take your city. The house you have given +them for a factory, they will convert into a fort, from whence they will +make war on you when you least expect it. All this we say more from the +good will we owe you, than for any profit; for, if you do not listen to +our advice, there are other cities in Malabar to which we will remove, +and to which the spices will be conveyed for us." + +To this harangue the zamorin gave a favourable answer, saying that he +would give attention to all they had said, of which indeed he already had +some suspicions. That he had employed the Portuguese to seize the ship to +try their courage, and had allowed them to load their ships, that the +money they had brought to purchase goods might remain in the country; and +finally, that he would not forsake them in favour of the strangers. The +Moors were by no means satisfied with all this, because the zamorin did +not order us to depart from Calicut, and did not stop our trade, which +was their chief purpose. Though disappointed in these views, they +continued to intermiddle in our affairs, particularly by buying up the +spices and sending them elsewhere, in hope of irritating our people, and +bringing on a quarrel, that they might have a pretext to attack us. This +they were much inclined to bring about, as, being greatly more numerous +than our men, they hoped the zamorin would take part with them against us. +They likewise used all possible means to draw over the common people of +Calicut to their side, and to excite them to enmity, against us, by +making them believe that our people had injured them. + +Through those devices, our factor was unable to procure more spices than +sufficed to load two ships in the course of three months, from which the +general was convinced that the friendly assurances of the zamorin was +little to be depended on; and if he had not been afraid of not being able +to procure a sufficient supply elsewhere, he would have gone to another +port: But, having already consumed a long time and been at heavy charges, +he determined to remain at Calicut, and sent a message to the zamorin, +complaining of the delays, which ill accorded with the promises of his +highness, that the whole fleet should be loaded in twenty days, whereas +three months were now elapsed and the loading of two ships only was +procured. He urged the zamorins promise that the Portuguese ships were to +be first loaded; whereas he had assured information that the Moors had +bought up great quantities of spices at lower prices, and sent them to +other places, and begged the zamorin to consider that it was now time for +the ships to begin their voyage to Portugal, and that he anxiously wished +for dispatch. On receiving this message, the zamorin pretended to be much +surprised that our ships were still unprovided with a loading, and could +not believe that the Moors had secretly bought up and removed the spices, +contrary to his orders; and even gave permission to the general to take +those ships belonging to the Moors which were laden with spices, paying +the same prices for the spices which had been given by the Moors. This +intelligence gave much satisfaction to the Moors, as a favourable +opportunity for drawing on hostilities with the Portuguese; and, +accordingly, one of the principal Moorish merchants began immediately to +load his ship: openly with all kinds of drugs and spices, and suborned +several Moors and Indians, who pretended to be the friends of our factor, +to insinuate that he would never be able to find a sufficient loading for +our fleet, if he did not seize that ship. Correa listened to this +insidious advice, which he communicated to the general, urging him to +take that Moorish ship, as he had license from the zamorin to that effect. +The general was exceedingly unwilling to proceed to this extremity, +afraid of the influence of the Moors with the zamorin, and of producing +hostilities with the natives. But Correa remonstrated against delay, +protesting that the general should be responsible for all losses that +might accrue to the king of Portugal through his neglect. Over-persuaded +by this urgency of the factor, the general sent all the boats of the +squadron on the 17th of December to take possession of the Moorish ship. + +When this intelligence was received on shore, the Moors thought this a +favourable opportunity of destroying our people, and immediately raised a +great outcry against the Portuguese, incensing the people of the city to +join with them in complaining to the zamorin; to whom they went in a +tumultuous manner, representing that we had bought and shipped a much +larger quantity of drugs and spices than the value of all our merchandize, +and not contented with this, were for taking all like thieves and pirates; +they blamed the zamorin for permitting us to trade in the city, and +requested his license to revenge themselves upon us for the loss of their +vessel. The faithless and inconstant king save them the license they +required; on which they immediately armed themselves, and ran furiously +to our factory, which was surrounded by a wall eight or ten feet high, +and contained at that time seventy Portuguese, among whom was Fra +Henriques and his friars. Of our people in the factory, only eight were +armed with crossbows, all the rest being only armed with swords, with +nothing to defend them but their cloaks. On hearing the tumult, our +people went to the gate of the factory, and seeing only a few assailants, +they thought to defend themselves with their swords against a mischievous +rabble, but the numbers of the Moors soon increased, and galled our +people so severely with their spears and arrows, that they were forced to +shut the gates, after killing seven of the enemy, hoping to be able to +defend themselves by means of the wall. In this conflict four of our men +were slain, and several wounded, and all the remainder mounted the wall +to defend it by means of the crossbows, judging that the assailants were +at least four thousand men, among whom were several nayres. + +Cores now found himself unable to defend the factory against so great a +force, and therefore hoisted a flag as signal to the fleet. The general +was at this time sick in bed, having been just blooded, and was not +therefore able to go in person to relieve the people in the factory; but +immediately sent all the boats of the fleet, well manned, under the +command of Sancho de Toar. But he was afraid to venture on land with so +small a force against so great a multitude, or even to approach too near +the shore, lest the enemies might assail him in their almadias and tonis. +He lay off, therefore, at a considerable distance, where he remained a +spectator of the valiant defence made by our people at the factory, +whence they killed great numbers of the assailants. But their enemies +always increased in numbers, and they at length brought up certain +engines to beat down part of the wall, in which they at length succeeded. +On this, our men issued out by a door which led towards the sea side, in +hopes of being able to fight their way to the boats, in which attempt +Corea was slain, and fifty more of our men were either killed or made +prisoners, twenty only escaping who swam to the boats, most of whom were +much wounded. Among these were Fra Henriques, and Antonio, the son of +Aries Corea, then only eleven years old; who hath since done many noble +feats of arms in the Indies and other places, as I shall afterwards +declare in the _Fourth_ Book of this history. + +The general was much concerned at this event, not only for the loss of +his men, but on seeing how little confidence could be reposed on the +promises of the zamorin after all the presents he had received, and the +services which had been performed for him. He had now spent three months +at Calicut, during which he had only loaded two of his ships, and knew +not how to procure loading for the rest; especially as he could not +expect a favourable reception at Cochin on account of having captured the +ship with the elephant as before related. Considering the treason which +had been practised on our men, the general determined upon taking a +signal revenge, if the zamorin did not make an ample excuse for what had +taken place, and make a full reparation by immediately providing the rest +of the ships with lading. The zamorin, however, had no such intentions, +being much pleased with what the Moors had done, and even ordered all the +goods in our factory to be seized, to the value of 4000 ducats. He +likewise ordered all of our people who had been taken on shore to be made +captives, four of whom died of their wounds. Seeing that no message or +excuse was sent by the zamorin all that day, the general held a council +with his officers as to the proper steps to be taken on the present +emergency; when it was determined to take immediate and ample revenge, +without giving time to the zamorin to arm his fleet. On this, orders were +issued to take possession of ten large ships which lay in the road or +harbour of Calicut, which was done after some resistance, many of their +crews being killed or drowned, and others made prisoners who were +reserved to serve as mariners on board our fleet. Some spices and other +merchandize were taken in these ships, and three elephants, which were +killed and salted as provisions for the voyage; and it appeared that 600 +Moors were slain in defending these ships. After every thing of value was +taken from the Moorish ships, they were all burnt in sight of the city. +Many of the Moors embarked in their almadias to attempt succouring their +ships, but our men soon put them to flight by means of their ordnance. + +The zamorin and the whole city of Calicut were much mortified to see so +many ships destroyed, and them unable to help, but their astonishment and +terror were much increased by the events of the ensuing day. During the +night, the general ordered all the ships of the fleet to be towed as near +as possible to the shore by means of the boats, and spread out at some +distance from each other, that they might be able to reach the city with +their ordnance; which, as soon as day broke, was directed to play upon +the city in every direction, doing vast damage among the houses. The +natives brought down to the shore such small pieces of ordnance as they +possessed, which they fired off against us, but without being able to do +us any injury; whereas not a shot of ours missed taking effect, either +among the multitude of our enemies which flocked to the shore, or on the +buildings of the city, both the houses of the inhabitants and the temples +of their deities receiving incredible damage. So great was the +consternation, that the zamorin fled from his palace, and one of his +chief nayres was killed by a ball close beside him. Part even of the +palace was destroyed by the cannonade. Towards afternoon two ships were +seen approaching the harbour, which immediately changed their course on +seeing how our fleet was employed; on which the general ceased firing +against Calicut, and made all sail after these two ships to Pandarane, +where they took shelter among other seven ships lying at anchor close to +the shore and filled with Moors. Finding that our fleet could not get +near enough to attack them, owing to shallow water, and considering that +it was now late in the season for his voyage back to Lisbon, the general +resolved to be contented with the revenge he had already taken upon +Calicut, and made sail for Cochin, where he was informed there was more +pepper to be had than even at Calicut, and where he hoped to enter into a +treaty with the rajah of that place.' + +On his way towards Cochin, Cabral took two ships belonging to the Moors, +which he set on fire, after taking out of them some rice which they had +on board. On the 20th of December the fleet arrived at Cochin, which is +nineteen leagues to the south of Calicut, and is in nine degrees towards +the north[25]. Cochin is in the province of Malabar, on a river close to +the sea, and is almost an island, so that it is very strong and difficult +of access, having a large and safe harbour. The land in its neighbourhood +is low and intersected by branches of the river into many islands. The +city itself is built much after the same manner with Calicut, and is +inhabited by idolaters, with a good many Moorish strangers, who come +hither to trade from many countries, two of whom were so rich as to have +each fifty ships employed. This country does not abound in provisions, +but produces large store of pepper, even Calicut being mostly supplied +from hence: But as Calicut is greatly more resorted to by merchants, it +is therefore much richer than Cochin. The king is an idolater, of the +same manners and customs with him of Calicut; but his country being small +he is very poor, and has not even the right to coin money, being in many +respects subordinate to the zamorin; who, on his accession to the throne +always goes to Cochin, and takes possession of that kingdom, either +retaining it in his own hands, or restoring the rajah as he may think +proper. The rajah of Cochin, consequently, is bound to assist the zamorin +in all his wars, and must always be of the same religion with his +paramount. + +Having come to anchor in the harbour of Cochin, the general sent one +Michael Jogue[26] on shore with a message to the rajah, as he feared to +send Caspar on shore, lest he might run away. This person, though an +idolater and a stranger, had come aboard our fleet with the intention of +becoming a Christian, and of going into Portugal, and our general had him +baptised by the name of Michael. He was ordered to give the rajah of +Cochin an account of all that had happened at Calicut, and that Cabral +had brought great store of merchandize to barter for the commodities of +Cochin; or if the rajah were not satisfied with these, he was willing to +give ready money for what he wanted; requesting to be furnished with +loading for four of his ships in either way, as most agreeable to the +rajah. To this message the rajah[27] made answer, that he was exceedingly +glad of the arrival of the Portuguese, of whose power and valour he had +already heard, for which he esteemed them highly, and that they were +welcome to purchase what spices his country afforded, either in barter +for their goods, or for money, as they thought proper. He added, that the +general might freely send any agents he pleased on shore to make +purchases and sales, and sent two principal nayres as hostages for their +safety; conditioning only, that they might be changed daily for others, +because any of that cast who chanced to eat even once on shipboard could +never appear again in the rajahs presence. Cabral was well pleased with +this promising beginning, and immediately appointed Gonzalo Gil Barbosa +as factor, who had been assistant to Aries Correa, giving him Laurenço +Morena as clerk, and Madera de Alcusia as interpreter, with four of the +banished men as servants. + +On receiving notice of the landing of Barbosa, the rajah sent the +register[28] of the city to meet him, accompanied by many of the nayres, +or principal men of the court, who brought him to visit the rajah, who +was much inferior in dress and appearance of state to the zamorin, even +the hall of audience having only bare walls, seated around like a theatre, +in which the rajah sat with very few attendants. Barbosa presented to the +rajah, in name of our general, a basin of silver filled with saffron, a +large silver ewer filled with rose water, and some branches of coral, +which the rajah received with much satisfaction, desiring his thanks to +be returned to the general; and after some conversation with the factor, +and interpreter, he gave orders for them to be properly lodged in the +city. The general gave especial orders that no more than the seven +persons already mentioned should remain on shore, thinking it imprudent +to risk a greater number, in case of experiencing a similar misfortune +with what had lately happened at Calicut. But there was here no cause for +distrust, as the rajah of Cochin was a person of truth and honour, as +appeared by his good usage of our men, the quick dispatch that was used +in loading our ships with spices, and the orders he gave to his people to +afford every assistance, which they did with much alacrity and zeal: so +that it seemed ordained of God, that the trade should be transferred from +Calicut to Cochin, for the advancement of the Catholic faith in the +Indies, and the enrichment of the crown of Portugal[29]. + +After the ships were laden, two Indians came to wait upon the general, +who said that they were brothers, and Christians, born in Cranganore near +Cochin, who were desirous of going to Portugal, and thence to visit the +Pope at Rome, and the holy sepulchre at Jerusalem[30]. Being asked by the +general what kind of a city Cranganore was, whether it was entirely +inhabited by Christians, and whether these Christians followed the order +of the Greek or Roman church, one of them gave the following answers. + +Cranganore is a large city in the province of Malabar on the mainland, +standing near the mouth of a river, by which likewise it is encompassed, +inhabited both by idolaters and Christians, and by some Jews who are held +in small esteem. It is much frequented by strangers, among whom are +merchants from Syria, Egypt, Persia, and Arabia, who come thither to +purchase pepper, a great deal of which commodity is gathered in its +territories. It has a king of its own, to whom all the Christian +inhabitants pay a certain tribute, and have a quarter of their own in the +city, where they have a church resembling ours, in which there were +crosses, but no images of the saints, and no bells, being summoned to +prayers by the priests as in the Greek church. These Christians hail +their popes, with twelve cardinals, two patriarchs, and many bishops and +archbishops, all of whom reside in Armenia, to which country their +bishops always went for consecration. He had been there himself along +with a bishop, where he was ordained a priest. That this rule was +observed by all the clergy of the Indies and of Cathay, who have to go to +the pope or Catholicos of Armenia for consecration. Of their two +patriarchs, one resides in the Indies, and the other in Cathay[31], their +bishops residing in different cities as it may seem convenient. Their +tonsure is made in form of a cross. + +The cause of their having a pope is said to have been on the following +account: 'When St Peter was residing at Antioch, there happened a great +schism, occasioned by Simon Magus, on which Peter was called to Rome to +assist the Christians in overthrowing that heresy; and, that he might not +leave the eastern church without a shepherd, he appointed a vicar to +govern at Antioch, who should become pope after the death of Peter, and +should always assist the pope of Armenia. But, after the Moors entered +into Syria and Asia Minor, as Armenia remained always in the Christian +faith, they came to be governed by twelve cardinals. Marco Polo, in +writing concerning Armenia, mentions this pope or Catholicos, and says +there are two sects of Christians, the Nestorians and Jacobites, their +pope being named Jacobus, whom this Joseph named their Catholicos. The +priests of Cranganore are not shaven in the same manner with ours, but +shave the whole head, leaving a few hairs on the crown and they have both +deacons and subdeacons. In consecrating the elements, they use leavened +bread and wine made of raisins, having no other in the country. Their +children are not baptized till they are eleven days old, unless they +happen to be sickly. They confess as we do, and bury their dead after a +similar manner. They do not use the holy oil to the dying, but only bless +them; and when any one dies, they gather a large company and feast for +eight days, after which the obsequies are celebrated. If any person dies +without making a testament, their lands and goods go to the nearest heir; +but the widow is entitled to her dower if she remain a year unmarried. On +going into church they use holy water. They hold the writings of the four +Evangelists in great veneration. They fast during Lent and Advent with +much solemnity, and on Easter Eve they neither eat nor drink the whole +day. They have regularly sermons on the night of Holy Friday, and they +observe the day of the Resurrection with great devotion. Likewise the two +following days, and the ensuing Sunday, are particularly kept holy, +because on that day St Thomas thrust his hand into the side of our +Saviour. Ascension Day, Trinity Sunday, the Assumption and Nativity of +the Blessed Virgin, Candlemas Day, Christmas Day, all the days of the +apostles, and all the Sundays throughout the year, are kept with much +devotion. They sanctify in a particular manner the first day of July +every year in honour of St Thomas, but they could give no reason why this +was done. They have also native friars and nuns, who live with much +regularity. Their priests also live chastely, as those who do otherwise +are debarred from executing their functions. They allow of no divorce +between married people, who must live together till death. They receive +the sacrament regularly three times in every year. They have among them +certain learned men, or great doctors, who keep schools, in which they +teach the Scriptures, and likewise some excellent interpretations which +were left in old times by their ancient doctors. Their dress is similar +to that of the Moors. Their day consists of forty hours; and, having no +clocks, they judge of the time of the day by the sun, and in the night by +the motion of the stars[32]. The general was very glad to receive this +Joseph and his brother, and gave orders to provide them with a good cabin +in his ship. + +While Cabral remained at Cochin, he received messages from the kings of +Cananor and Coulan, both considerable princes in the province of Malabar, +requesting him to come to their ports, where he should be supplied +cheaper than at Cochin, and giving him many offers of friendship. He made +answer, with his hearty thanks, that he could not now visit their ports, +having already begun to take in his loadings bet that he should certainly +visit them on his return to India. Immediately after the Portuguese ships +were laden, a fleet of twenty-five great ships, and other small vessels +was descried in the offing; and notice was sent by the rajah of Cochin to +our general, that this fleet contained fifteen thousand fighting men, and +had been fitted out on purpose to make him and all his people prisoners. +At the same time the rajah offered to send men to his assistance, if he +stood in need; but the general answered he had no need of any such aid at +the present, as he trusted, with God's blessing, to convince his enemies +they were ill advised in seeking now to attack him, having already given +them a trial of his strength; alluding to what he had already done to +them at Calicut. The enemy continued to hover off at sea, but did not +venture to come nearer than a league, though they seemed in fighting +order. Seeing this shyness, the general weighed anchor, and went out with +all his fleet against them, having on board the two nayres who were +hostages for the factory on shore, but his intentions were to have +returned with them to Cochin. Soon after leaving the harbour, a great +storm arose with a foul wind, so that he was forced to come to anchor +without attaining to the enemy. Next morning, being the 10th January 1501, +the wind came fair, and being desirous to attack the fleet of Calicut, +the general made sail towards them; but missing the ship commanded by +Sancho de Toar, who had parted from the fleet in the night, and that +being the largest and best manned ship of the fleet, he deemed it prudent +to avoid fighting with so large a force, especially as many of his men +were sick. The wind, likewise, was now quite fair for beginning his +voyage home, and was quite contrary for going back to Cochin to land the +hostages. He determined, therefore, to commence his voyage, and stood out +to sea; the enemy following him during the whole of that day, but +returned towards Calicut when night drew on. Cabral now turned his +attention to the forlorn nayres, who had been five days on board without +eating, and by dint of much and kind entreaty, he at length prevailed on +them to take food. + +On the 15th of January, the fleet came in sight of Cananore, which lies +on the coast of Malabar, thirty-one leagues north of Cochin. This is a +large city with a fine bay, the houses being built of earth, and covered +with flat stones or slates, and it contains many Moors who trade thither +for many kinds of goods. The neighbourhood produces hardly any more +pepper than is necessary for its own consumpt; but has plenty of ginger, +cardamoms, tamarinds, mirabolans, cassia-fistula[33], and other drugs. In +several pools of water near this city there are many very large +alligators[34], similar to the crocodiles of the Nile, which devour men +when they come in their way. They have very large heads with two rows of +teeth, and their breath smells like musk, their bodies being covered all +over with hard scales like shells. In the bushes near this city there are +many large and very venomous serpents, which destroy men by means of +their breath. There are bats likewise as large as kites, which have heads +like a fox and similar teeth, and the natives often eat these animals. +The city of Cananore abounds in fish, flesh, and fruits, but has to +import rice from other places. The king or rajah is a bramin, being one +of the three kings of Malabar, but is not so rich and powerful as the +zamorin, or even as the rajah of Coulan. The general came to anchor at +this port, both because he had been invited by the rajah, and because he +wished to take on board some cinnamon, of which commodity he had not as +yet any on board. He accordingly purchased 400 quintals, and might have +had more if he would, but refused it; on which the people of the place +concluded that he had no more money. On this coming to the knowledge of +the rajah, he sent him word that he would trust him with any quantity he +had a mind for of that or any other commodity, till his return from +Portugal, or the arrival of any other in his stead. The rajah was induced +to make this offer, from his knowledge of the just dealings of the +Portuguese, and their faithful performance of their promises. The general +sent his hearty thanks to the rajah for his liberality, promising to +inform the king his master of his good will, and assuring his highness +that he might depend on his constant friendship. + +Cabral now took on board an ambassador from the rajah of Cananore for the +king of Portugal, who was sent to conclude a treaty of amity between them. +Departing from Cananore, and standing across the gulf, he took a great +ship richly laden on the last of January: But on learning that it +belonged to the king of Cambaya, he permitted it to proceed on its voyage +uninjured; sending word to that sovereign, that the Portuguese did not +come to the Indies to make war on any one, excepting indeed with the +zamorin of Calicut, who had scandalously broken the peace which had been +made between them. He therefore only took a pilot out of this ship, to +conduct him through the gulf between India and Africa. While continuing +their voyage, and approaching the African shore, a great storm arose on +the 12th of February, by which in the night the ship of Sancho de Toar +was driven on shore, and taking fire was entirely burnt, the men only +being saved. As the tempest still continued, they were unable to stop at +Melinda, or any other place till they came to Mozambique, where they cast +anchor, in order to take in water and to refit their ships, the seams of +which were all open. From this place, the general dispatched Sancho de +Toar to discover Sofala, with orders to make the best of his way from +that place to Portugal, with an account of its productions. + +The ships being refitted, Cabral resumed the voyage to the Cape of Good +Hope, near which they again experienced a violent storm, in which one of +the ships was separated from the fleet, after firing signals of distress, +and was never seen again during the voyage. At length, after many great +storms and dangers, which it were tedious to recount, Cabral doubled the +Cape on Whitsunday the 22d of May; whence continuing his voyage with a +fair wind, he came to anchor at Cape Verd, where he found Diego Diaz, who +had separated from the fleet on the outward bound voyage. Diaz had been +driven into the Red Sea, where he wintered and lost his boat, and as most +of his men died from sickness, his pilot could not venture to carry him +to India. He endeavoured therefore to find his way back to Portugal; but +after leaving the Red Sea, his men were so consumed with hunger, thirst, +and sickness, that only seven of his crew remained. After remaining some +time at Cape Verd waiting in vain for the missing ships, Cabral proceeded +on his voyage, and arrived safe at Lisbon on the last day of July, in the +year 1501. Soon after his arrival, the ship which had separated in a +storm off the Cape of Good Hope, came in; and shortly after that, Sancho +de Toar arrived from Sofala. He described Sofala as a small island +close on the continent of Africa, inhabited by a black people called +Caffres; and reported that much gold is brought to this place from +certain mines on the adjacent continent; on which account Sofala is much +frequented by Moors from India, who barter merchandize of small value for +gold. He brought along with him to Lisbon a Moor whom he had received as +an hostage or pledge for the safety of one of his own men, whom he had +left there to acquire a knowledge of the country and its language; and +from this Moor they got ample information respecting the people and trade +of those parts of Africa, which I shall afterwards communicate. Including +this last ship, there returned six to Portugal out of the twelve which +had sailed on the voyage for India, the other six having been lost. + + +[1] It will appear in the sequel that there was another captain named + Vasco de Tayde.--E. + +[2] Astley says only 1200,--Astl. I. 40. + +[3] According to Astley, there were eight Franciscan friars besides the + vicar, eight chaplains, and a chaplin-major; and that their orders + were to begin with preaching, and in case that failed, to enforce the + gospel by the sword. In other words, to establish the accursed + tribunal of the inquisition in India, to the eternal disgrace of + Portugal, and of the pretended followers of the ever-blessed Prince of + Peace.--E. + +[4] The remainder of this paragraph is given in the precise words and + orthography of the original translator, Nicholas Lichfild, as a + curious specimen of the nautical language of Britain in 1582.--E. + +[5] According to De Faria, this vessel parted in a storm near Cape Verd, + and returned to Portugal.--Astl. I. 41. a. + +[6] By some unaccountable mistake, the translation of Castaneda by + Lichefild says to the _east_.--E. + +[7] It appears that Cabral had twenty malefactors on board for such + purposes, who had received pardon on condition of submitting to be + landed on occasions of danger.--E. + +[8] Puerto Seguro is in lat. 16°S. and about long. 39° 40'W. This country + of Brasil derived its name from the dye-wood so called.--E. + +[9] Originally, according to Castaneda, there were only ten ships and two + caravels: Both the caravels have been already accounted for as having + left the fleet; and after the loss of four ships, six only ought to + have remained. Astley makes the whole fleet originally to have + consisted of thirteen vessels, which will allow of seven now remaining. + --E. + +[10] This part of the voyage is very indistinctly described. From the lat. + of 27°S. where Cabral is said to have fallen in with the eastern coast + of Africa, to Sofala, in lat. 19°S. the coast stretches out nearly + five degrees to the east, to Capes Corientes and St Sebastian, with + many rivers, the great bays of Delogoa and Asnea, and the islands of + Bocica or Bozarnio, all of which must have been seen by Cabral during + the slow navigation close along shore, but all of which are omitted in + the text.--E. + +[11] Named Inhazato. Sofala is in lat. 13°S. and almost 36°E. from + Greenwich.--E. + +[12] According to De Faria, this person was uncle to the king of Melinda, + and was named Sheikh Foteyma.--Astl. I. 41. b. + +[13] In modern maps this extensive line of coast is divided into the + following separate territories, Inhambane, Sabia, Sofala, Mocaranga, + Mozambico, and Querimba; which will be illustrated in future portions + of this work.--E. + +[14] This word _miso_ is probably an error of the press for mylyo, by + which the African grain named millet is distinguished in other parts + of Castaneda. The _small cattle_ of the text are probably meant for + sheep, as they are frequently thus contradistinguished in other parts + of the original from _great cattle_, not here mentioned.--E. + +[15] These vessels were probably precisely similar to the Arab _dows_ of + the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, which will be afterwards more + particularly described.--E. + +[16] Thus the translation of Castaneda by Lichefild. It was more probably + a superstitious ceremony to guard against witches.--E. + +[17] In an account of this voyage by a Portuguese pilot, inserted in the + collection of Ramusio, the name of the reigning zamorin is said to + have been Gnaffer. Ramus. I. 125. + +[18] Probably the person who was carried prisoner from Anchediva by De + Gama, in the former voyage.--E. + +[19] According to De Faria, the hostages demanded on this occasion were + six principal men of the Bramin cast, whose names were brought from + Portugal by Cabral, by the advice of Bontaybo or Moncayde, the Moor + who went off with De Gama.--Astl. I. 43. b. + +[20] Named by De Faria, Coje Cimireci.--Astl. I. 44, a. + +[21] Called Coje Bequi by De Faria; or rather Khojah Beki, or Beghi: But + most of the foreign names are so corruptly given that it is difficult + to rectify them.--Astl. I. 44. b. + +[22] According to De Faria, this house was granted not without great + difficulty, and was taken possession of by Correa with sixty men.-- + Astl. I. 45. + +[23] According to De Faria, this event was occasioned by the Moorish + admiral of Calicut, without the knowledge of the zamorin, who + instigated Cabral to the attempt in hope of injuring the Portuguese, + and sent information to the Moors to be on their guard. He adds that + Cabral, having discovered the fraud, restored the ship and cargo to + the owners, whom he satisfied for their damages, in order to gain the + favour of the rajah of Cochin.--Astl. I. 45. + +[24] Perhaps meant by Lichefild instead of emperor; or it may be some + native term of dignity.--E. + +[25] The latitude of Cochin is almost 10º N. while Calient is about 11º + 10'.--E + +[26] This Michael Jougue or Joghi, is said to have been a bramin, or + Malabar priest; one of these devotees who wander about the country, + girt with chains and daubed with filth. Those wanderers, if + idolaters, are named Jogues; and Calandars if Mahometans.--Astl. I. 47. + a. + +[27] The rajah who then reigned at Cochin is named Triumpara, or + Trimumpara, by De Faria, De Barros, and other early writers.--Astl. I. + 47. b. + +[28] In other parts of Castaneda, this officer is called the kutwal--E. + +[29] According to De Barros, the rajah of Cochin was offended by the + conduct of the zamorin, on several accounts, and among the rest for + monopolising the trade on the Malabar coast.--Astl. I. 43. a. We may + easily conceive that one strong ground of favour to the Portuguese at + Cochin, was in hopes by their means to throw off the yoke of the + zamorin.--E. + +[30] One of these Christians died during the voyage, but the other, named + Joseph, arrived in Portugal. This is the _Josephus Indus_, or Joseph + the Indian, under whose name there is a short voyage in Grynæus: which + properly speaking is only an account of Cranganore and its inhabitants, + particularly the Christians and their ceremonies, with some account of + Calient, Kambaya, Guzerat, Ormuz, and Narsinga, very short and + unsatisfactory.--Astl. I. 48. b. + +[31] Called Caitaio in the original, but obviously Cathay, or Northern + China, in which we have formerly seen that there were Nestorian + Christians.--E. + +[32] In Lichefilds translation, the account of the day of these Indian + Christians runs thus, which we do not pretend to understand: "They + have their day, which they do call _Intercalor_, which is of _forty_ + hours." + + This account of the Christians found in India by the Portuguese, is + exceedingly imperfect and unsatisfactory; but it would lead to a most + inconvenient length to attempt supplying the deficiency. Those of our + readers who are disposed to study this interesting subject, will find + it discussed at some length in Mosheim, and there is a good abstract + relative to these Oriental sects given by Gibbon, in the Decline and + Fall of the Roman Empire.--E. + +[33] Named Canyfistola in Lichefilds translation. + +[34] Lagartos in the original. + + * * * * * + + +Note.--In the Novus Orbus of Simon Grynaeus, p. 202-211, there is an +article entitled, _Short Account of India, by Joseph, an Indian Christian, +who accompanied Cabral[A] to Lisbon in 1501_. We were inclined to have +inserted this account at this part of our collection as an ancient and +original document: But, on an attentive perusal, it is so jejune, +contused, and uninstructive as not to merit attention. It evidently +appears to have been penned by some person in Cabral's ship during the +voyage home, from repeated conferences with Joseph: But, as the writer of +this article informs us himself, many particulars were unknown to Joseph, +because he had little intercourse with the idolaters, or because the +reporter could not understand the answers which Joseph made to his +inquiries.--E. + +[A] In Grynaeus, Pedro Alvarez de Cabral, is named Peter Aliares.--E. + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Voyage of John de Nueva, being the third made by the Portuguese to India_. + + +Is the same year 1501, supposing all differences to have been settled +amicably at Calicut by Cabral, and that a regular trade was established +both there and at Sofala and Quiloa, the king of Portugal dispatched +three ships and a caravel from Lisbon, under the command of John de Neuva, +a native of Galicia in Spain, who was accounted a valiant gentleman; +having under his orders, Francisco de Navoys, Diego Barboso, and Hernando +de la Pyna, as captains of three of the ships. Two ships of this fleet +were destined to carry merchandize to Sofala[1], and the other two to +Calicut, and all the four contained only eighty men[2]. The instructions +given to Nueva were, that he was to touch at the island of St Blas, where +he was to wait ten days if any of his ships had separated. He was then to +proceed for Sofala, where, if a factory were settled he was to deliver +the goods destined for that place before going to India. If a factory +were not already settled there, he was to do every thing in his power for +that purpose, leaving Alvaro de Braga there as factor, with the +merchandize embarked in the caravel for that market. From Sofala, he was +to proceed to Quiloa; and thence directly to Calicut. He was farther +directed, in case of meeting with Cabral, to obey him as general, and +desire him to settle a factory at Sofala, if his own attempt should fail. + +Nueva left Lisbon on this voyage in March, four months before the return +of Cabral, and arrived in safety at the isle of St Blas; where he found a +letter in an old shoe suspended from the branch of a tree, written by +Pedro de Tayde[3], informing him that the fleet of Cabral had passed this +island on its way back to Portugal, and giving an account of what had +happened at Calicut, of the good treatment the fleet had received at +Cochin, where some of our men remained, and of the friendly disposition +of the king of Cananor[4]. On consulting with the other captains, it was +judged improper to leave the caravel at Sofala, in these circumstances, +as their whole force did not exceed eighty men; wherefore they proceeded +directly for Quiloa, where they found one of the exiles who had been left +there by Cabral, from whom they received a particular account of all that +had happened at Calicut, and of the loss of several of his ships, all of +which he had learnt from some Moors. From Quiloa Nueva sailed on to +Melinda, where the king confirmed the intelligence he had received from +the exile at Quiloa[5]. Thus fully instructed in the state of matters, +Nueva deemed it prudent to keep all the ships of his small squadron, and +sailed across from Melinda to Anchediva, where he came to anchor in +November, intending to take in a supply of water at that place. While +here, seven large ships belonging to Cambaya, which were bound for the +Red Sea, appeared off the anchoring ground, and seemed at first disposed +to attack our ships; but being afraid of the Portuguese ordnance, they +continued their voyage. From Anchediva Nueva proceeded for Cananor, where +he had an audience of the rajah, from whom he received particular notice +of all that had happened in Calicut to Cabral, and of the offer which the +rajah had made to load all his ships at Cananor. The rajah assured him of +his earnest desire of doing every thing in his power to serve the king of +Portugal, and pressed him to take in his loading at that port; but Nueva +declined this offer for the present, until he had consulted with the +factor at Cochin, for which port he took his departure from Cananor. On +his way between Cananor and Cochin, Nueva took a ship belonging to some +of the Moorish merchants at Calicut, after a vigorous resistance, and set +it on fire. + +On his arrival at Cochin, the factor who had been left there by Cabral +came on board with the rest of his company, and acquainted him that the +rajah was greatly offended with Cabral for leaving the port without +seeing him, and for carrying away the hostages; yet had always kindly +entertained and the other members, of the factory, lodging them every +night in the palace for security, and always sending a guard of nayres +along with any of them who had occasion to go out during the day, on +purpose to defend them from the Moors who sought their destruction, and +who had one night set fire to the house in which they lodged before their +removal to the palace. He also informed Nueva that the Moors had +persuaded the native merchants to depreciate the price of the Portuguese +merchandize, and not to take these in exchange for pepper, so that unless +he had brought money for his purchases he would have little chance of +procuring a loading. On this intelligence, and considering that he had +not brought money, Nueva immediately returned from Cochin to Cananor, +expecting to procure his loading at that port, in consequence of the +friendly dispositions of the rajah towards the king of Portugal[6]. On +his return to Cananor, he found that money was as necessary there for his +purchases as at Cochin: But, when the rajah, was informed of his +difficulties from want of money, he became his security to the native +merchants for 1000 quintals or hundred weights of pepper, 450 quintals of +cinnamon, and fifty quintals of ginger, besides some bales of linen +cloth[7]. By this generous conduct of the rajah, Nueva procured a loading +for his ships, and left his European merchandize for sale at Cananor under +the management of a factor and two clerks. + +On the 15th December, while waiting for a fair wind to begin his homeward +voyage, the rajah sent notice to Nueva that eighty _paraws_ were seen to +the northward, which were past mount _Dely_, and that these vessels were +from Calicut, sent expressly to attack the Portuguese ships; and the +rajah advised him to land his men and ordnance for greater security: But +the general was not of this mind, and sent word to the rajah that he +hoped, with the assistance of God, to be able to defend himself. Next day, +being the 16th of December, before dawn, about an hundred ships and +paraws full of Moors came into the bay, sent on purpose by the zamorin, +who was in hopes to have taken all our ships and men. As soon as Nueva +perceived this numerous armament, he hoisted anchor and removed his +squadron to the middle of the bay, where he ordered all his ships to pour +in their shot against the enemy without intermission. Doubtless, but for +this, the enemy would have boarded his ships, and they were so numerous +it would have been impossible for him to have escaped; but as the Moors +had no ordnance, they could do our people no harm from a distance, and +many of their ships and paraws were sunk, with the loss of a vast number +of men, while they did not dare to approach for the purpose of boarding, +and not a single person was killed or hurt on our side. The enemy towards +evening hung out a flag for a parley; but as Nueva feared this might be +intended as a lure, he continued firing, lest they might suppose he +stopped from weariness or fear. But the Moors were really desirous of +peace, owing to the prodigious loss they had sustained, and their +inability to escape from the bay for want of a fair wind. At length, most +of his ordnance being burst or rendered unserviceable by the +long-continued firing, and seeing that the Moors still kept up their flag +of truce, Nueva ceased firing and answered them by another flag[8]. +Immediately on this, a Moor came to Neuva in a small boat, to demand a +cessation of hostilities till next day. This was granted, on condition +that they should quit the bay and put out to sea, which they did +accordingly. Although the wind was very unfavourable, Nueva stood out to +sea likewise, which the enemy could hardly do, as their ships and paraws +can only make sail with a fair wind. Notwithstanding all that had happened, +Nueva was constrained to come to anchor close to the fleet of the enemy, +and gave orders to keep strict watch during the night. At one time they +were heard rowing towards our fleet, and it was supposed they intended +setting our ships on fire; on which Neuva ordered to veer out more cable, +to get farther off. Perceiving that the boats of the enemy continued to +follow, he commanded a gun to be fired at them, on which they made off; +and the wind coming off shore and somewhat fair, they made sail for +Calicut. + +Nueva, after returning thanks to God for deliverance from his enemies, +took his leave of the rajah of Cananor, and departed for Portugal, where +he arrived in safety with all his ships[9]. + +After the departure of Nueva from Cananor, one of his men named Gonsalo +Pixoto, who had been made prisoner and carried to Calicut, came to +Cananor with a message from the zamorin to Nueva, making excuses for all +that had been done there to Cabral, and for the attempt against his own +fleet at Cananor, and offering, if he would come to Calicut, to give him +a full loading of spices, and sufficient hostages both for his safety and +the performance of his promise. + + +[1] It afterwards appears that one vessel only was destined for this + particular trade: Perhaps the second was meant for Quiloa.--E. + +[2] According to Astley, I. 49. the crews of these four vessels consisted + in all of 400 men.--E. + +[3] Called de Atayde by Astley.--E. + +[4] According to Astley, I. 49. Nueva discovered in this outward voyage + the Island of Conception, in lat. 8° S. But this circumstance does not + occur in Castaneda.--E. + +[5] Before arriving at Melinda, Nueva gave chase to two large ships + belonging to the Moors, one of which he took and burnt, but the other + escaped.--Astl. I. 49. + +[6] According to De Faria, Nueva took in a part of his loading; at Cochin, + with a view perhaps to preserve the credit of the Portuguese nation at + that place.--Astl. I. 50. a. + +[7] In the original this linen cloth is said to have been made of + _algadon_, a word left untranslated by Lichefild, probably _al-cotton_, + or some such Arabic word for cotton: The linen cloth, therefore, was + some kind of calico or muslin.--E. + +[8] According to De Faria, five great ships and nine paraws were sunk in + this action. De Barros says ten merchant ships and nine paraws.--Astl. + I. 50. c. + +[9] On this part of the voyage, Astley remarks, on the authority of De + Faria, that Nueva touched at the island of St Helena, which he found + destitute of inhabitants; though it was found peopled by De Gama in + his first voyage, only four years before. What is called the island of + St Helena in De Gamas first voyage, is obviously one of the head-lands + of St Elens bay on the western coast of Africa. The island of St + Helena is at a vast distance from the land, in the middle of the + Atlantic ocean.--E. + + + +SECTION V. + +_The Second Voyage of De Gama to India in 1502; being the Fourth made by +the Portuguese to the East Indies_. + +As the king of Portugal felt it incumbent upon him to revenge the +injurious and treacherous conduct of the zamorin, he gave orders to +prepare a powerful fleet for that purpose; the command of which was at +first confided to Pedro Alvares de Cabral, but, for certain just +considerations was taken from him and bestowed on Don Vasco de la Gama. +Every thing being ready, De Gama sailed from Lisbon on the 3d of March +1502, having the command of thirteen great ships and two caravels[1]. The +captains of this fleet were, Pedro Alonso de Aguilar, Philip de Castro, +Don Lewis Cotinho, Franco De Conya, Pedro de Tayde, Vasco Carvallo, +Vincente Sodre, Blas Sodre, the two Sodres being cousins-german to the +captain-general, Gil Hernand, cousin to Laurenço de la Mina, Juan Lopes +Perestrello, Rodrigo de Castaneda, and Rodrigo de Abreo; and of the two +caravels Pedro Raphael and Diego Perez were commanders. In this powerful +squadron they carried out the materials of a third caravel, which was +directed to be put together at Mozambique, and of which Hernand Rodrigues +Badarsas was appointed to be commander. Besides this first fleet of +seventeen sail, a smaller squadron of five ships remained in preparation +at Lisbon, which sailed on the 5th of May under the command of Stephen de +la Gama[2]. + +When De Gama had doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and was arrived at _the +farther end of the currents_[3], he went himself with four of the +smallest vessels to Sofala, sending on the remainder of the fleet to wait +his arrival at Mozambique. This visit to Sofala was in consequence of +orders from the king, to examine the situation of the city and to +endeavour to find a proper situation for a fort, that the Portuguese +might monopolize the trade in gold at that place. He remained there +twenty-five days, during which he settled a treaty of amity with the king, +and had leave to establish a factory; after which mutual presents were +interchanged, and De Gama departed for Mozambique. In going out of the +river from Sofala, one of the ships was lost, but all the men were saved. +At Mozambique he made friendship with the king, who had proved so +unfriendly in the first voyage, and even obtained leave to settle a +factor with several assistants, who were left on purpose to provide +victuals for such ships as might touch here on the voyage to or from +India. Here likewise the caravel destined for that purpose was set up and +provided with ordnance and a sufficient crew, and was left for the +protection of the factory. On leaving Mozambique, De Gama sailed for +Quiloa, having orders to reduce the king of that place to become +tributary, as a punishment for his unfriendly conduct towards Cabral. On +his arrival in that port, Ibrahim the king came on board to visit the +admiral, afraid of being called to account for the injuries he had done +to Cabral. De Gama, knowing that he was not to be trusted, threatened to +make him a prisoner under the hatches, if he did not immediately agree to +pay tribute to the king of Portugal[4]. The king from fear engaged to pay +2000 miticals of gold yearly, and gave one Mehemed Aleones, a principal +man among the Moors whom he hated, as an hostage for the payment. The +reason of his dislike to Mehemed was this: Ibrahim was himself an usurper, +having seized the government in prejudice to the right heir, and was +afraid that Mehemed intended to dethrone him. When the king found himself +at liberty, in consequence of this arrangement, he refused to send the +promised tribute, in hope that De Gama might put the hostage to death, by +which means he might get rid of his enemy: But the Moor, on finding the +tribute did not come, was fain to pay the same himself, by which means he +procured his own liberty. While at Quiloa, the fleet was joined by the +squadron of five ships under Stephen de Gama. + +Leaving Quiloa, De Gama proceeded with the whole fleet for Melinda, where +he took in water and visited the king[5]. Going from thence for India, +and being arrived off Mount Dely, to the north of Cananor, he met a ship +belonging to the Moors of Mecca, and bound for Calicut, which was taken +by our men after a stout resistance[6]. When the ship surrendered, De +Gama went on board and commanded the owners and all the principal Moors +to come before him, whom he ordered to produce all their goods on pain of +being thrown overboard. They answered that they had nothing to produce, +as all their goods were in Calicut; on which De Gama ordered one of them +to be bound hand and foot and thrown into the sea. The rest were +intimidated by this procedure, and immediately delivered up every thing +belonging to them, which was very valuable; all of which was committed to +the charge of Diego Hernando Correa, the factor appointed for conducting +the trade at Cochin, by whose directions they were transported into one +of the Portuguese ships. De Gama ordered all the children belonging to +the Moors to be taken on board one of his own ships, and vowed to make +them all friars in the church of our Lady at Belem, which he afterwards +did[7]. All the ordinary merchandize belonging to the Moors was divided +among his own men; and when all the goods were removed, he ordered +Stephen de la Gama to confine the Moors under the hatches, and to set the +ship on fire, to revenge the death of the Portuguese who were slain in +the factory at Calicut. Soon after this was done, the Moors broke open +the hatches, and quenched the fire; on which the admiral ordered Stephen +de Gama to lay them, aboard. The Moors rendered desperate by this inhuman +treatment, defended themselves to the utmost, and even threw firebrands +into our ship to set it on fire. Night coming on, Stephen had to desist, +but was ordered to watch the Moorish ship carefully that it might not +escape during the dark, and the Moors all night long were heard calling +on Mahomet to deliver them out of the hands of the Christians. When day +appeared, the admiral again ordered Stephen de la Gama to set the ship on +fire, which he did accordingly, after forcing the Moors to retreat into +the poop. Some of the Moors leapt into the sea with hatchets in their +hands, and endeavoured to swim to our boats; but all of these were slain +in the water by our people, and those that remained in the ship were all +drowned, as the vessel sunk. Of 300 Moors, of whom thirty were women, not +one escaped alive; and some of our men were hurt. + +De Gama came soon afterwards to Cananor, where he sent on shore the +ambassadors, and gave them a message for the king, informing him of his +arrival, and craving an audience. Upon this the rajah ordered a platform +of timber to be constructed, which projected a considerable way into the +water, covered over with carpets and other rich cloths, and having a +wooden house or pavilion at the end next the land, which was likewise +covered like the bridge, and was meant for the place of meeting between +the rajah and the admiral. The rajah came first to the pavilion, attended +by 10,000 nayres, and with many trumpets and other instruments playing +before him; and a number of the principal nayres were arranged on the +bridge or platform, to receive the admiral in an honourable manner. The +admiral came in his boat, attended by all: the boats of the fleet decked +out with flags and streamers, carrying certain ordnance in their prows, +and having many drums and trumpets making a very martial appearance. The +admiral disembarked at the outer end of the platform, under: a general +salute from the ordnance of the boats, and was accompanied by all his +captains and a number of men well armed. There were carried before him +two great basins of silver gilt, filled with branches of coral and other +fine things that are esteemed valuable in India. The admiral was received +at the head of the platform by the nayres placed there on purpose, and +was conducted to the rajah, who waited; for him at the door of the +pavilion, and welcomed him with an embrace. They then walked together +into the pavilion, in which two chairs were placed out of compliment to +the admiral, on one of which the rajah sat down, though contrary to his +usual custom, and desired the admiral to be seated on the other. At this +interview a treaty of friendship and commerce was settled, and a factory +allowed to be established at Cananor. In consequence of this, the admiral +gave orders for some of the ships to load here, while others were to do +the same at Cochin[8]. + +Having settled all things to his mind at Cananor and Cochin, the admiral +proceeded with his fleet to the harbour of Calicut, where he took several +paraws in which were about fifty Malabars who could not escape; but he +forbore making any farther hostilities against the city, till he might +see whether or not the zamorin would send him any message. Soon +afterwards there came a boat with a flag to the admirals ship, a which +was a person in the habit of a Franciscan friar, who was taken at first +sight for one of those who had accompanied Ayres Correa, and who they +supposed had remained a prisoner. On entering the ship, he saluted them, +saying _Deo gratias_; but was immediately recognized as a Moor. He +excused himself for coming in that disguise, to secure permission of +getting on board, and said that he brought a message from the zamorin to +the admiral, about settling a trade in Calicut. To this the admiral made +answer, that he would by no means treat on this subject, unless the +zamorin would previously satisfy him for all the goods which had been +seized in the factory, when he consented to the death of Correa and the +rest who were there slain. On this subject three days were spent +ineffectually in messages between the zamorin and the admiral, as the +Moors used every influence to prevent any friendly agreement. At length, +perceiving that all these messages were only meant to gain time, the +admiral sent notice to the zamorin that he would wait no longer than noon +for his final answer, and if that were not perfectly satisfactory and in +compliance with his just demands, he might be assured he would wage cruel +war against him with fire and sword, and would begin with those of his +subjects who were now prisoners in his hands. And, that the zamorin +might not think these were only words of course, he called for an +hour-glass, which he set down in presence of the Moorish messenger, saying +that as soon as the sand had run out a certain number of times, he would +infallibly put in execution all that he had threatened. All this, however, +could not induce the zamorin to perform his promise; for he was of an +inconstant and wavering disposition, and influenced by the counsels of +the Moors. The outward shew he had made of peace was only feigned, or +occasioned by the fear he had of seeing so great a fleet in his port, +from which he dreaded to sustain great injury; but the Moors had now +persuaded him into a contrary opinion, and had prevailed on him to break +his word. + +When the time appointed by the admiral was expired, he ordered a gun to +be fired, as a signal to the captains of his ships to hang up the poor +Malabar prisoners, who had been distributed through the fleet. After they +were dead, he ordered their hands and feet to be cut off and sent on +shore in a paraw, accompanied by two boats well armed, and placed a +letter in the paraw for the zamorin, written in Arabic, in which he +signified that he proposed to reward him in this manner for his deceitful +conduct and repeated breach of faith; and, in regard to the goods +belonging to the king of Portugal which he detained, he would recover +them an hundred fold[9]. After this, the admiral ordered three of his +ships to be warped during the night as near as possible to the shore; and +that these should fire next day incessantly on the city with all their +cannon, by which vast injury was done, and the royal palace was entirely +demolished, besides several other houses belonging to the principal +inhabitants of the place. The admiral afterwards departed for Cochin, +leaving Vincente Sodre with six well armed ships to command the coast, +who was to remain in India when the rest of the fleet returned to +Portugal, and was likewise directed to go upon a voyage of discovery to +the straits of Mecca, and the coast of Cambaya[10]. + +From Calicut the admiral sailed for Cochin; and immediately on his +anchoring in that port, the rajah[11] sent on board certain hostages to +remain as his sureties; and when the admiral landed, the rajah went in +person to meet him. At this interview, the rajah delivered up to the +admiral Stephen Gyl and others who had remained in his country, and the +admiral presented a letter from the king of Portugal to the rajah, +returning thanks for the kindness he had shewn to Cabral, and declaring +his satisfaction at the settlement of a factory for trade at Cochin. The +admiral also delivered a present from the king of Portugal to the rajah, +consisting of a rich golden crown set with jewels, a gold enamelled +collar, two richly wrought silver fountains, two pieces of figured arras, +a splendid tent or pavilion, a piece of crimson satin, and another of +sendal[12]; all of which the rajah accepted with much satisfaction. Yet, +not knowing the use of some of these things, the admiral endeavoured to +explain them; and particularly, ordered the pavilion to be set up to shew +its use, under which a new treaty of amity was settled. The rajah +appointed a house for the use of the Portuguese factory, and a schedule +of prices were agreed upon, at which the various spices, drugs, and other +productions of the country were to be delivered to the Portuguese factors, +all of which were set down in writing in form of a contract. The rajah +likewise delivered present for the king of Portugal, consisting of two +gold bracelets set with precious stones, a sash or turban used by the +Moors of cloth of silver two yards and a half long, two great pieces of +fine Bengal cotton cloth, and a stone as large as a walnut taken from the +head of an animal called _bulgoldolf_, which is exceedingly rare, and is +said to be an antidote against all kipds of poison[13]. A convenient +house being appointed for a factory, was immediately taken possession of +by Diego Hernandez as factor, Lorenzo Moreno, and Alvaro Vas as clerks, +and several other assistants. + +While the ships were taking in their cargoes at Cochin, a message was +brought to the admiral from the zamorin, engaging, if he would return to +Calicut, to make a complete restitution of every thing that had been +taken from the Portuguese, and that a treaty of friendship and commerce +would be immediately arranged between them. After considering this +message, the admiral ordered the messenger to prison, meaning to take +revenge on him in case the zamorin should prove deceitful in this +instance as he had already been in many others[14]. After this precaution, +he went to Calicut, more for the purpose of endeavouring to recover the +merchandize, than from any expectation of procuring the friendship of the +zamorin. For this reason he took only his own ship[15], leaving Stephen +de Gama in the command at Cochin in his absence. The captains of the +fleet were much averse to this rashness; yet could not persuade him to +take a larger force, as he said he would be sufficiently protected by the +squadron of Vincente Sodre, which was cruizing on the coast, whom he +could join on any emergency. On his arrival at Calicut, the zamorin +immediately sent notice that he would satisfy him next day for all the +goods which had been taken from Cabral, and would afterwards renew the +trade and settle the factory on a proper footing. But as soon as he +understood that the admiral had come with so small a force, he commanded +thirty-four paraws to be got in readiness with all expedition, for the +purpose of taking his ship. And so unexpectedly did these assail him, +that the admiral was forced to cut one of his cables and make out to +seaward, which he was fortunately enabled to do, as the wind came off +from the land. Yet the paraws pursued him so closely, that he must +infallibly have been taken, if it had not been for the squadron of Sodre +making its appearance, on sight of which the paraws gave over the chase +and retired to Calicut. + +On his return to Cochin, die admiral immediately ordered the messenger of +the zamorin to be hanged[16]. The failure of this treacherous attempt +against De Gama gave much concern to the zamorin; who now resolved to try +if he could induce the rajah of Cochin to refuse a loading to the +Portuguese, and to send away their factory from his port. With this view +he transmitted a letter to that prince, in the following terms: + +"I am informed that you favour the Christians, whom you have admitted +into your city and supplied with goods and provisions. It is possible you +may not see the danger of this procedure, and may not know how +displeasing it is to me. I request of you to remember the friendship +which has hitherto subsisted between us, and that you now incur my +displeasure for so small a matter in supporting these Christian robbers, +who are in use to plunder the countries belonging to other nations. My +desire is, therefore, that for the future you may neither receive them +into your city, nor give them spices; by which you will both do me a +great pleasure, and will bind me to requite your friendship in whatever +way you may desire. I do not more earnestly urge these things at the +present, being convinced you will comply without further entreaty, as I +would do for you in any matter of importance." + +The rajah of Cochin answered in the following terms: That he knew not how +to expel the Christians from his city, whom he had received as friends, +and to whom he had passed his word for trade and amity. He denied that +his friendly reception of the Christians could be construed as any +offence to the zamorin, as it was the custom in the ports of Malabar to +favour all merchants who resorted thither for trade; and declared his +resolution to maintain his engagements inviolate to the Portuguese, who +had brought great sums of gold and silver, and large quantities of +merchandize into his dominions in the course of their trade. The zamorin +was much offended by this answer of the rajah of Cochin; to whom he wrote +a second time, advising him earnestly to abandon the Portuguese if he had +any respect for his own welfare. The rajah of Cochin was not to be moved, +either by the persuasions or threatening of the zamorin, and sent a reply +to his second letter, in which he declared he should never be induced to +commit a base or treacherous action by fear of the consequences, and was +resolved to persist in maintaining his treaty of trade and amity with the +Portuguese. Finding that he could not prevail on the rajah of Cochin to +concur with him, he commanded twenty-nine large ships to be fitted out in +order to assail the Portuguese fleet when on its return homewards, +expecting that he should be able to destroy them with more ease when +fully laden. + +The rajah of Cochin gave no intimation to the admiral of the letters and +messages which had been interchanged between him and the zamorin, until +he went to take leave; at which time, he declared he would hazard the +loss of his dominions to serve the king of Portugal. The admiral, after +many expressions of gratitude for his friendly disposition and honourable +regard for his engagements, assured him that the king his master would +never forget the numerous demonstrations he had given of friendship, and +would give him such assistance as should not only enable him to defend +his own dominions, but to reduce other countries under his authority. He +desired him not to be in fear of the zamorin, against whom there should +henceforwards be carried on so fierce war, that he would have enough of +employment in defending himself, instead of being able to attack others. +In this the general alluded to the aid which the rajah might expect from +the ships that were to remain in India under the command of Vincent Sodre. +All this conversation took place in presence of many of the principal +nayres, of which circumstance the rajah was much pleased, as he knew +these people were in friendship with the Moors, and had opposed the grant +of a factory to us at Cochin[17]. + +Having completed the loading of ten ships, the admiral sailed from Cochin +on his homeward-bound voyage; and when about three leagues from Pandarane, +he descried the Moorish fleet of twenty-nine large ships coming towards +him. After consulting with the captains of his fleet, and the wind being +favourable for the purpose, he immediately bore down to engage them. The +ships commanded by Vincente Sodre, Pedro Raphael, and Diego Perez, being +prime sailers, closed up first with the enemy, and immediately attacked +two of the largest ships of the Moors. Sodre fought with one of these +alone, and Raphael and Perez assailed the other. Almost on the first +onset, great numbers of the enemies were so dismayed that they leapt into +the sea to escape by swimming. On the coming up of De Gama with the rest +of the fleet, all the enemies ships made off as fast as they could +towards the shore, except those two which were beset at the first, and +were unable to escape, which were accordingly taken possession of. De +Gama, considering that all his ships were richly laden, would not pursue +the flying enemy, being afraid he might lose some of his ships on the +shoals; but our men went in their boats and slew about 300 of the Moors +who had endeavoured to save themselves by swimming from the two captured +ships. These vessels were accordingly discharged of their cargoes; which +consisted of great quantities of rich merchandize, among which were six +great jars of fine earthen ware, called porcelain, which is very rare and +costly and much admired in Portugal; four large vessels of silver, and +many silver perfuming pans; also many spitting basons of silver gilt: But +what exceeded all the rest, was a golden idol of thirty pounds weight, +with a monstrous face. The eyes of this image were two very fine emeralds. +The vestments were of beaten gold, richly wrought and set with precious +stones; and on the breast was a large carbuncle or ruby, as large as the +coin called a crusado, which shone like fire. + +The goods being taken out, the two ships were set on fire, and the +admiral made sail for Cananor, where the rajah gave him a house for a +factory, in which Gonzalo Gill Barbosa was settled as factor, having +Sebastian Alvarez and Diego Godino as clerks, Duarte Barbosa as +interpreter, and sundry others as assistants, in all to the number of +twenty. The rajah undertook to protect these men and all that might be +left in the factory, and bound himself to supply lading in spices to all +the ships of the king of Portugal at certain fixed prices[18]. In return +for these favourable conditions, the admiral engaged on behalf of the +king of Portugal to defend the rajah in all wars that might arise from +this agreement; conditioning for peace and friendship between the rajahs +of Cochin and Cananor, and that the latter should give no aid to any one +who might make war upon the former, under the pain of forfeiting the +friendship of the Portuguese. After this, the admiral gave orders to +Vincente Sodre to protect the coast with his squadron till the month of +February; and if any war should break out or seem probable between the +zamorin and Trimumpara, he was to winter in Cochin for the protection of +that city; otherwise he was to sail for the straits of the Red Sea, to +make prize of all the ships belonging to Mecca that traded to the Indies. + +All these matters being properly arranged, De Gama departed from Cananor +for Portugal on the 20th December 1502[19]; with thirteen ships richly +laden, three of which had taken in their cargoes at Cananor, and the +other ten at Cochin. The whole fleet arrived in safety at Mozambique, +where the ship commanded by Stephen de Gama having sprung a great leak, +was unladen and laid on shore to be repaired. Seven days after their +departure from Mozambique, the ship commanded by Lewis Cotinho sprung a +great leak, and they were forced to endeavour to return to Mozambique to +repair her; but, the wind being contrary, they had to do this in a creek +on the coast. Continuing their voyage, they were assailed by a sudden +tempest off Cape Corientes, in which the ship commanded by Stephen de +Gama had her sails all split by the storm, owing to which she was +separated from the fleet, and no more seen till six days after the +arrival of the admiral at Lisbon, when she came in with her mast broken. +The storm having abated, during which the fleet took shelter under the +lee of Cape Corientes, the admiral prosecuted his voyage to Lisbon, and +arrived safe at Cascais on the 1st September 1503. All the noblemen of +the court went to Cascais to receive him honourably, and to accompany him +to the presence of the king. On his way to court, he was preceded by a +page carrying a silver bason, in which was the tribute from the king of +Quiloa. The king received him with great honour, as he justly merited for +his services in discovering the Indies, and in settling factories at +Cochin and Cananor, to the great profit of the kingdom; besides the great +fame and honour which redounded to the king, as the first sovereign who +had sent to discover the Indies, of which he might make a conquest if he +were so inclined. In reward for these brilliant services, the king made +him admiral of the Indies, and likewise gave him the title of Lord of +Videgueyra, which was his own. + + * * * * * + +Note.--As De Gama did not return again to India till the year 1524, which +is beyond the period contained in that part of Castaneda which has been +translated by Lichefild, we shall have no occasion to notice him again in +this part of our work. For this reason, it has been thought proper to +give the following short supplementary account of his farther services in +India. + +"In 1524, Don Vasco De Gama, now Count of Videgueyra, was appointed +viceroy of India by John III. king of Portugal, and sailed from Lisbon +with fourteen ships, carrying 3000 fighting men. Three were lost during +the voyage, with all the men belonging to two of them. While in the Gulf +of Cambaya, in a dead calm, the ships were tossed about in so violent a +manner that all onboard believed themselves in imminent danger of +perishing, and began to consider how they might escape. One man leapt +over-board, thinking to escape by swimming, but was drowned; and such as +lay sick of fevers were cured by the fright. The viceroy, who perceived +that the commotion was occasioned by the effects of an earthquake, called +aloud to his people, _courage my friends, for the sea trembles from fear +of you who are on it_. To make some amends for the misfortunes of the +voyage, Don George de Meneses, one of the captains, took a large ship +belonging to Mecca, worth 60,000 crowns, a large sum in those days. After +his arrival at Goa, the viceroy visited some forts, and issued the +necessary orders for regulating the affairs of his government; but he had +not time to put any of his great designs into execution, as he died on +Christmas eve, having only held the government of Portuguese India for +three months. De Gama is said to have been of middle stature, with a +ruddy complexion, but somewhat gross. His character was bold, patient +under fatigue, well fitted for great undertakings, speedy in executing +justice, and terrible in anger. In fine, he was admirably fitted for all +that was entrusted to his conduct, as a discoverer, a naval and military +commander, and as viceroy. He is painted with a black cap, cloak, and +breeches, edged with velvet, all slashed, through which appears the +crimson lining. His doublet is of crimson satin, over which his armour is +seen inlaid with gold. He was the sixth successive governor of India, and +the second who had the rank of viceroy."--Astl I. 54. b. + + +[1] According to Astley, much difference of opinion took place in the + council of Portugal, whether to continue the trade to India for which + it was requisite to employ force, or to desist entirely from the + attempt; but the profits expected from the trade, and the expectation + of propagating the Romish religion and enlarging the royal titles, + outweighed all considerations of danger; and it was resolved to + persist in the enterprize.--Astl. I. 50. + +[2] The distribution, of this force is somewhat differently related by + Astley. Ten ships only are said to have been placed under the + immediate command of Vasco de Gama; five ships under Vincente Sodre, + who had orders to scour the coast of Cochin and Cananor, and to watch + the mouth of the Red Sea, on purpose to prevent the Moors, or Turks + and Arabs, from trading to India; the third, as in the text, was under + Stephen de Gama, but with no particular destination mentioned; and the + whole were under the supreme command of Vasco de Gama, as captain- + general.--Astl. I. 50. + +[3] Such is the expression in the translation by Lichefild; but which I + suspect ought to have been, "and had passed Cape Corientes."--E. + + In Astley, the following incident is mentioned: When off Cape Verd, + Vasco de Gama met a caravel bound from La Mina, on the western coast + of Africa, carrying much gold to Lisbon. He shewed some of this to the + ambassadors whom Cabral had brought from Cananor, and who were now on + their return to India. They expressed much surprize at this + circumstance; as they had been told by the Venetian ambassador at + Lisbon, that the Portuguese could not send their ships to sea without + assistance from Venice. This insinuation proceeded from envy, as the + Venetians were afraid of losing the lucrative trade with India which + they had long enjoyed through Egypt. --Astl. I. 51. + +[4] According to De Faria, De Gama began by cannonading the city of + Quiloa; but on the king consenting to become tributary, all was + changed to peace and joy--Astl. I. 51. a. + +[5] According to Astley, De Gama was forced beyond Melinda, and took in + water at a bay eight leagues farther on; and going thence towards + India, he spread out his fleet that no ship might escape him; in + consequence of which he took several, but was most severe on those + belonging to Calicut. --Astl. I. 51. + +[6] In Astley this ship is said to have belonged to the soldan of Egypt, + and was very richly laden, besides being full of Moors of quality, who + were going on pilgrimage to Mecca.--Astl. I. 51. + +[7] DeFaria says there were twenty of these children, whom De Gama caused + to be made Christian friars, to make amends for one Portuguese who + turned Mahometan.--Astl. I. 51. c. + +[8] Castaneda, or rather his translator Lichefild, gets somewhat confused + here, as if this factory were settled at Cochin, though the whole + previous scene is described as at Cananor.--E. + +[9] De Faria says the bodies of these unfortunate Malabars were thrown + into the sea, to be carried on shore by the tide.--Astl. I. 52. a. + +[10] By the straits of Mecca are here meant the straits of Bab-el-mandeb, + or the entrance from the Indian Ocean into the Red Sea; and by the + coast of Cambaya, what is now called Guzerat.--E. + +[11] The rajah or king of Cochin has already been named Triumpara, or + Trimumpara, on the authority of De Barros, De Faria, and other ancient + authors; yet De Faria, in other instances, calls him Uniramacoul--Astl. + I. 52. b. + +[12] It is difficult to say what may have been meant by this last article. + In old French writings _Rouge comme Sendal_ means very high red, or + scarlet; from which circumstance, this may have been a piece of + scarlet satin or velvet.--E. + +[13] Of the animal called bulgoldolf in the text we have no knowledge, + nor of this stone of wonderful virtue; but it may possibly refer to + the long famed bezoar, anciently much prized, but now deservedly + neglected.--E. + +[14] According to De Faria, this messenger was a bramin, who left his son + and nephew at Cochin as hostages, and accompanied De Gama to Calicut, + where he carried various messages between the zamorin and the admiral. + --Astl. I. 53. b. + +[15] De Faria says he was accompanied by a caravel.--Astl. 1.53. b. + +[16] The son and nephew of the messenger, according to De Faria.--Astl. I. + 53. c. + +[17] In addition to the narrative of Castaneda, De Barros, Maffi, and De + Faria relate, that ambassadors came to De Gama while at Cochin from + the Christian inhabitants in Cranganore and that neighbourhood, who + they said amounted to 30,000. They represented, that they knew he was + an officer of the most Catholic king in Europe, to whom they submitted + themselves; in testimony of which, they delivered into his hands the + rod of justice, of a red colour, tipped with silver at both ends, and + about the length of a sceptre, having three bells at the top. They + complained of being much oppressed by the idolaters; and were + dismissed by De Gama with promises of a powerful and speedy + assistance.--Astl. I. 53. d. + +[18] De Faria alleges that the persons who were appointed to settle + matters relative to trade at this port, differed much upon the price + of spices: on which occasion many threatening messages were sent to + the rajah, who at length through fear complied with all the demands of + the Portuguese. He says that the rajahs of Cochin and Cananor were as + refractory and adverse at first as the zamorin; and that when De Gama + arrived at Cochin, the three princes combined to make him winter there + by fraud, and joined their fleets to destroy him. That on the failure + of this combination, a durable peace was made with Trimumpara; and the + rajah of Cananor, fearing the Portuguese might not return to his port, + sent word to De Gama that he was ready to comply with all his demands, + --Astl. I. 54, a. + +[19] In Castaneda this date is made 1503; but from an attentive + consideration of other dates and circumstances in that author, this + must have been a typographical error.--E. + + + +SECTION VI. + +_Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from the departure of De Gama +in December 1502, to the arrival of Alonzo de Albuquerque in 1503._ + +As soon as the zamorin was assured of the departure of De Gama for Europe, +he determined on putting his threats in execution against the rajah of +Cochin, for which purpose he gathered an army at the village of Panani, +not far from Cochin[1]. This was soon known to the inhabitants of Cochin, +who were exceedingly afraid of the great power of the zamorin, and were +much dissatisfied with their sovereign for incurring the displeasure of +that prince out of respect to the Christians, whom they inveighed against +with much bitterness on all occasions, and openly insulted wherever they +were seen. Some that were in high credit with the rajah said openly, that +as the zamorin was much more powerful than their state, our men ought to +be delivered up to him, as the war was entirely on our account, for whom +the kingdom ought not to be put in hazard. But the rajah, much offended +at these people, declared that he was resolved to defend the Portuguese +against the zamorin, trusting that God would favour him in so just a +cause. Yet many of his subjects were much inclined to have seized the +Portuguese belonging to the factory, but durst not, as the rajah gave +them a place of considerable strength to dwell in, and appointed a guard +for their security. + +At this time Vincente Sodre arrived with his squadron in the bay of +Cochin, after having done much damage on the coast of Calicut, both by +land and sea. The Portuguese head factor sent Laurenzo Moreno to inform +Sodre of the preparations which were making by the zamorin for the attack +of Cochin, and requiring him in the name of the king of Portugal to land +with his men for its defence. But Sodre answered, that his orders were to +defend the sea and not the land; for which reason, if the zamorin had +prepared to attack Cochin by sea, he would certainly have defended it; +but as the war was to be carried on by land, he could not interfere, and +the rajah must defend himself. The factor sent a second message, +entreating him, in the name of God and on his allegiance to the king of +Portugal, not to abandon the factory in this state of danger, as the +power of the rajah was inadequate to defend Cochin against the zamorin; +and as the sole object of the war was for the destruction of the factory +and the ruin of the Portuguese trade, it certainly was his duty, as +captain-general for the king of Portugal in these seas, both to defend +the factory and to give every assistance in his power to the rajah. But +Sodre was immoveable, pretending that he had been ordered to discover the +Red Sea, where he expected to make many rich prizes, and set sail from +Cochin for Cape Guardafui, preferring the hope of riches to his duty in +defending the factory of Cochin. + +The zamorin collected his army, as already mentioned, at the village of +Panani, where, besides his own subjects and allies, several of the +principal subjects of the rajah of Cochin joined his standard, deserting +their own sovereign, and carrying along with them all the power they were +able to muster: Among these were the caimalls or governors of Chirapipil +and Cambalane, and of the large island which is opposite to the city of +Cochin. At this place, the zamorin made a long speech to his assembled +chiefs, in which he endeavoured to justify his enmity to the Portuguese, +whom he represented as thieves, robbers, and pirates, and as having first +commenced hostilities against him without cause. He contrasted the quiet +and friendly conduct of the Moors, who had traded for 600 years with +Malabar, having never done injury to any in all that time, and had +greatly enriched the country, and had raised his city of Calicut to be +the greatest emporium in all the Indies: Whereas the Portuguese had taken +and destroyed his ships, made his ambassadors prisoners, insisted on +having their ships laden before those belonging to the Moors, had taken a +ship of the Moors, burnt ten of his ships in his own harbour, had +destroyed his city and forced him to escape for safety from his palace; +taking law and vengeance for pretended grievances into their own hands, +instead of applying regularly to him for redress. And, since the rajah of +Cochin was fully informed of all these things, yet persisted in favouring +the Portuguese in despite of all remonstrances, he had resolved to make +war upon him, to deprive him of his dominions, and to drive these +Christian intruders out of India. + +This address gave much satisfaction to all the assembled chiefs, and most +especially to the lord of Repelim, who entertained a rooted enmity +against the rajah of Cochin, who had dispossessed him of an island called +Arrnuul. The only person who opposed the zamorin on this occasion was +Nambeadarin[2], who was brother and next heir to the zamorin. He strongly +urged the impolicy of driving the Christians from Malabar, to which +merchants resorted from all places of the world, seeing that the +Portuguese had made richer presents to the zamorin, than he had ever +received before, and had brought much gold and silver into the country +for the purchase of commodities, which was not usually done by such as +came to make war. He represented the attempt of the hostages to escape +who had been given for the safety of the Portuguese chief, and whom the +zamorin was pleased to call ambassadors, as the first cause of jealousy +and distrust; yet they were afterwards reconciled, and took the large +Moorish ship at the desire of the zamorin, to whom they presented the +great elephant. He said their conduct in trade and otherwise while in +Calicut was quite satisfactory to all except the Moors, who were envious +against them for interfering in their trade, and accused them falsely of +taking pepper against the will of the owners, which in fact they had done +themselves to prevent the Christians from loading their ships; nay that +this was so evident that even the zamorin had licensed the Portuguese to +take the pepper from the Moorish vessels. After which the Moors had risen +against them, slaying their men and seizing all their goods. Yet, after +all these outrages, they had given the zamorin a whole day in which to +offer reparation, and had not sought revenge of their injuries +treacherously like the Moors. That he saw no cause of going to war +against the rajah of Cochin for receiving the Portuguese into his city +like any other merchants who might frequent his harbour, as had likewise +been done by the rajahs of Cananor and Koulan, who would not have done so +if they had been robbers and pirates. And if the zamorin meant to drive +the Portuguese from the Indies, besides making war on Cochin, it would be +necessary for him to do the same against Canauor and all the other +princes on the coast. + +The zamorin was a good deal staggered by the discourse of Nambendarin, +who had much credit and authority with him; insomuch, that it is thought +he would have desisted from prosecuting the war, if it had not been for +the Moors and the caymals, who represented that it would be a great +disgrace to his character to recede after the assemblage of so great an +army, and that it was to be expected the rajah of Cochin might now agree +from fear to do what the zamorin had desired him. The zamorin then +desired his sorcerers to point out a fortunate day for marching forward +with his army, which they did accordingly, and promised him an assured +victory. With this assurance, on which he placed great reliance, the +zamorin departed from Panani, and took possession of Repelim, which is +four leagues from Cochin. + +The rajah of Cochin had regular intelligence of all that passed in the +camp of the zamorin by means of spies, and was in great trouble +respecting the event, not having sufficient force for his defence, as +many on whom he most relied had gone over to the enemy. Even those who +remained served against their inclination, more especially the +inhabitants of Cochin, who abhorred our people, and said openly that it +were proper the rajah should either deliver them up to the zamorin or +send them away from Cochin, to avoid the impending war. Many of the +inhabitants of Cochin deserted the place for fear of the consequences. +The members of the Portuguese factory were much alarmed by all these +circumstances, and requested permission from the rajah to withdraw to +Cananor, where they might remain in safety till the arrival of the next +fleet from Portugal; hoping by this means to remove the cause of war, and +to satisfy the subjects of the rajah. Trimumpara was displeased at this +request, as not reposing sufficient confidence in his word, and declared +he would rather forfeit his kingdom, and even his life, than deliver them +up to the zamorin or any other who sought to injure them; and that, +although he might lose Cochin in the war, there still were places of +sufficient strength in which to keep them safe till reinforcements should +arrive from Portugal. That although the zamorin had a great army, yet +victory did not always follow numbers, as a few valiant men were often +victorious over great odds, especially having justice on their side. He +therefore desired the factory to remain, and to pray God to give him the +victory. The Portuguese now offered to give him such aid as their small +number would allow; but he declined allowing them to expose themselves to +any danger on the present occasion, as his credit depended upon the +preservation of their lives, that they might witness, for his faithful +adherence to the treaty of amity which he had formed with their nation. +Upon this he placed them under the safeguard of certain naires in whom he +had confidence. After this, the rajah called all his nobles into his +presence, together with the chief naires, who were the cause of all the +murmurs against the Portuguese, and addressed the assemblage to the +following effect: + +"I am much concerned to find that truth and loyalty should be wanting +among men of your quality. I do not wonder at the present misconduct of +the lower orders, who are often constrained by their poverty and +wretchedness to commit all manner of wickedness. But that naires, who +have always been noted for fidelity, should desire me to forfeit the +promise which I have made, to the captain-general in behalf of the +Portuguese, to defend them to the utmost of my power against all violence +as my own subjects, astonishes and distresses me beyond measure. Under +these assurances of protection, which were given with your consent, these +men were left in my city; and yet, because you see the zamorin coming +against me with more men than I have, you would have me to break my +promise. Were I so unjust, you of all men ought to abhor me. If you dwelt +with any sovereign on the assurance of his word, how would you conceive +of him, if he were to treat you as you would now have me to act by these +Christians? Is it because you are afraid of the great power of the +zamorin? Be assured it were better for us all to die in the discharge of +our duty, and the preservation of our promise, than to live dishonoured. +To me no evil can be greater than to break my word, nor can there be a +greater dishonour to yourselves than to be the subjects of a false and +treacherous king. These Christians have brought much profit to me and my +country, and the zamorin might have kept them in his own city, if he had +permitted their factory to settle there in peace. Were it his intention +to drive the Christians out of India, and to make war on all who receive +them into their dominions, he ought to have begun this war with the rajah +of Cananor: But his cause of war is the envy he has conceived at seeing +me benefited by the trade which he has lost through his own misconduct, +and because he believes in his pride that I am unable to withstand. But I +trust in God and the justness of my cause, that with your assistance, I +shall obtain the victory, and shall be able to protect the Christians, +and preserve my honour inviolate." This speech had great effect upon the +assembled naires, who were astonished at the constancy and resolution of +the rajah. They all therefore craved pardon for the fears they had +entertained, and promised to live and die in his service. The rajah +immediately called the factor and the rest of the Portuguese into his +presence, to whom he gave an account of all that had taken place between +him and the naires; and named before them the prince _Naramuhin_[3], his +brother and next heir, as general of the army which was destined to act +against the forces of the zamorin, commanding every one to obey him in +every respect as if he were himself present. Naramuhin accordingly +marched with 5500 naires, and entrenched himself at the ford which forms +the only entry by land into the island of Cochin, and which is only knee- +deep at low water. + +When the zamorin received notice of the army of Cochin having taken post +at this ford, he was somewhat afraid, more especially as he knew +Naramuhin was considered to be the bravest and most fortunate warrior in +Malabar. He therefore made a fresh attempt to induce the rajah of Cochin +to accede to his demands, of delivering up the Portuguese and their goods, +otherwise threatening to conquer his dominions, and to put all the +inhabitants to the sword. Although the rajah of Cochin was quite sensible +of the inferiority of his military force, and was convinced what the +zamorin threatened might readily happen, he yet determined to remain firm +to his engagements, and sent the following answer: + +"If you had required with civility what you have proudly commanded me, I +should not have esteemed your valour lessened by your courtesy: For with +men of wisdom and power there is no need for insolent vaunts. I have not +as yet so sinned against God, that I should humble myself to vain +boasting, or think that he should grant you the victory over me and those +brave men who fight on my side. In spite of all your pride, I trust even +with the small number I have to defend me in my just quarrel, that I +shall be enabled to overcome you and all my enemies. However much you may +have practised deceit and injustice, it has ever been my rule to avoid +shame and dishonour, and I will never consent to deliver up the +Christians or their goods, which I have engaged to defend." + +The zamorin was much offended by this answer from the rajah of Cochin, +and vowed to destroy his whole country in revenge: Leaving, therefore, +the isle of Repelim on the last day of March, he entered on the +territories of Cochin, yet refrained from doing any injury, as he now +occupied those parts which belonged to the chieftains who had joined him +against their own sovereign. On the 2d of March, the army of the zamorin +made an attempt to force a passage by the ford which was defended by +prince Naramuhin; yet, in spite of all his prodigious superiority of +numbers, he was forced to retire with considerable loss. Disappointed in +this first essay, the zamorin encamped close by the ford, and sent the +lord of Repelim next day with a still stronger force than had been +employed in the first assault, to attempt forcing the passage. He even +joined several armed paraws in this attack; but Naramuhin made a resolute +defence, in which he was bravely seconded by Laurenzo Moreno and several +other Portuguese, and effectually resisted every effort of the zamorins +troops, who were obliged to retreat with much loss. Several such assaults +were made on the ford, in all of which the zamorin lost many men, and was +constantly repulsed, insomuch that he became fearful of a sinister end to +his unjust enterprise, and even repented of having begun the war. He sent, +however, a fresh message to the rajah, requiring him to deliver up the +Christians as a preliminary of peace. But the rajah replied, that as he +had refused to do so unjust an action when he had some reason to dread +the superior power of the zamorin, it was absurd to expect any such thing +now, when the advantage in the war was evidently of his side. He then +advised the zamorin to beware of continuing the war, as he would not now +satisfy himself with defence, but even hoped to give him a signal +overthrow. And this certainly had been the case, if the subjects of the +rajah had not shamefully deserted him in this war and given assistance to +the enemy. The zamorin almost despaired of success, and would have given +over the enterprize, if he had not been advised by some of his chiefs to +assail several other towns belonging to the dominions of Cochin, so as to +distract the attention of Naramuhin, and to weaken his force by obliging +him to send detachments for their defence. But that brave prince provided +against every emergency, and made so judicious a disposition of his +forces, that he repulsed every effort of the enemy, and slew many of +their men. + +Foiled in every attempt with severe loss, by the bravery and excellent +dispositions of Prince Naramuhin, the zamorin corrupted the paymaster of +the troops of Cochin, who changed the usual order of payment which had +been daily made in the camp, and obliged the soldiers to come up to +Cochin for that purpose. Naramuhin was obliged to submit to this +arrangement, by giving leave to the naires to go for their wages, yet +charged them punctually to return to the camp before day. But the +treacherous paymaster kept them waiting till after day-light, by which +means the prince was left with very few troops to defend the ford. Taking +advantage of this concerted stratagem, the zamorin made an assault upon +the ford with his whole force by sea and land, and constrained Naramuhin +to retire with his small band into a grove of palm trees, where he was +surrounded by the whole army of Calicut, yet fought the whole day against +such terrible odds with the utmost resolution, several times throwing his +enemies into disorder, of whom many were slain. But at length, +overpowered by numbers, he and two of his cousins who fought along with +him were slain, together with most of his faithful followers. + +When this melancholy event was announced to the rajah of Cochin, he +fainted from extreme grief, and was for some time thought to have +actually expired. At this time, the naires were much exasperated against +our men, to whom they attributed the overthrow and death of prince +Naramuhin, and the desperate situation of their country, and seemed much +inclined to have put the Portuguese to death, or to have delivered them +up to the zamorin. On the recovery of the rajah, and learning the designs +of his people against our men, he called the Portuguese into his presence; +he gave them assurance that even this reverse of his affairs should not +alter his resolution of protecting them, both against the zamorin and his +own subjects. He then addressed his assembled naires, urging them not to +stain his honour and their own by injuring the Portuguese, whom he and +they had sworn to protect. He exhorted them to persevere honourably and +bravely in defending their country and preserving their honour inviolate +to the Christians, and comforted them with the assurance that the +Portuguese fleet would soon arrive with sufficient reinforcements to +drive out the zamorin and to restore him to his dominions. In the +meantime, he proposed that they should retire with what force remained, +into the isle of Vaipi, which was of difficult access; and where they +could defend themselves till the arrival of the Portuguese fleet, more +especially as the winter was at hand, which would stop the progress of +the war for some time. The naires were astonished at the resolution of +their sovereign, and promised faithfully to obey his commands in all +things. + +The zamorin made a new attempt to shake the resolution of the rajah in +his present adversity, by offering peace on condition of delivering up +the Portuguese and their goods; which the rajah rejected with disdain as +he had done all his former overtures. On this the zamorin gave orders to +destroy the whole country with fire and sword, on which intelligence most +of the inhabitants of Cochin withdrew to other places. There were at this +time in Cochin two Milanese lapidaries belonging to the factory, named +John Maria and Pedro Antonio, who had been brought to India by Vasco de +Gama. These men deserted to the zamorin, to whom they conveyed +intelligence of the consternation which reigned among the inhabitants of +Cochin, and of the small number of men that remained with the rajah. +These men also made offer to the zamorin to make ordnance for him +resembling those of the Portuguese, which they afterwards did as will +appear in the sequel of this history, and for which service they were +highly rewarded. The zamorin now moved forwards with his army to take +possession of Cochin, and was resisted for some time by the rajah, who +was himself slightly wounded. But finding it impossible any farther to +resist against such prodigious odds, he withdrew to the strong island of +Vaipi, carrying all our men along with him and every thing belonging to +our factory. The zamorin, on taking possession of the deserted city of +Cochin, ordered it to be set on fire. He then sent a part of his army +against the isle of Vaipi, which was valiantly defended by the rajah and +his men and in which defence the members of our factory contributed to +the best of their ability. But the winter coming on, and bad weather +setting in, the zamorin was obliged to desist for the present season, and +withdrew his army to Cranganor with a determination to renew the war in +the ensuing spring, leaving a strong detachment in the island of Cochin, +which he ordered to throw up entrenchments for their defence. + +After his shameful desertion of Cochin, Vincente Sodre went with his +fleet towards the kingdom of Cambaya; meaning to capture the rich ships +of the Moors which trade to India from the Red Sea. He there took five +ships, in which in ready money only was found to the value of 200,000 +_perdaos_. Most of the Moors were slain in the battle, and the ships +burnt. From Cambaya he sailed for Cape Guardafu; and as his ships were +foul, he proposed to lay them aground to be careened at the islands of +_Curia Muria_[4]. Sodre arrived there with his squadron on the 20th April +1503; and though these islands were well inhabited by Moors, he resolved +to venture on land, considering that these islanders were by no means +warlike, and stood in fear of our men. The islanders accordingly behaved +in a peaceable manner, and sold our people such provisions as they had to +spare. Sodre laid one of his caravels aground for repair, on which he was +informed by the Moors that their coast was subject to violent storms in +the month of May, during which no ships were able to keep the sea, but +were unavoidably driven on shore and wrecked. Wherefore they advised him +strenuously to remove to the other side of the island, which would then +be a sure defence against the storm, after which had blown over he might +return to their part of the coast. Sodre made light of their advice, +conceiving they meant him some harm; and told them that the ships of the +Moors having only wooden anchors, might be easily driven ashore, whereas +his anchors were of iron and would hold fast. Pedro Raphael, Hernan +Rodriguez Badarsas, and Diego Perez were convinced of the council of the +Moors being good, and therefore quitted these islands on the last day of +April; but Sodre would not listen to their advice and remained with his +brother at Curia Muria. According to the prediction of the Moors, a +violent storm came on early in May, by which the two remaining ships were +driven from their anchors and dashed to pieces. Vincente Sodre and his +brother, with many others lost their lives, and nothing whatever was +saved out of these two ships. The loss of these two brothers was +considered as a punishment of Providence, for basely abandoning the rajah +of Cochin and the factory in their imminent danger. + +Those who were saved returned towards Cochin to succour our people, and +chose Pedro de Tayde[5] as their general. In their passage from Curia +Muria towards Cochin, they encountered several severe storms, and were +often in great danger of perishing. Being unable to reach Cochin on +account of the winds, they were forced to take refuge in the island of +Anchediva. A few days after their arrival, a ship came there from +Portugal, commanded by Antonio del Campo, who had left Lisbon alone some +time after Vasco de Gama, and had been much delayed on his voyage in +consequence of the death of his pilot. He had encountered severe weather +on the coast, and was forced after much trouble and danger to take refuge +in Anchediva. The united squadron wintered in this island, where they +suffered severe hardships from scarcity of provisions. + + +[1] This army is said to have amounted to 50,000 men. Panani is six + leagues from Cochin.--Astl. I. 54. + +[2] This person is named Naubea Daring by Astley, and is said to have + been nephew to the zamorin.--Astl. I. 56. + +[3] In Astley this prince is called the nephew of the rajah of Cochin.-- + Astl. I. 55. + +[4] These are a cluster of islands, otherwise called Chartan and Martan, + on the coast of Yemen, between the latitudes of 17° and 18° north.--E. + +[5] Of the four officers mentioned in the text, three are enumerated at + the commencement of the former voyage of De Gama as commanders of + separate vessels. The fourth, Badarsas, is not in that list of + captains, and may have been appointed captain of Vincente Sodres flag- + ship.--E. + + +SECTION VII. + +_Voyage of Alonso and Francisco de Albuquerque to India in 1503; being +the fifth of the Portuguese Expeditions to the East Indies._ + +Is the year 1503, supposing that the admiral Don Vasco de Gama had quietly +settled factories in Cochin and Cananor, the king of Portugal did not +consider it necessary to send any great fleet to India. He therefore +determined to send only six ships in two separate squadrons, under +separate generals. Alonso de Albuquerque, who was afterwards governor- +general or viceroy of India, commanded one of these squadrons, having +under him as captains, Duarte Pacheco and Hernan Martinez Mascarennas, who +is said to have died during the voyage. The other squadron, likewise of +three ships, was under the command of Francisco de Albuquerque, cousin to +Alonso, having as captains Nicholas Coello and Pedro Vas de la Vega, the +former of whom sailed under De Gama in the first discovery of India. This +latter squadron sailed from Lisbon fifteen days after the other, yet +arrived first in India. Both squadrons encountered severe storms during +the voyage, in which the ship commanded by De la Vega was lost. Francisco +de Albuquerque, and Nicholas Coello, arrived at Anchediva in the month of +August, where they found De Tayde and the other captains who had wintered +there, as related in the former section. They here received notice of the +war between the zamorin and the rajah of Cochin, and of the sinister +events which had occurred at that place; for which reason Francisco stood +over with the whole fleet, now consisting of six sail, to Cananor, where +he expected to receive more exact intelligence of the state of affairs in +Cochin. They were here received with great joy by the Portuguese factory; +and even the rajah of Cananor came on board the generals ship in person, +and gave him a distinct recital of what had happened at Cochin, and of the +present situation of Triumpara. + +Alonso de Albuquerque lost no time in going to Cochin, where he arrived on +the night of Saturday the 2d of September 1503. Immediately on his +approach, the troops of Calicut who guarded the entrenchments thrown up by +the zamorin, abandoned their posts in the island of Cochin and fled to +Cranganor, according to orders to that effect from the zamorin, who had +received notice of the arrival of our fleet at Cananor. On Sunday morning +Francisco came to anchor close to Cochin, when he was joyfully received by +the inhabitants, playing on various instruments of music, and was soon +afterwards visited by the Portuguese factor, who brought him a message +from the rajah. On the Monday morning, leaving his ships in good order, +Francisco took several boats well armed, and went to the island of Vaipi +to visit the rajah, ordering two caravels to follow for security, in case +of any of the Calicut paraws making their appearance. The rajah received +our general with infinite satisfaction, greeting them with the exclamation, +Portugal! Portugal! as soon as our boats were within hail; which was +answered by our people shouting out, Cochin! Cochin! and down with the +zamorin! On landing, the rajah embraced Francisco de Albuquerque with +tears in his eyes, saying he only desired to live till restored to his +dominions, that his subjects might be satisfied of his just conduct in +suffering so much for the service of the king of Portugal. In the name of +that sovereign, Francisco gave hearty thanks to Triumpara for his fidelity, +and promised him ample revenge on his enemies. And as his finances were +much reduced, he made him a present of 10,000 crowns from the chest +belonging to the expedition, to serve his present necessities, until he +might be again able to draw the rents of his own dominions. This gift was +exceedingly acceptable to the rajah, whose affairs were then at a very low +ebb; and gave much satisfaction to the natives, who were by it greatly +reconciled to the protection which their rajah had given to our men. + +The rajah was immediately brought back in triumph to Cochin, amid the +joyful acclamations of his subjects, who henceforwards treated our men +with esteem and respect. The news of the rajahs return to Cochin, and of +the money which had been given him by our general, was speedily +communicated to the zamorin; who, in expectation of the renewal of the war, +sent orders to his caymals or governors on the frontiers towards Cochin to +make every preparation for defence. On the very day on which the rajah +returned to Cochin, Francisco de Albuquerque resolved to commence +hostilities by an attack on the island directly over against Cochin, where +he found the inhabitants quite unprepared and off their guard, as they had +no idea of being so soon attacked: In this unprepared state, a great +number of the Calicut troops were slain, and several of the towns on the +island destroyed, after which the Portuguese returned to their ships +without loss. Next day Francisco made a fresh assault on the same island +with six hundred men, and was opposed by the caymal or governor for the +zamorin, with a force of two thousand nayres, part of whom were spearmen, +but the greater number armed with bows and arrows, and some with swords +and targets. After some resistance, but in which none of them were hurt, +our people made good their landing, and galled the Indians so sore with +their cross-bows, that they soon fled. The Portuguese pursued quite across +the island, and forced their enemies to continue their flight across the +water, leaving many of their men behind both killed and wounded. Having +now no enemy to oppose them in the island, the Portuguese laid it entirely +waste, and burnt all the towns and villages it contained. + +Adjoining to this island there lay another, named _Charanaipin_[1], which +belonged to a caymal who was subject to the rajah of Cochin, but had +revolted to the zamorin at the commencement of the war. From some spies +employed by the rajah of Cochin, it was understood that this caymal had a +force of three thousand nayres, seven hundred of whom were archers, and +forty were, armed with matchlocks[2]; besides which all their towns were +well fortified with trenches. He had likewise several paraws provided with +ordnance, with which he was supplied by the zamorin, and these were +stationed in one of the harbours of the island, to defend it against the +Portuguese. Notwithstanding all these preparations, of which he was well +informed, Francisco Albuquerque went against this island the day after he +had reduced the former, and commenced his attack against the harbour in +which the paraws were stationed. The enemy were soon driven by our +ordnance from their boats, yet many of them continued in the water up to +their girdles to resist the landing of our troops, annoying them as much +as possible with stones, spears, and arrows. They were at length driven +from the water by our ordnance, but rallied again on the shore, and +bravely resisted our people in landing for a long time. They were at +length driven to take shelter in a grove of palm trees, in which they +defended themselves for a short space, and were at the last driven to seek +for safety in a disorderly flight, in which they were pursued by our men. +In the pursuit, Pedro de Lares, who was constable to Francisco de +Albuquerque, being separated from the rest, was attacked by three nayres +all at once. One of these let fly an arrow which hit Pedro on his breast- +plate but without hurting him; on which Pedro levelled his piece and shot +him dead. The second nayre he likewise slew by another shot. The third +nayre wounded him in the leg with a weapon called a _gomya_, and then +endeavoured to run away, but Pedro killed him, with his sword. On the +enemy being put to flight, Francisco divided his forces into three bodies, +two of them Portuguese, and the third composed of nayres in the service of +the rajah of Cochin, and marched all over the island plundering and +burning the towns and villages without resistance. + +While thus employed, a considerable number of paraws arrived with +reinforcements from Calicut, from which a powerful body of nayres landed +in that part of the island where Duarte Pacheco happened to be posted with +a very inferior force, and had assuredly destroyed him and his men, but +that Francisco de Albuquerque came very opportunely to his aid. Finding +greater resistance than he expected, and fearing lest the caymal might +attack him in the rear, while engaged in front with the nayres of Calicut, +Francisco detached a part of his troops under Nicholas Coello, assisted by +Antonio del Campo and Pedro de Tayde, to assault the residence of the +caymal, who was slain bravely fighting in its defence. At this place one +of our men was slain and eighteen wounded. In the mean time, Francisco de +Albuquerque and Duarte Pacheco defeated the reinforcements from Calicut, +and forced them to take refuge on board their paraws, leaving many of +their men slain and wounded on the shore. After this signal victory, by +which the greater part of the three thousand nayres belonging to the +caymal and many of those from Calicut were slain, Francisco de Albuquerque +conferred the honour of knighthood on several of his officers who had +signalized themselves on the occasion. He then wasted the whole island +with fire and sword. + +Francisco determined in the next place, to attack the country of the lord +of Repelim, for which purpose he departed with his troops by water from +Cochin, and reached a town in that territory, four leagues from Cochin, +about eight o'clock next morning. Near two thousand nayres, five hundred +of whom were armed with bows and arrows, were stationed, on the beach of +the isle of Repelim to repel this attack; but were soon forced by our +ordnance to retire into a grove of palms, on which Francisco landed with +his troops, the van being led by Nicholas Coello. The enemy resisted for +some time under the shelter of the trees, and wounded some of our people; +but were at length forced to take to flight, after losing a good many of +their men, who were shot by our cross-bows and _calivers_[3]. Our troops +followed the nayres, who took refuge in the towns of the island, in which +much greater slaughter was made of the enemy than in the field, as they +were crowded together and more exposed to our shot. On taking possession +of the town, Francisco gave it up to be plundered by the nayres of Cochin, +who assisted him on this expedition, that they might not consider the +conduct of the Portuguese on this occasion proceeded from any inclination +for plundering the country, but from a desire to revenge the injuries +which had been done to their own rajah. + +On his return from this victory, Francisco was joyfully received by the +rajah of Cochin, who desired him to desist from any farther operations +against the enemy, as he considered himself sufficiently revenged. But +Francisco requested his permission to continue the war, as he was still +unsatisfied till he had taken effectual vengeance on the zamorin, and +accounted it no trouble to fight in the service of the rajah. He seized, +however, the present opportunity of the high favour in which he stood with +the rajah, to solicit permission for constructing a fort at Cochin, for +the protection of the Portuguese factory during the absence of the ships. +This request was immediately complied with; the rajah even offered to be +at the sole charge, and Francisco lost no time in proceeding to construct +the intended fort. As there were neither stones, lime, nor sand to be +procured, it was necessary to build the castle of timber; which the rajah +ordered to be immediately provided for the purpose, and brought to the +spot appointed, which was close to the river side, as best adapted for +resisting the assault of the Calicut fleet in any future attempt against +Cochin. The rajah sent likewise a great number of his subjects to carry on +the work; saying that our people had already had enough to do in the +operations of the war: But Francisco commanded our people to work in +constructing the fortifications, the foundations of which were laid on the +26th September 1503. The inhabitants of Cochin were astonished at the +diligence with which our people laboured at this work, saying there were +no such men in the world, as they were equally good at all things. + +On the 30th September, four days after the commencement of the fort, +Alonso de Albuquerque arrived with his ships at Cochin, having been +delayed on his voyage by severe storms and contrary winds, yet brought all +his men with him in excellent health. Francisco was much pleased at his +arrival; and a portion of the fort being allotted to those newly arrived, +it was soon finished. Though built of timber, this castle was as strong +and handsome, as if it had been constructed of stone and lime. It was of a +square form, each face being eighteen yards, with bulwarks or bastions at +each corner mounted with ordnance. The walls were made of two rows of palm +trees and other strong timber, firmly set in the ground, and bound +together with iron hoops and large nails, the space between the two rows +of timber being rammed full of earth and sand, and the whole surrounded by +a ditch always full of water[4]. The day after this fort was finished, +which was named Manuel in honour of the king of Portugal, the captain- +general with all his people made a solemn procession, in which the vicar +of the fort bore the crucifix under a canopy carried by the captains of +the fleet, preceded by trumpets and other instruments of music. The fort +was solemnly blessed, and consecrated by the celebration of mass; after +which friar Gaston preached a sermon, in which he exhorted his hearers to +be thankful to God, who had permitted the inhabitants of the small western +kingdom of Portugal to construct a fortress in this distant region, among +so many enemies of the Catholic faith. He expressed a hope that this might +be the forerunner of many other establishments of a similar nature, to the +advancement of the true religion among the heathen, and the glory of +Portugal. He likewise desired his hearers to keep always in mind the high +obligations they owed to the rajah for the good service he had rendered to +the king of Portugal on this occasion. A faithful report was carried to +the rajah of this part of the discourse, who was much gratified, and gave +thanks for the same to the two generals. + +After completing the fort, the Portuguese renewed the war, and made an +attack on two towns belonging to the lord of Repelim on the coast, about +five leagues from Cochin, having learned from spies that they were but +slightly garrisoned. On this expedition the generals took a body of seven +hundred men, and departing from Cochin about two hours before day, they +arrived at their destination about nine o'clock next morning. These towns +had a population of six thousand people, besides children, and were only +defended by three hundred nayres, all bowmen. Alonso de Albuquerque with +part of the forces landed at the nearest town, and Francisco with the +remainder of the forces at the other, which was only about a cannon-shot +distant from the former. In the first town the enemy was completely +surprised and run away, and the place was set on fire without resistance. +On seeing the people run away, our men pursued and slew many of the +fugitives, and when wearied of the pursuit they plundered and destroyed +the country. In the mean time the alarm was spread over the neighbourhood, +and about 6000 nayres assembled, who made an attack upon our men as they +were embarking, so that they were in great danger: In particular, Duarte +Pacheco, not being able to find his boat in the place where he had left it, +was closely pursued; and though he and his company defended themselves +valiantly, and killed many of the enemy, eight of his men were wounded +with arrows. So superior was the number of the enemy on this occasion, +that Pacheco and his men had assuredly been all slain, if the rest of the +troops had not again landed to his rescue; on which the enemy lost heart +and run away, leaving the field of battle strewed over with their slain. +After the defeat of the nayres, our men set fire to fifteen paraws, which +were drawn up on the beach, and carried away seven which were afloat. + +The lord of Repelim was much grieved at the destruction of his towns; and +being afraid of our people making an attack on another about a league +farther up the river, he sent a strong detachment of his nayres for its +security. The generals, however, resolved to follow up their victory, and +to do all the evil in their power to the territories of this lord. For +this purpose, after allowing their men some time for rest, they departed +about midnight, while it was still so dark that they could not see each +other in the boats, expecting to come upon their enemies by surprise by +dawn of next morning. The boats in which Alonso de Albuquerque and his +party were embarked got considerably a-head of the rest, and arrived at +the town which it was intended to attack a good while before day. Weary of +waiting for the rest, he landed his men, and gave orders to set the town +on fire. At first they were successful in this rash enterprise, as the +ordinary inhabitants were a cowardly unarmed people. But the garrison of +above two thousand nayres, having assembled on the alarm, attacked Alonso +and his men with great fury and forced them to retreat to their boats, +after killing one man and wounding several others of the party, which only +consisted originally of forty men. Alonso and his soldiers would not have +been able to make good their retreat, if the sailors who remained in +charge of the boats had not fired off a falcon[5], or small piece of +ordnance, on which the nayres gave over the pursuit. By this time day +broke, and Francisco de Albuquerque approached with the rest of the boats; +and seeing the perilous situation of Alonso, he commanded the ordnance in +the boats to be played off against the enemy, on which they fled from the +shore. At this time Pacheco, who was somewhat astern of the rest, observed +a great number of armed nayres marching along a narrow passage to +reinforce the others at the town; and brought his boat so near the pass, +that he completely stopt their passage that way. The whole of our men were +now landed, and soon constrained the enemy to take flight with +considerable loss; after which they set the town on fire, but did not +think it prudent to pursue the runaways, as they were not acquainted with +the country. + +After this exploit, Duarte Pacheco and Pedro de Tayde went with their +divisions to destroy another town at some distance, in their way towards +which they fought and defeated eighteen paraws belonging to the zamorin, +and then set the town on fire. From thence they stood over to the island +of _Cambalan_, the caymal of which was an enemy of the Cochin rajah, where +they destroyed a large town. From that place, Pacheco went with five armed +paraws of Cochin to burn another town, where he met with considerable +resistance, and slew a great number of the enemy, seven of his own people +being wounded. After setting the town on fire, he retired towards Cochin, +and was forced to fight with thirteen armed paraws of Calicut, which he +defeated with the assistance of Pedro de Tayde and Antonio del Campo, who +fortunately joined him in this emergency. On their defeat, the Calient +paraws retired into a creek, where one of them ran aground and was taken +by Pacheco; but our men being worn out with hard rowing, were unable to +pursue the rest, and returned to Cochin. On receiving an account of these +transactions, the rajah was much satisfied with the revenge which had been +taken of his enemies, and requested of our generals to discontinue the war, +to which, however, they were by no means inclined. + +On account of the war, no pepper was brought from the country to sell at +the factory in Cochin, neither dared the merchants to go out in search of +that commodity, insomuch that the factory had only been able to procure +300 _bahars_[6], and the factor requested the generals to go in quest of +some which was to be procured at a place about nine leagues from Cochin. +For this purpose the two generals and all their captains set out from +Cochin under night, that their intentions might not be discovered by the +enemy. On the way Pacheco destroyed a whole island, in which he fought +against six thousand of the enemy with his own company only, and the two +generals put thirty-four paraws to flight. After this Pacheco and del +Campo destroyed a town on the continent, where they defeated two thousand +nayres, many of whom were slain, without any loss on their side. After +this, the generals sent on the _tony_[7] for the pepper, which carried +such merchandize as was meant to be given in exchange; and for its +protection Pacheco and three other captains accompanied it with two +hundred men, and five hundred Cochin paraws[8]. In passing a narrow strait +or river, our people were assailed from the banks by a vast number of the +natives armed with bows and arrows, but were defended by their targets, +which were fixed on the gunwales of their boats. Leaving one of his +captains with fifty Portuguese t protect the tony, Pacheco with the other +two captains and the troops belonging to the rajah, made towards the shore, +firing off his falcons against the enemy, whom he forced to quit the +shore with much loss; after which he landed with his troops, most of whom +were armed with hand-guns. The enemy, who were full two thousand strong, +resisted for a quarter of an hour, but at length took to flight after +having many slain. Pacheco pursued them to a village, where the fugitives +rallied and were joined by many nayres, insomuch that they now amounted to +six thousand men, and our people were in great jeopardy, as the enemy +endeavoured to surround them, and to intercept their return to the boats. +But our men defended themselves manfully, and fought their way back to the +shore, where the natives divided on each hand, being afraid of the shot of +the falcons, which slew great numbers of them, and our men re-embarked +without having a single man killed or wounded. + +The zamorin was much displeased at the successes of our people against his +confederates, and by the loss of many of his paraws in these several +actions, and was even afraid lest the Portuguese might eventually +dispossess him of his dominions. He used every exertion therefore to +prevent us from procuring pepper, being in hopes, if our ships were +constrained to return to Portugal without loading, that they would come no +more back to India. He used his influence therefore even with the +merchants of Cochin to refuse supplying pepper to our ships, which they +did so effectually, under pretence of the war, that, in spite of the +influence of the rajah, and notwithstanding high offers of reward from +Francisco de Albuquerque, the factory had only been able to procure 1200 +quintals or 4000 bahars[9] of pepper; and even that was got with hard +fighting, some hurt to our own men, and infinite loss of lives to the +enemy. Unable to procure any more pepper in Cochin, Alonso de Albuquerque +went to Coulan in search of that commodity, accompanied by Pedro de Tayde +and Antonio del Campo, knowing that the government of that state was +desirous of having one of our factories established in their city, and had +solicited both Pedro Alvares Cabral and the lord admiral De Gama to that +effect; and Alonso was determined to go to war with the people of Coulan +unless they gave him loading for his ships. + +Coulan is twelve leagues from Cochin, and twenty-four from Cape Comorin. +Before the building of Calicut, Coulan was the principal city of Malabar, +and the port of greatest trade on that coast. Its buildings, more +especially the temples and shrines of their idols, are larger and more +splendid than those of Cochin. The haven is excellent, the country is well +stored with provisions, and the condition of the people resembles in all +things what has been formerly said of the inhabitants of Calicut. The +inhabitants are idolatrous Malabars, having among them many rich Moorish +merchants, more especially since the war broke out between us and the +zamorin, as many of these merchants had left Calicut to reside at Coulan. +They trade with Coromandel, Ceylon, the Maldive islands, Bengal, Pegu, +Camatia, and Malava. The rajah or king of this state rules over an +extensive kingdom, in which there are many rich cities and several good +harbours; by which means he has a large revenue, and is able to maintain a +great military force, but the men are mostly of a low stature: He +entertains in his palace a guard of three hundred women, armed with bows +and arrows, who are very expert archers, and they bind up their breasts +very tight with bandages of silk and linen, that they may not stand in the +way of using their bows. This rajah usually resides in a city named Calle, +and is generally at war with the king of Narsinga[10]. + +In the city of Coulan, which is governed by certain officers or aldermen, +there is a church which was built by the apostle St Thomas, who came here +to preach the Catholic faith, and made many converts both among the +idolaters and others, who have handed down the Christian belief from +generation to generation, so that there are at least twelve thousand +families of Christians scattered abroad in the country, in which they have +churches in many places. The king who then ruled in Coulan, being much +displeased at the numbers of his subjects who were converted to +Christianity, banished St Thomas from his dominions, who then went to a +city called Malapur or Meliapour, on the coast of the dominions of +Narsinga, and was followed by the Christians of Coulan, and even by many +of the idolaters. He is said to have retired into a solitude in the +mountains, where he died, and whence his body was removed for interment in +a vault of the church he had built at Coulan. This church is now deserted +and entirely overgrown with trees and bushes, and is kept by a poor +Moorish zealot, who subsists on alms which he receives from Christian +pilgrims, and even some of the idolaters give alms at this tomb. + +On the arrival of Alonso de Albuquerque at the harbour of Coulan, the +governors of the city came on board to visit him, and settled a treaty +with him, in which it was stipulated that we were to have a factory in the +city, and that they should provide a loading with all possible dispatch +for the three ship he had along with him. While one of his ships was +taking in a lading in the harbour, the other two always kept out at sea +watching all ships that passed, and obliging every one they could descry +to come and give an account of themselves to Albuquerque as captain- +general under the king of Portugal. He offered no injury to any of these, +unless to such as belonged to the Moors of the Red Sea, all of which that +fell in his way were first plundered and then burnt, in revenge for the +injuries they had done to the Portuguese. When the house for the factory +was finished, and the ships laden, Alonso left there Antonio de Sola as +factor, with two clerks, Rodrigo Aranso and Lopo Rabelo, an interpreter +named Medera, and two friars to serve as chaplains, together with other +assistants, being twenty in all; after which he returned to Cochin. + +About this time Francisco de Albuquerque received a message from +_Cosebequin_, a friendly Moor of Calicut who has been formerly mentioned, +giving him notice that the zamorin was determined to make another attack +on Cochin so soon as the Portuguese fleet had departed for Europe, and to +fortify it in such a manner as should prevent them from having any farther +intercourse with that country. With this view the zamorin had entered into +treaties with all the rajahs and leading nayres or nobles of Malabar, and +it was even rumoured that those of Cananor and Coulan had secretly entered +into terms with him against the Portuguese and the rajah of Cochin[11]. He +said farther that the Moorish merchants had promised large assistance for +carrying on the war, as they were exceedingly desirous to exclude the +Christians from trading to India. About the same time a letter came from +Rodrigo Reynel to the same effect, saying that the zamorin was levying +troops, and had caused a great number of cannon to be prepared for the war: +Reynel likewise said that the Moors of Cochin were decidedly in the +interest of the zamorin, and were therefore to be looked to with much +jealousy. The rajah likewise informed Albuquerque, that from certain +bramins who had come from Calicut he was informed of the intentions and +preparations of the zamorin for reducing Cochin; and as he had little +reliance on his own subjects, he requested some Portuguese troops might be +left for his defence. Francisco gave the rajah assurance of protection, +and even that the Portuguese would add to his dominions at a future period, +in reward for his fidelity and friendship to their nation, and as a +compensation for the injuries he had suffered in their cause. + +The rajah was much pleased with this assurance; and as Francisco found he +could have no more pepper at Cochin, he determined upon returning to +Portugal, when he had appointed a fit person to remain as captain-general +in India. He found this matter difficult, as none of his captains were +willing to remain with the small force which he was able to leave behind. +At length Duarte Pacheco willingly accepted the charge, and the rajah was +much pleased with his appointment, having already sufficient proof of his +valour. Pacheco was accordingly left at Cochin with his own ship and two +caravels commanded by Pedro Raphael and Diego Perez, and a pinnace, with +ninety men in health besides others who were sick.[12] As much ordnance +and ammunition was likewise given him as could possibly be spared from the +homeward bound ships. All these things being settled, Francisco de +Albuquerque sailed for Cananor, where he proposed to endeavour to procure +the liberty of Rodrigo Reynel and the others who were at Calicut. But the +zamorin sent him word that there was no necessity to take this person away, +who was desirous of remaining in India; and if the captain-general would +remain he should have the pepper which was promised.[13] At this time +Alonso de Albuquerque returned from Coulan, and joined Francisco at +Cananor; and a letter was brought from Rodrigo Reynel, giving information +that the zamorin was certainly resolved to attempt the conquest of Cochin, +as soon as the Portuguese ships should leave the coast; and that his only +intention in making an offer of pepper was with a view to prevent them +from burning the ships which were then in the harbour of Calicut. + +All matters being arranged, the Portuguese fleet sailed from Cananor on +the 31st of January 1504. Alonso de Albuquerque and Antonio del Campo came +to Lisbon on the 23d of August, and presented to the king 400 weight of +seed pearls, which are called _Alhofer or Ragges_, 144 pound weight of +great pearls, and eight of the oysters from which the pearls are procured. +[14] He gave likewise to the king a diamond as big as a large bean, and +many other jewels; and two Persian horses of wonderful swiftness. +Francisco de Albuquerque and Nicholas Coello, who left Cananor some time +after Alonso, were cast away on the voyage and never more heard of. Pedro +de Tayde was driven to Quiloa, where his ship was lost on the bar and most +of his men drowned. From Quiloa he went to Mozambique in a _zambucco_, +where he afterwards died; but left a letter in which he gave a particular +account of the state of affairs in India, which he ordered to be, +delivered to the first captain who might put in there from Portugal[15]. + + * * * * * + +Antonio de Saldanna, the last of the three commanders who were sent to +cruise in the north of the Red Sea, having lost Diego Fernandez Peteira, +came to anchor at a place called St Thomas, on the east side of the Cape +of Good Hope, which was made famous by the name of _Aquada del Saldanna_, +or Saldannas watering-place, on account of his having lost several of his +men there in endeavouring to land. At this time Ruy Lorenzo was parted +from him in a storm which drove him to Mozambique, whence he held on his +course for Quiloa, where he took some small prizes. Being ambitious to +distinguish himself, he went to the island of Zanzibar, twenty leagues +short of Mombasa, where he took twenty small vessels. After this he +appeared before the town of Mombasa, the king of which place sent out a +number of armed almadias or paraws to take his ship: But Lorenzo armed his +long boat with a crew of thirty men, which took four of the almadias and +killed a great many of the Moors. The king sent an army of 4000 men to the +shore under the command of his son, who was killed with some others at the +first volley; on which one of the Moors ran out from the ranks with a flag +of the Portuguese arms, craving a parley. Peace was soon concluded, by +which the king agreed to pay 100 _meticals_ of gold yearly as a tribute to +the king of Portugal[16]. + +From Mombasa, Lorenzo sailed for Melinda, the king of which place was much +oppressed by him of Mombasa, on account of his connection with the +Portuguese. On his way he took two ships and three small vessels called +_zambuccos_, in which were twelve magistrates of Brava, who submitted +their city to the king of Portugal, and engaged to give 500 meticals of +yearly tribute. On his arrival at Melinda, he found that a battle had been +fought between the kings of Melinda and Mombasa, in which neither could +claim the victory. Antonio de Saldanna likewise arrived at Melinda about +this time, and by his mediation peace was restored between these princes. +Saldanna and Lorenzo went thence to the mouth of the Red Sea, where they +defeated some Moors at the islands of _Kanakani_[17] beyond Cape Guardafu. +On the upper coast of Arabia, they burnt one ship belonging to the Moors +which was laden with frankincense, and they drove another on shore which +carried a number of pilgrims for Mecca. + + +[1] This seems to be the island named Chirapipil on a former occasion.--E. + +[2] Thus I understand the expression in Lichefilds translation of + Castaneda, "Forty were armed with, shot."--E. + +[3] Caliver is the old name of the matchlock or carabine, the precursor + of the modern firelock or musket.--E. + +[4] A very ordinary precaution in India, to guard the passage of the wet + ditch in fortified places, both against desertion and surprise, is by + keeping numbers of crocodiles in the water.--E. + +[5] A falcon or faulcon is described as a small cannon of two pound shot. + The following enumeration of the ancient English ordnance, from Sir + William Monsons Naval Tracts, in the reigns of Elizabeth and James the + First, is given in Churchills Collection, Vol. III. p. 803. I suspect + the weight of the basilisk, marked 400 pounds in this list, may be a + typographical error for 4000.--E. + + Names. Bore. Weight. Shot. Powder. Random + inches. libs. libs. libs. paces. + Cannon-royal 8-1/2 8000 66 30 1930 + Cannon 8 6000 60 27 2000 + Cannon-serpentine 7 5500 53-1/2 25 2000 + Bastard cannon 7 4500 41 20 1800 + Demi-cannon 6-3/4 4000 30-1/2 18 1700 + Cannon-petro 6 3000 24-1/2 14 1600 + Culverin 5-1/2 4500 17-1/2 12 2500 + Basilisk 5 400* 15 10 3000 + Demi-culverin 4 3400 9-1/2 8 2500 + Bastard culverin 4 3000 5 5-3/4 1700 + Sacar 3-1/2 1400 5-1/2 5-1/2 1700 + Minion 3-1/2 1000 4 4 1500 + Faulcon 2-1/2 660 2 3-1/2 1500 + Falconet 2 500 1-1/2 3 1500 + Serpentine 1-1/2 400 3/4 1-1/2 1400 + Rabanet 1 300 1/2 1/3 1000 + +[6] Two weights of that name are described as used in India for the sale + of pepper and other commodities, the small and the large bahar; the + former consisting of three, and the latter of four and a half peculs. + The pecul is said to weigh 5 1/2 pounds avoirdupois: Consequently the + smaller bahar is equal to 16 1/2, and the larger to 24 3/4 English + pounds. A little farther on in the present work of Castaneda, 4000 + bahars are said to equal 1200 quintals; which would make the bahar of + Cochin equal to thirty Portuguese pounds.--E. + +[7] This is a species of bark of some burthen, then used on the Malabar + coast.--E. + +[8] Such is the expression of Lichefild; which I suspect ought to have + been 500 nayres of Cochin in paraws.--E. + +[9] The quantity in the text is probably exaggerated considerably, as + only a few pages before, the factory at Cochin is said to have only + been able to procure 300 quintals.--E. + +[10] In Astleys Collection, I. p. 55. Coulan or Koulan is said to have + been governed at this time by a _queen_ or rana. By Narsinga Bisnagar + is to be understood, which was one of the sovereignties into which the + Decan or southern peninsula of India was then divided--E. + +[11] The western coast of India below the Gauts, is divided into three + portions, the Concan in the north, after this the coast of Canara, and + in the south, the country of Malabar, reaching from Mount Deli to Cape + Comorin. At the present period, Malabar was divided into seven + kingdoms or provinces: Cananor, Calicut, Cranganor, Cochin, Porka, + Coulan, and Travancore; which last was subject to the kingdom of + Narsinga or Bisnagar. Cananor, Calicut, and Coulan only were + considered as independent rajahs, the others being less or more + subjected to the authority of these three.--E. + + +[12] According to Astley, his whole force consisted of 110 men. Vol. I. p. + 65. + +[13] This story of Reynel and the pepper promised by the zamorin, is so + confusedly told in Lichefild's translation of Castaneda, as to be + altogether unintelligible.--E. + +[14] In Astley the weight of the large pearls is reduced to 40 pounds. + Even with that correction, the immense quantity of pearls in the text + is quite incredible. There must be some error in the denomination, but + which we are unable to correct.--E. + +[15] The remainder of this section is taken from Astley, I. 56, being + there appended to the abridgement of the voyage of the Albuquerques. + It is an isolated incident, having no apparent connection with the + history in the text, yet seemed proper to be preserved in this place. + --E. + +[16] Mombasa belonged to the Portuguese for near 200 years. In 1698 it + was very easily taken by the Muskat Arabs, who put twenty Portuguese + to the sword.--Astl. I. 56. a. + +[17] No islands of that name are to be found on our maps. The islands of + Socotora, Abdul Kuria, and los dos Hermanas, are to the + eastwards of Cape Guardafu: Chartan Martan, or the islands of Kuria + Muria, are a considerable distance N.N.E. on the outer or oceanic + coast of Yemen.--E. + + + +SECTION VIII. + +_Transactions of the Portuguese in India under Duarte Pacheco, from the +departure of Alonso and Francisco de Albuquerque in January 1504, till +the arrival of Lope Suarez de Menesis with succours in September of that +year._ + +After the departure of the Albuquerques from Cananor, Duarte Pacheco, who +was left with the command in India, remained there for some time to take +in provisions, having along with him the caravel commanded by Pedro +Raphael, while the other ship of his small squadron, under the command of +Diego Perez, was repairing at Cochin. Pacheco anchored with his own ship +off the harbour of Cananor, and dispatched Raphael along the coast to +oblige all ships which passed that way to come to Cananor in +acknowledgment of Pacheco as captain-general in the Indies. Several were +brought in by Raphael, and were constrained to give a full account from +whence they came, whither bound, and what they were laden with. In case +of their containing any pepper, more especially if bound for Calicut, he +used to take that commodity from them; and carried his command with so +high a hand, that he became the terror of these seas. One night while +thus at anchor, a fleet of twenty-five ships came suddenly to the +anchoring-ground where he lay, which he suspected to have been sent from +Calicut on purpose to attack him. Considering himself in imminent danger, +he immediately slipped his cables, not having time to weigh anchor, and +made sail to gain the windward of this fleet, upon which he directly +commenced firing. They were mostly small ships laden with rice, and made +off with all the haste in their power, though some of them ran aground. +One of the vessels of this fleet was a large ship belonging to the Moors +of Cananor, having nearly 400 men on board, who resisted for some time, +shooting off their arrows, and even endeavoured to take our ship. When +day was near at hand, and after having nine men slain in the action, the +Moorish captain at length submitted, and told Pacheco that he belonged to +Cananor. + +After some time spent in this manner, Pacheco made sail for Cochin, and +in the passage fell in with several ships belonging to the Moors, taking +some, and burning or sinking others. On landing at the fort of Cochin, he +learnt from the factor that the reports of the zamorin making +preparations for the renewal of the war, were perfectly true, and even +that the Moorish inhabitants of Cochin were adverse to the rajah for +having taken part with the Portuguese against the zamorin. Being informed +likewise that the Cochin rajah was in great fear of this new war, he went +next day to visit him, carrying all his boats well manned, and fenced +with raised sides of boards to defend his men from the missile weapons of +the enemy. They were likewise furnished with ordnance, and all decorated +with flags and streamers in a gallant manner, hoping thereby to inspire +confidence in Trimumpara, who was much dejected at the small force which +had been left for his defence. In a conference between them, the rajah +said to Pacheco, that the Moors asserted he was left in the Indies for +the sole purpose of removing the merchandize belonging to the Portuguese +in the factory at Cochin to Cananor and Coulan, and not to defend him +against the power of the zamorin; which he was even disposed to think +were true, in consideration of the smallness of the fleet under his +command. Pacheco felt indignant at the suspicion which the rajah +entertained, and endeavoured to convince him that he had been imposed +upon by the Moors out of enmity to the Portuguese, assuring him that he +would faithfully exert himself in his defence. He pointed out to him the +strength of the natural defences of Cochin, which were all narrow, and +defensible therefore by a few valiant men against any number of +assailants. The rajah was greatly relieved by these assurances, and +Pacheco went to visit the different places by which the island of Cochin +might be assailed, all of which he diligently fortified, more especially +the ford, which he strengthened with a row of stakes, both to prevent the +enemy from wading across, and to hinder any of their vessels from passing. + +In the mean time he was informed by letter from Rodrigo Reynel, that a +principal Moor in Cochin, in concert with several others, were contriving +to quit that city; and had been twice secretly at Calicut to confer with +the zamorin on this subject. Pacheco was a good deal concerned at this +intelligence, and proposed to the rajah to have this Moor executed for +his treasonable intercourse with the zamorin. But Trimumpara would by no +means consent to this measure; saying that it would occasion a mutiny +among the Moors, by whom the city was furnished with provisions in +exchange for goods, and be thought it were better to dissemble with them +all. Pacheco then said that he would have a conference with the Moors, +meaning to use policy with them, since the rajah did not approve of +violent measures; and to this the rajah consented, giving orders to his +naires to obey the orders of Pacheco. In pursuance of this plan, Pacheco +went to the dwelling of this chief Moor, named _Belinamacar_, close by +the river, taking with him a guard of his own men well armed, and +requested that person to send for some other leading men among the Moors, +whom he named, saying that he wished to consult with them on a subject of +great importance to them all. When they were all assembled, he made them +a speech to the following effect. + +"I sent for you, honest merchants, that I might inform you for what +purpose I remain in the Indies. It is reported by some, that I mean only +to remove the factory and the goods belonging to the Portuguese to Coulan +and Cananor: But my sole purpose is to defend Cochin against the zamorin, +and even if necessary I will die in your defence. I am resolved to meet +him in Cambalan, by which way it is said he means to invade you; and, if +he has the boldness to meet me, I hope to make him prisoner and to carry +him with me into Portugal. I am informed that you intend to go away from +Cochin, and to induce the rest of the inhabitants among whom you are the +chiefs, to do the same; but I am astonished men of your wisdom should +leave the country in which you were born, and where you have dwelt so +many years, from fear of vain reports. Such conduct were even disgraceful +for women, and is therefore much more so for you who are men of wisdom +and experience. If you should be disposed to remove from hence when you +shall actually be in danger, I should hardly blame you: But to do so +before that danger is apparent, and even before a single battle has been +fought, must proceed either from cowardice or treachery. You all well +know, that only a very short while ago, a very small number of our +Portuguese defeated thousands of those same enemies who now threaten to +invade us. You may allege that we were then more in number than now, +which was assuredly the case. But we then fought in the open field, where +numbers were necessary; and we now propose only to fight in narrow passes, +in which a small number will suffice as well as a multitude. You already +know that I can fight, as it is I who have done the greatest injury to +the enemy in the late war, which the rajah can well vouch. As for me I +shall never yield, and I have more to lose, being overcome, than any of +you. Put your trust therefore in me and my troops, and remain where you +are till you see the event of our defence. Your sovereign remains in his +port, and wherefore should you go away? I and the Portuguese who are with +me, remain in this far distant country to defend your king, and you who +are his natural born subjects: Should you then desert him and your +country, you would disgrace yourselves and dishonour me, by refusing to +repose confidence in my promise to defend you against the zamorin and all +his power, were it even greater than it is. Wherefore, I strictly enjoin +that none of you shall remove from Cochin, and I swear by all that is +holy in our faith, that whoever is detected in the attempt shall be +instantly hanged. It is my determined purpose to remain here, and to have +the port strictly watched day and night that none of you may escape. Let +every one of you, therefore, look well to his conduct, and be assured, if +you do as I require, you shall have me for your friend; but if otherwise, +I shall be your mortal enemy, and shall use you worse even than the +zamorin." + +The Moors endeavoured to clear themselves from what had been alleged +against them, but Pacheco would not listen to their excuses, and departed +from them in anger, and immediately brought his ship and one of the +caravels with two boats, which he anchored directly opposite the city of +Cochin, with strict charges to let no one leave the city by water. He +likewise appointed a number of paraws to guard all the creeks and rivers +around the city; and ordered every boat that could transport men or goods +to be brought every night under the guns of his ships, and returned to +their owners in the morning. In consequence of all these precautions, the +people of Cochin were so much afraid of him, that not one of the Moors or +Malabars dared to leave the city without his permission, and +henceforwards continued quiet. Notwithstanding all these cares, Pacheco +used to make nightly invasions into the island of Repelim, where he burnt +the towns, slew the inhabitants, and carried away much cattle and many +paraws; on which account the Moors of Cochin, astonished that he could +endure so much fatigue, gave out that he was the devil. + +Mean time the zamorin collected his forces in the island of Repelim, +where he was joined by the lords of Tanor, Bespur, Kotugan, Korin, and +many other Malabar chiefs, making altogether an army of 50,000 men. Four +thousand of these were appointed to serve by water, in 280 vessels, +called _paraws_, _katurs_, and _tonys_; with 382 pieces of cannon +intended to batter the Portuguese fort at Cochin; and the rest of the +troops were appointed to force a passage across the ford of the river, +under the command of Naubea Daring, nephew and heir to the zamorin, and +Elankol, the lord of Repelim[1]. + +Intelligence of all this was conveyed to Cochin, and that the zamorin +proposed to invade that city by the straits of Cambalan. Rodrigo Reynel, +who sent this intelligence by letter, lay then very sick and died soon +after, on which the zamorin caused all his goods to be seized. On the +approach of the zamorin, the Moors of Cochin would very willingly have +induced the inhabitants to run away, but durst not venture to do so from +the fear they were in of Pacheco. He, on the contrary, that all might +know how little he esteemed the zamorin and all his power, made a descent +one night on one of the towns of Repelim, to which he set fire. But on +the coming up of a great number of armed naires, he was forced to retreat +in great danger to his boats, having five of his men wounded, after +killing and wounding a great number of the enemy. On their return to +Cochin, the targets of our men were all stuck full of arrows, so great +was the multitude of the enemies who had assailed them. The rajah came to +visit Pacheco at the castle on his return from this enterprize, and +expressed his satisfaction at his success, which he considered as a +mighty affair, especially as the zamorin and so great an army was in the +island. Pacheco made light of the zamorin and all his force, saying that +he anxiously wished he would come and give battle, as he was not at all +afraid of the consequences, trusting to the superior valour of his own +men. + +As the people of Cochin remained quiet, Pacheco now prepared for +defending the pass of Cambalan. Leaving therefore a sufficient force to +guard the castle, and twenty-five men in the caravel under the command of +Diego Pereira to protect the city and watch the conduct of the Moors, +taking with himself seventy-three men in one of the caravels and several +armed boats, he departed for Cambalan on Friday the 16th of April 1504[2]. +On passing the city, Pacheco landed to speak with the rajah, whom he +found in evident anxiety; but making as if he did not observe his +heaviness, Pacheco addressed him with a cheerful countenance, saying that +he was just setting out to defend him against the zamorin, of whom he had +no fear of giving a good account. After some conference, the rajah +ordered 500 of his naires, out of 3000 who were in his service, to join +Pacheco, under the command of _Gandagora_ and _Frangera_ the overseers of +his household, and the caymal of _Palurta_, whom he directed to obey +Pacheco in all things as if he were himself present. On taking leave of +Pacheco, while he exhorted him to use his utmost efforts for defending +Cochin against the zamorin, he desired him to be careful of his own +safety, on which so much depended. + +Pacheco arrived at the passage of Cambalan two hours before day, and +seeing no appearance of the zamorins approach, he made an attack on a +town on the coast of the island about the dawn, which was defended by 300 +naires, all archers, and a small number armed with calivers, or +match-locks, all of whom were embarked in certain paraws, and endeavoured +to defend the entrance of the harbour. They were soon constrained by the +cannon of the Portuguese to push for the shore and quit their paraws, but +resisted all attempts of the Portuguese to land for near an hour, when +they were completely defeated after losing a great many of their number, +killed or wounded, and our men set the town on fire. Having taken a +considerable number of cattle at this place, which he carried off with him, +Pacheco returned to defend the pass of Cambalan. At this time the zamorin +sent a message to Pacheco, offering him a handsome present, and proposing +a treaty for a peace between them: but Pacheco refused accepting the +present, and declared he would never make peace with him while he +continued at enmity with the rajah of Cochin. Next day, the zamorin sent a +second message, proudly challenging him for daring to obstruct his passage +into the island of Cochin, and offering him battle, declaring his +resolution to make him a prisoner, if he were not slain in the battle. To +this Pacheco made answer, that he hoped to do the same thing with the +zamorin, in honour of the day which was a solemn festival among the +Christians, and that the zamorin was much deceived by his sorcerers when +they promised him the victory on such a day. Then one of the naires who +accompanied the messenger, said smiling as if in contempt, that he had few +men to perform so great an exploit; whereas the forces of the zamorin +covered both the land and the water, and could not possibly be overcome by +such a handful. Pacheco ordered this man to be well bastinadoed for his +insolence, and bid him desire the zamorin to revenge his quarrel if he +could. + +That same evening, the rajah of Cochin sent a farther reinforcement to +Pacheco of 500 naires, of whom he made no account, neither of these who +were with him before, believing they would all run away; his sole +reliance, under God, was on his own men, who feasted themselves that +night, that the zamorin might learn how much they despised all his +threats, and how eager they were for battle. Early next morning, Pacheco +made a short speech to his men, exhorting them, to behave valiantly for +the glory of the Christian name and the honour of their country, and +promising them an assured victory with the assistance of God; by which +their fame would be so established among the natives that they would be +feared and respected ever after. He likewise set before them the rewards +they might assuredly expect from their own sovereign, if they behaved +gallantly on the present occasion. His men immediately answered him that +they hoped in the ensuing battle to evince how well they remembered his +exhortations. They all then knelt down and sung the _salve regina_, and +afterwards an _Ave Maria_, with a loud voice. Just at this time, Laurenço +Moreno joined Pacheco with four of his men armed with calivers, who were +all anxious to be present in the battle, and of whose arrival the general +was extremely glad, as he knew them to be valiant soldiers. + +In the course of the night, by the advice of the Italian lapidaries who +had deserted to the enemy, the zamorin caused a sconce or battery to be +erected directly over against the place where Pacheco was stationed, on +which five pieces of ordnance were placed, from which great service was +expected in the ensuing battle, owing to the narrowness of the pass. On +the morning of Palm Sunday, the zamorin marched forwards with 47,000 men, +partly naires and part Moors, and accompanied by all the rajahs and +caymals who had joined him in this war. Of these, the rajah of _Tanor_ +had 4000 naires; the rajahs of _Bybur_ and _Curran_, whose countries lay +near the mountains of Narsinga, had 12,000 naires; the rajah of +_Cotogataco_, which is between Cochin and Cananor close beside the +mountains, had 18,000 naires; the rajah of _Curia_, which is between +Paniani and Cranganor, had 3000 naires. Naubea Daring, the prince of +Calicut, and his brother Namboa, who were particularly attached to that +part of the army composed of the zamorins immediate subjects, had a large +body of men whose numbers I do not particularize. Their warlike +instruments were many and of divers sorts, and made a noise as if heaven +and earth were coming together. + +Before day, the van of this prodigious army arrived at the sconce of the +Italians, and began immediately to play off their ordnance against the +caravel, which was so near that it was an absolute miracle that not a +single shot did any harm. But our cannon were better served, and every +shot did execution among the enemy: and so well did they ply their guns, +that before sunrise above thirty discharges were made from our caravel. +At day-break, the whole of the enemies fleet, consisting of 169 barks, +came out of the rivers of the island of Repelim to attack our small force. +Sixty-six of these were paraws, having their sides defended with bags of +cotton by advice of the Italians, to ward off our shot; and each of these +had twenty-five men and two pieces of ordnance, five of the men in each +paraw being armed with calivers or matchlocks. Twenty of the foysts or +large barks were chained together, as a floating battery to assault the +caravel; besides which, there were fifty-three _catures_ and thirty large +barks, each of which carried sixteen men and one piece of ordnance, +besides other weapons. Besides all these armed vessels, there were a +great many more filled with soldiers, so that the whole river seemed +entirely covered over. Of this numerous fleet, which contained near 10, +000 men, Naubea Daring was admiral or commander in chief, and the lord of +Repelim vice-admiral. All these advanced against the Portuguese, setting +up terrible shouts, which was answered alternately by sounding all their +military instruments of music. The whole of these people were almost +naked, having targets of various colours, and made a very gallant +appearance. On the approach of this prodigious fleet, our caravel and +boats were hardly discernible, so completely did the enemy cover the face +of the water. Terrified by so prodigious a multitude, the naires of +Cochin all ran away, only Grandagora and Frangora remaining, who were on +board the caravel, or they would have done like the rest. Indeed their +presence was of no importance, except to serve as witnesses of the valour +of our men. + +Our people plied their ordnance and small arms so incessantly that the +air was quite darkened with smoke, and as the boats of the enemy were +very numerous and without order, they hindered each other, and our fire +did prodigious execution among them, several of their paraws being torn +to pieces and great numbers of their men killed and wounded, without any +hurt on our side. The twenty-five paraws[3] which were chained together +were now brought forwards, and gave much annoyance to our men, who were +now likewise much fatigued, as the battle had continued a long time. The +captain-general gave orders to fire off a _saker_,[4] which had not been, +hitherto used during the battle. By the time this had been twice fired, +it did such terrible execution among the thick of the enemy as to sink +four of their paraws, and all the others made the best of their way out +of the battle, eighteen of the paraws being sunk in all, and vast numbers +of the enemy slain and wounded. On the defeat of this squadron, which was +commanded by Prince Naubea Daring, Elankol, the lord of Repelim, who was +vice-admiral, came forward with a fresh squadron, and gave a proud onset, +commanding his paraws to lay the caravel on board; but the Malabars had +not resolution to put this order into execution, and held off at some +distance. The zamorin also approached with the land army, doing his +utmost to force the passage of the ford; but all their efforts were in +vain, although this second battle was more fiercely urged than the first. +Though the battle continued from daybreak to almost sunset, the enemy +were able to make no impression, and were known to have lost 350 men +slain outright, besides others, which were above 1000.[5] Some of our men +were wounded, but none slain; for the balls of the enemy, though of cast +iron, had no more effect than as many stones thrown by hand. Yet our +barricades of defence were all torn to pieces, and one of our boats was +very much damaged, which was entirely repaired during the night. + +The rajahs and other chiefs who were allied with the zamorin, lost all +hope of ever being able to get the victory over the Portuguese, and were +sorry for having joined in the war so greatly to their own dishonour. +Being afraid the captain-general might burn and destroy their towns and +houses, which were all situated on the banks of rivers, they were anxious +to leave the army of the zamorin, and to give over making war on the +Portuguese. Some among them withdrew privately from the camp of the +zamorin to the island of Vaipi with all their men, and reconciled +themselves with the rajah of Cochin: These were _Maraguta, Muta_ Caymal, +his brother and cousins. The zamorin was exceedingly mortified by the +discomfiture of his people, and severely reprimanded his chiefs for their +pusillanimous conduct, in allowing themselves to be defeated by such a +handful of men. The two Italian deserters, while they acknowledged the +valour of the Portuguese in the late action, represented that it would be +impossible for them to continue to bear up long against such vast odds +without reinforcements, and recommended the frequent reiteration of +assaults, under which they must necessarily be at last overthrown. All +those rajahs and chiefs who were for continuing the war, joined in +opinion with the Italians. The zamorin made a speech, in which he +recapitulated the defeats they had sustained and the defection of some of +his allies, who had entered into treaty with the rajah of Cochin. He +stated how short a period of the summer now remained for continuing the +operations of the war, which must soon be laid aside during the storms +and rain of the winter season, when it was impossible to keep the field; +and that, on the conclusion of winter, a new fleet would come from +Portugal with powerful reinforcements to the enemy, who would then be +able to carry the war as formerly into his dominions, to their utter loss +and destruction. He concluded by giving his opinion that it was necessary +for him to make peace with the Christians. Naubea Daring, the prince of +Calicut, made a long speech, in which he defended the Portuguese against +the imputation thrown upon them by the Moors of their being thieves and +pirates. He recapitulated all their conduct since their first arrival in +India, showing that they had always conducted themselves with good faith, +whereas they had been forced into war against Calicut by treachery and +oppression. He concluded by strongly recommending to negotiate peace with +the Christians, as otherwise the city and trade of Calicut would be +utterly destroyed, to the irreparable injury of the zamorins revenue, +which was of more importance to him than the friendship of the Moors, +whose only object was their own profit. The zamorin was greatly moved by +this discourse, and recommended to the other chiefs that they should +concur with the prince, in procuring the establishment of peace. This +opinion was by no means relished by Elankol, the lord of Repelim, who had +confederated with the Moors to urge a continuance of the war, and +endeavoured to impress upon the zamorin that his reputation would be +destroyed by proposing peace at this time, which would be imputed to him +as an act of cowardice. The principal Moors, likewise, who were present +in the council used all their art and influence to induce the zamorin to +persevere; and it was at length determined to continue the war. + +One _Cogeal_, a Moor of Repelim who had been a great traveller, and had +seen many warlike devices, proposed a new invention for attacking the +caravels at the ford, which was considered to be perfectly irresistible. +Cogeal directed a floating castle to be built of timber on two boats or +lighters, which were firmly secured by two beams at their heads and +sterns. Over this the castle or square tower was strongly built of beams +joined together by bars of iron and large nails, carried up to the height +of a lance or spear, and so large that it was able to contain forty men +with several pieces of ordnance. It was proposed that this castle should +be brought Up to grapple with the caravels, by which the Portuguese might +be attacked on equal terms. On seeing this machine, the zamorin liberally +rewarded Cogeal for his ingenuity, and gave orders to have other seven +constructed of the same kind. By means of his spies, Pacheco got notice +of the construction of these floating castles, and likewise that the +enemy were preparing certain fireworks to set the caravels on fire[6]. To +keep off the fireships and floating castles, he constructed a species of +rafts, made of masts or spars eight fathoms long, and bound together with +iron bolts and hoops. Several of these, which were likewise eight fathoms +broad, were moored with anchors and cables, at the distance of a stones +throw from the caravels. Likewise, to prevent the caravels from being +overlooked by the floating castles, one Peter Raphael built certain +turrets on the decks of the caravels of spars set upright, in each of +which seven or eight men had room to handle their arms. At this time the +rajah of Cochin visited Pacheco, whom he earnestly exhorted to provide +well for defence against the zamorin; as he was well assured his own +subjects would desert him, if Pacheco were defeated. Pacheco upbraided +Trimumpara for his tears, desiring him to call in mind the victories +which the Portuguese had already gained over the enemy; and requested of +him to return to his capital showing himself confident among his people, +and to rest assured that he and the Portuguese would keep the pass +against every force the zamorin might bring against it. + +In expectation of an immediate attack, Lorenco Moreno returned to the +caravels with as many of his people as could be spared from the factory. +Pacheco made all his people take rest early in the night, that they might +be able for the expected fatigues of the ensuing day, on which he had +intelligence that the grand attack was to be made. About midnight, his +small force was summoned under arms; when, after confession and +absolution, he made a speech to his men, exhorting them to behave +themselves manfully in the approaching conflict. They all answered, that +they were resolved to conquer or die. About two in the morning, some of +the most advanced vessels belonging to the Calicut fleet began to fire +off their ordnance, as they approached towards the pass. The zamorin was +himself along with the land army, which exceeded 30,000 men, accompanied +with many field pieces. Elankol, the lord of Repelim, who commanded the +vanguard, advanced to the point of _Arraul_, which in some measure +commanded the ford, at which place he began to throw up some ramparts or +defences of earth. Pacheco landed secretly at the point with a detachment +of his troops, on purpose to prevent the enemy from throwing up +entrenchments, and a sharp skirmish ensued, in which many of the enemy +were slain. On the appearance of day, Pacheco retired to his boats, +though with no small difficulty, owing to the vast numbers of the enemy +who thronged around; yet got off with all his people unhurt, having +effectually hindered the proposed intrenchments. + +The land army of the enemy now brought their ordnance to the point, where +they began a furious cannonade upon; the caravels, yet without doing us +any harm, as our people were all effectually secured by means of high +wooden defences on the gunwales of their vessels; whereas every shot of +ours made prodigious havoc among the enemy, who were quite unsheltered. +The zamorin sent orders to his fleet to come on with all expedition, to +deliver him and his men from this imminent danger. The Calicut fleet now +approached in most formidable order, having several fire rafts in front, +intended for setting our caravels on fire. After them came 110 paraws, +full of men, and every one of them having ordnance, many of these being +fastened together by means of chains. After these came 100 _catures_ and +eighty _tonys_, each of which had a piece of ordnance and thirty men. In +the rear of all came the eight castles, which kept close by the point of +_Arraul_, as the _ebb was not yet altogether entered_.[7] The enemy came +on with loud shouts and the sound of many instruments, as if to an +assured victory, and immediately began a furious cannonade. Their fire +rafts advanced burning in a most alarming manner, but were stopped by the +_canizos_, or rafts of defence, formerly mentioned. By these likewise, +the paraws and other vessels of the enemy were prevented from closing +with our caravels and boats, which they seem to have intended. In this +part of the battle many of the paraws and other vessels of the enemy were +torn to pieces and sunk, and a great number of their men were killed and +wounded. On the turn of the tide, the floating castles put off from the +point, and were towed by boats towards the caravels. In the largest of +these castles there were forty men, in others thirty-five, and the +smallest had thirty, all armed with bows or matchlocks, besides ordnance; +and they seemed quite an irresistible force in comparison of ours, which +consisted only of two caravels and two armed boats. + +When the largest castle came up to our floating defence, it immediately +commenced a tremendous fire of all its ordnance upon our caravels; and at +this time Pacheco ordered a _saker_ to be shot off, which seemed to do +very little harm even at a second discharge. The remainder of the castles +now came into their stations, and the battle raged with the utmost fury. +What with incessant flights of arrows, and the smoke of so many guns, our +people could seldom see the vessels of the enemy. In this extremity, the +saker was discharged a third time against the largest castle, which had +been somewhat shaken by the two former discharges. By this shot its iron +work was broken, some of its beams were forced from their places, and +several of the men on board were slain. By two other discharges of the +saker this castle was all torn in pieces, and was forced to retire out of +the battle. Still however the rest of the castles, and the numerous fleet +of small craft kept up the fight. Towards evening all the castles were +much injured, many of the paraws were sunk and torn in pieces, and great +numbers of the enemy slain; so that at length they were constrained to +retire. On our side not one man was even wounded: One only ball went +through the caravel in which Pacheco commanded, and passed among many of +his men without doing any hurt. On the enemy retiring, Pacheco gave chase +in the two boats and some paraws; and the caravels kept up a constant +fire upon point _Arraul_, whence they forced the zamorin and the land +army to retire, after having 330 of his men slain. After this great +victory, the inhabitants of Cochin became quite reassured, and were no +longer in dread of the power of the zamorin. Trimumpara came to visit +Pacheco, whom he embraced, and congratulated on his great prowess: Many +of the principal naires of Cochin went to compliment him; and even +numbers of the Moorish merchants brought him rich presents, hoping to +secure his favour. + +The zamorin was greatly disheartened by the overthrow of all his mighty +preparations, and losing all hope of victory wished seriously to end the +war. In a council of his allies and great men, they represented the great +losses they had already endured in the war with the Portuguese, and +proposed to treat with them for peace. His brother Naubea Daring, who had +always been averse to the war, seemed to believe that Pacheco would +refuse any treaty, and advised rather to defer making an offer of peace +till the arrival of the next captain-general from Portugal. This prince +was likewise of opinion that the Calicut army should still keep the field +till the coming on of the rainy season made it advisable to retire; as it +would look like flight to retreat at this time. Yet he recommended that +no more attacks should be made on the pass, in which attempts they had +already met with so much loss. Elankol, the lord of Repelim, urged the +continuance of the war, and to make reiterated assaults on the Christians, +which must be at last successful; by which means all the Portuguese that +were in Cochin, Cananor, and Coulan would be destroyed. He advised +likewise, to send false intelligence to these places, saying that they +had taken our caravels and slain all our men; on which news the people of +Cananor and Coulan would put the people in our factories to death. This +was accordingly done; but as the inhabitants of these places had already +received notice of the real state of affairs, they gave no credit to this +false story. Yet, owing to the malice of the Moors who dwelt in these +places, our men were in great danger and durst not come out of their +factories, and one of our men was slain in Coulan. + +By the persuasion of Elankol and the Moors, the zamorin reluctantly +consented to try the event of another battle: And, the castles being +repaired, a fresh assault was made both by land and water, with many more +men and vessels than before. This battle continued longer than the other, +and the enemy was overthrown with far greater loss than they had ever +received before. In consequence of this new victory, the inhabitants of +Cochin became quite confident in their security from the power of their +enemies; and the rajah, who had hitherto been in much dread of the event, +became quite elated. He now came to visit Pacheco in a chair of state, +with far more splendour than he had ever assumed since the commencement +of the war. When this was told in the enemies camp, the chiefs urged the +zamorin to a fresh attack, lest the rajah of Cochin might hold him in +contempt. He desired them to cease their evil counsels, from which he had +already sustained great loss, and which would still lead him into greater +danger; but to leave him to consider what was best to be done for revenge +against his enemies. + +The zamorin gave orders to some of his naires in whom he reposed great +confidence, that they should go to Cochin on some false pretence, and +endeavour to assassinate the general of the Portuguese and such of his +men as they could meet with. But the naires are an inconsiderate people +unable to keep any of their affairs secret, so that this shameful device +became immediately known to Pacheco, who appointed two companies of the +Cochin naires to keep strict watch for these _spies_; one company at the +ford, and the other along the river, waiting by turns day and night. By +this means these _spies_ were detected and made prisoners. The chief +_spy_ was a naire of Cochin, of the family or stock of the _Lecros_ who +had certain other naires attending upon him, who were strangers. On being +brought before him, he ordered them to be all cruelly whipt and then to +be hanged. The Cochin naires remonstrated against this punishment, +because they were naires whose customs did not allow of this mode of +execution; but he would not listen to their arguments, saying that their +treachery richly merited to be so punished. The Portuguese officers +represented to him the great troubles which the _rajah_ of Cochin had +endured for giving protection to their nation, and how much this action +might displease him, when he was informed of naires having been put to +death in his dominions without his authority. Besides, that this might +give occasion to some of those about the rajah, who were known to be +already unfriendly to the Portuguese, to insinuate that the captain- +general had usurped the authority from the rajah, and might in that way +wean his affections from them. Pacheco was convinced by these arguments +that he had acted wrong, and immediately sent to countermand the +execution. Two of them were already _half-dead_; but _those who were +still living_, he sent to the rajah, informing him that they had deserved +death, but that from respect to him he had spared their lives. The rajah +was singularly gratified by this mark of respect, and the more so because +there happened to be then present several of his principal nobles and +some chiefs from other places, besides sundry of the chief of the Moors +of Cochin, who had endeavoured to impress on his mind that the Portuguese +were willing to assume the command in his dominions[8]. Henceforwards +Pacheco had such good intelligence, that all the subtle devices of the +zamorin were counteracted. + +The month of June was now ended and the rainy season, or winter, began to +come on, from which Pacheco naturally concluded that the zomorin would +soon break up his encampment, on which occasion he was fully resolved to +give them an assault, having sufficient experience of the pusillanimity +of the enemy. But the zamorin, being afraid that Pacheco might attack him +at his departure, gave out that he intended to make another assault on +the ford with a greater fleet than ever, and even directed the floating +castles to be repaired. He even gave out that he meant to assail the +passage of _Palurte_ and the ford both at once; that Pacheco might occupy +himself in preparing to defend both places, and he might have the better +opportunity to steal away unperceived. Accordingly, on the evening of +Saturday, which was the eve of St John[9], the whole army of the enemy +appeared as usual, and Pacheco fully expected to have been attacked that +night. Next morning, however, he learnt from two bramins that the zamorin +had withdrawn with all his army into the island of Repelim. Pacheco was +much disappointed at this news, yet he made a descent that very day into +Repelim, where he fought with many of the enemy, killing and wounding a +great number of them, and then returned to the ford, where he remained +several days, because the rajah was still afraid lest the zamorin might +return and get across the ford into the island of Cochin. + +The zamorin was so crest-fallen by the great and repeated losses he had +sustained in this war from a mere handful of men, that he resolved to +retire into religions seclusion, that he might conciliate the favour of +his gods, and dismissed his allies and chiefs to act as they thought best. +His princes and nobles endeavoured to dissuade him from this resolution, +but he continued firm to his purpose, and went into the _torcul_ or +religious state of seclusion, accompanied by some of his chief bramins or +chaplains. Soon afterwards, his mother sent him word that great changes +had taken place in Calicut since his seclusion. That many of the +merchants had already deserted the place, and others were preparing to +follow. That the city was becoming ill provided with victuals, as those +who used to import them were afraid of the Christians. Yet she advised +him never to return to Calicut, unless he could do so with honour; and +that he should therefore continue in seclusion for a time, and afterwards +endeavour to recover his credit and reputation by victory, or lose all in +the attempt. On this message which greatly increased his discontent, the +zamorin sent for his brother, to whom he confided the government of his +dominions till such time as he should have completed his religious +austerities in seclusion. + +On this strange resolution of the zamorin, the rajahs and nobles who had +joined him in the war departed to their own countries, most of which lay +on the coast. And being under great apprehensions that Pacheco might +reduce their dominions, they endeavoured to enter into treaties with him +for peace and concord; for which purpose they sent messages to Trimumpara, +requesting that he would act as mediator between them and Pacheco. The +rajah of Cochin was a prince of a mild and forgiving disposition; and +forgetting all the past injuries they had done him in these wars, he +undertook the office of mediation, and sent them safe conducts to come to +Cochin to make their peace. On their arrival, he accompanied them to wait +upon Pacheco, and even became their advocate with him to accept of their +proferred friendship, which he readily consented to at the desire of the +rajah. Some of these princes were unable to come personally, but sent +their ambassadors to solicit peace, which was accorded to all who asked +it. Several even of the great Moorish merchants of Calicut, that they +might quietly enjoy their trade, forsook that place and came to dwell in +Cochin, having previously secured the consent of Pacheco. Others of them +went to Cananor and Coulan, by which means the great trade which used to +be carried on at Calicut suddenly fell off. + +Owing to the great resort of Moors to Cochin, in whom Pacheco could not +repose much confidence, and because, by the orders of Naubea Daring, the +paraws of Calicut frequently made excursions into the rivers, the captain- +general continued for a long while to defend the passage of the ford, +where he often fought with and did much injury to his enemies. He made +frequent incursions, likewise, into the island of Repelim, whence he +carried off cattle and other provisions, and often fought with his +enemies, always defeating them with much slaughter[10]. At length Elankol, +the lord of that island, wishing to put an end to the miseries of his +country, waited on Pacheco and entered into a treaty of friendship with +him, making him a present of a great quantity of pepper, which was +abundant in his country[11]. + + +[1] This paragraph, enumerating the forces of the zamorin, is added to + the text of Castaneda from Astley, Vol. I. p. 56. + +[2] The particular distribution of the force under Pacheco at this time + is thus enumerated in Astleys Collection: In the fort thirty-nine men; + in the ship left to defend Cochin twenty-five; in the caravel which + accompanied him in the expedition to Cambalan twenty-six; into one + boat twenty-three; and in the boat along with himself twenty-two; + making his whole effective force 135 men; seventy-one only of which + went along with him to defend the pass.--Astl. I. 56. + +[3] A very short space before these are only stated as twenty; but the + numbers and names in the text seem much corrupted.--E. + +[4] In a former note we have given a list of the names and circumstances + of the English ordnance near this period. In that list the saker is + described as a light cannon of only 5-1/2 pound ball, now looked upon + as one of very small importance; we may therefore conclude that the + other cannon used on the present occasion could hardly exceed + _falcouns_, or two-pounders.--E. + +[5] Such is the unintelligible expression in Lichefilds translation. In + the account of this war compiled by the editor of Astleys Collection + from the Portuguese historians, the enemy are said to have lost in the + former part of this battle, twenty paraws sunk, 180 persons of note, + and above 1000 common men; while in the second attack, nineteen paraws + were sunk, sixty-two fled, and 360 men were slain. In this account, a + third naval engagement is mentioned, in which sixty-two paraws were + sunk, and sixty fled; after which 15,000 men were defeated by land, + and four towns were burnt by Pacheco.--Astl. I. 56. + +[6] Castaneda tells a long ridiculous story at this place, of a ceremonial + defiance of the zamorin, not worth inserting. In Astley, I. 56. we are + told that the Moors of Cochin were detected about this time + communicating intelligence to the enemy, and that Trimumpara allowed + Pacheco to punish them. On which he put five of their chief men into + strict confinement, giving out that they were hanged; which gave much + offence to the rajah and his people.--E. + +[7] Such are the words of Lichefild; which, perhaps may have been intended + to imply that there was not yet sufficient depth of water to allow of + their approach to the caravels; or it may mean that they waited for + the tide of ebb, to carry them towards the Portuguese caravels, being + too cumbrous for management by means of oars.--E. + +[8] This seems the same story which has been already mentioned in a former + note, from Astleys Collection; but which is there related as having + taken place with _Moors_.--E. + +[9] The nativity of St John the Baptist is the 24th June; the eve + therefore is the 23d, yet Castaneda has already said that June was + ended.--E. + +[10] About this time, in consequence of a message from the Portuguese + factor at Coulan, stating that the Moors obstructed the market for + pepper, Pacheco went to that place, where he made five Moorish ships + submit, and settled the pepper market on fair terms, yet without doing + them any harm.--Astl. I. 57. + +[11] According to Astley, the zamorin lost 18,000 men in this war in five + months, and desired peace, which was granted by the rajah of Cochin.-- + Astl. I. 57. Yet this could hardly be the case, as the first operation + of the new commander-in-chief in India was to cannonade Calicut.--E. + + + +SECTION IX. + +_The Voyage of Lope Suarez de Menesis to India, in 1504; being the sixth +of the Portuguese Expeditions to the East Indies._ + +Learning the necessity of sending powerful succours to protect the +Portuguese trade from the hostilities of the zamorin, the king of +Portugal fitted out a fleet of twelve[1] large ships in 1504, of which +the command was given to Lope Suarez de Menesis, who had been captain of +the _Mina_ on the coast of Guinea in the reign of John II. The captains +of these ships were, Pedro de Mendoza, Lionel Cotinho, Tristan de la +Silva, Lope Mendez de Vasconcelles, Lope de Abreu, Philip de Castro, +Alonso Lopez de Castro, Alonzo Lopez de la Cocta, Pero Alonzo de Aguilar, +Vasco de la Silvero, Vasco Carvallo, and Pedro Dynez de Sutunell: All of +whom were gentlemen by birth or service. Having embarked many valiant +soldiers, the whole fleet left Lisbon on the 22d of April and arrived on +the 2d of May near Cape Verd. Having observed during this part of the +voyage, that several of the ships were very irregularly navigated, not +keeping in their proper course, by which they had run foul of each other; +some pushing before, while others lagged behind, and others stood athwart +the order of the fleet; Suarez convened an assemblage of all the captains, +masters, and pilots of the fleet, to whom he communicated the following +written instructions: 1. As soon as it is night, every ship shall keep in +regular order a-stern of the admiral; and no vessel to carry any light +except in the binnacle and in the cabin. 2. The masters and pilots to +keep regular watch, taking special care not to run foul of each other. 3. +All to answer the signals of the admiral. 4. As soon as day appears, +every ship shall come to salute the admiral, and all are carefully to +avoid getting before him during the night. The penalty for breach of any +of these articles was a fine of ten crowns, besides which the offender +was to be put under arrest without being entitled to wages, and so to +remain to the end of the voyage. As some of the masters and pilots had +been very negligent, allowing some of the ships to fall aboard of others, +he removed these to other ships. By this attention to discipline, the +fleet was kept afterwards in good sailing order. + +In the month of June, at which time they reckoned themselves off the Cape +of Good Hope, the fleet was surprised by a heavy storm, and had to drive +for two days and nights under bare poles in imminent danger of being cast +away, the weather during all this time being wonderfully dark, so that +the ships were in great hazard of running aboard of each other. To guard +against this danger, the admiral caused guns to be fired at intervals +from all the ships, to give notice of their situations, and the better to +keep company. On the subsidence of the storm, the ship commanded by Lope +Mendez was missing, and the admiral caused the fleet to lie to for some +days in hopes of her reappearance. While in this situation, two of the +ships ran foul of each other, by which a large hole was broken in the bow +of one of the ships, through which she took in so much water as to be in +great danger of sulking. The admiral immediately bore up to her +assistance, and encouraged the crew to stop the leak, and even sent his +boats on board to give every aid. By great exertions they got the leak +effectually stopped, by nailing hides over the hole, and covering the +whole with pitch. On St Jameses day, 25th July, the fleet arrived at +Mozambique, where they were well received by the governor, who supplied +them abundantly with fresh provisions, and sent off the letter which +Pedro de Tayde had written respecting the state of affairs in India a +short time before his death, as formerly mentioned. The admiral expedited +the refitting of the ships which had been so much injured, as quickly as +possible, and departed from Mozambique on the 1st of August. The king of +Melinda sent off one of his principal Moors to visit the admiral, to whom +likewise he sent sixteen of our men who had deserted from Pedro de Tayde. + +Having stopt only two days at Melinda for refreshment, the fleet sailed +across for India, and came to Anchediva, where they found two Portuguese +ships commanded by Antonio de Saldanna and Ruy Lorenzo, who were much +afraid of our fleet, suspecting it to have belonged to the Rumes[2]. +Saldanna informed Suarez, that he had been sent out the year before from +Portugal along with Lorenzo, as vice-admiral, with orders to explore the +Red Sea and adjacent countries. That they were separated in a storm off +the Cape of Good Hope. That Lorenzo proceeding alone in the voyage, had +taken a ship belonging to the Moors near Sofala, out of which he had +taken a large quantity of gold, and had left the hull at Melinda. That +Saldanna prosecuted his voyage to Cape Guardafui, where he had taken many +rich prizes, without having entered the Red Sea; after which he had +sailed to India, and the winter coming on, had taken shelter in Anchediva, +where he was afterwards joined by Lorenzo. At this place, Lope Mendez de +Vasconcelles, who had been separated in the storm off the Cape of Good +Hope, rejoined the fleet. The admiral used every expedition to get the +fleet ready to proceed for Cananor, where he arrived on the 1st of +September, and was informed by the factor of the events in the war with +Calicut; and how he and his companions in the factory had been often in +great hazard of their lives. + +The day after his arrival, the admiral went on shore in great state to +visit the rajah of Cananor, attended by all the captains of the fleet in +their boats, decorated with flags and streamers, and armed with ordnance, +all the boats crews being dressed in their best apparel. The admirals +barge had a rich awning, and was dressed out with carpets, on which stood +a chair of state covered with unshorn crimson velvet and two cushions of +the same for his feet. His doublet and hose were of satin of divers +colours, wrought diamond fashion; his shoes of black velvet, studded with +gold; his cap covered over with gold buttons. Over all he wore a loose +robe or gown of black velvet, in the French fashion, trimmed all round +with gold lace. From his neck hung a triple chain of gold enamelled, from +which depended a golden whistle. His rapier and dagger, which were borne +by a page, had handles of pure gold. Two lackeys preceded him in +splendid attire and six trumpeters with silk flags. He was also +accompanied by a band of wind instruments, in a small boat In another +boat were the presents which he carried for the rajah from the king of +Portugal. There were, six beds of fine Holland, with their pillows of the +same, all wrought with gold embroidery. Two coverlets or carpets of +unshorn crimson velvet, quilted all over, having three guards of cloth of +gold, that in the middle a span in width, and the others two fingers +broad. The bedstead was gilded all over, having curtains of crimson satin, +fringed with cold thread. On putting off from his ship, all the fleet +saluted him with their cannon; then the trumpets and drums sounded for a +long time; after which the organs never ceased to play till the boats +reached the shore, where vast numbers of Moors and Gentiles waited to +receive the admiral. + +On his landing, the admiral Was conducted into a _sarame_ or house +appointed for his reception and audience of the rajah, in which he +ordered the bed and all its rich furniture to be set up, close to which +was placed a chair for the admiral to sit upon. Soon afterwards, the +rajah was brought to the house, carried in a rich chair of state, +preceded by three armed elephants, three thousand nayres, armed with +swords, spears, and targets, and two thousand armed with bows and arrows. +The admiral, apprized of the rajah's approach by the fleet saluting him +with all their guns, went to the door to receive him, where they embraced. +Then going together into the apartment, the admiral presented him with +the bed already described, on which the rajah immediately lay down, and +the admiral sat down beside him in the place appointed. They here +conferred together for two hours, when they were interrupted by the +barking of a greyhound belonging to the admiral, which wanted to attack +one of the elephants. + +Soon afterwards a Moor from Calicut waited upon the admiral, having along +with him a Portuguese boy, who brought a letter from some of our men who +were captives at Calicut ever since the time of Cabral being there. This +boy informed the admiral, that the zamorin was so humbled by the defeats +he had sustained from Pacheco, that he had gone into religious seclusion. +That many of the Moorish merchants had gone from Calicut to other places, +as they could carry on no trade there owing to the war, and that even +provisions had become extremely scarce. That the zamorin and the prince +of Calicut, and the magistrates of that place, were exceedingly desirous +of peace with the Portuguese, for which reason they had sent him to the +admiral, and had allowed the Portuguese prisoners there to write him to +that effect, which they had done accordingly, but chiefly in hopes that +he would free them from captivity. After reading the letter, the admiral +would have sent a written answer, meaning to have sent it by the Moor. +But the boy told him, they had no permission to carry any letter, and +that he must return along with the Moor, as the people of Calicut had +threatened to put all their Portuguese prisoners to death in case he did +not return. On this account, the admiral gave the boy a verbal message +for the prisoners; saying that he would very soon come to Calicut, where +he would anchor as near as possible to the shore; and as the captives +were allowed to go about the city without irons, they might find an +opportunity to come off to the fleet either in boats or by swimming. + +Suarez went accordingly with the fleet to Calicut, where he came to +anchor on Saturday the 7th September; and presently afterwards the boy +who had been to visit him at Cananor came on board, accompanied by a +servant of Cosebequin, who brought the admiral a present from the rulers +of Cochin, and a message requiring a safe conduct for Cosebequin, that he +might come on board to treat for peace. The admiral refused to accept of +any present until such time as peace were restored; but sent word that +Cosebequin might repair on board without fear, as a servant of the king +of Portugal; he sent a private message at the same time to the Portuguese +prisoners, advising them to use their best endeavours to escape. On +receiving this message, Cosebequin was sent on board by the governors of +Calicut, to treat of peace, carrying with him two of the Portuguese +captives. They requested he would wait three or four days, by which time +they believed the zamorin would come out from his seclusion, and that +they were convinced he would agree to all that should be required. The +admiral answered, that unless they would deliver up the two Italian +deserters he would agree to no terms; but he sent no message for the +liberation of our captives, as he thought they might easily escape. As +soon as the Italians learnt that the admiral had demanded them, they +suspected the captives would run away of which circumstance they gave +notice to the governors, requiring them to secure the Portuguese captives, +as they were men of consideration, and that a peace might be procured in +exchange for them almost on any terms the zamorin pleased to prescribe. +On this advice, the governors took care to prevent the captives from +escaping, and became less urgent in their desire of peace. Owing to this, +they remained in captivity till Don Francisco de Almeida became viceroy +of India, though some made their escape in the interim, and others of +them fell victims to the diseases of the climate. + +After waiting some days, and finding no friendly steps taken by the +governors of Calicut towards a peace; and being likewise without hope of +recovering the captives, Suarez resolved to take revenge by cannonading +the city of Calicut, which he did for a whole day and a night, during +which time he did prodigious damage, destroying the palace of the zamorin, +several of their pagodas or idol temples, and many of the houses, and +slew a great number of the inhabitants. For this service, he brought +seven of his smallest ships as near the shore as possible, and advanced +all the boats of the fleet, likewise carrying ordnance, close almost to +the beach. After this he departed for Cochin, where he arrived on +Saturday the 13th of September. He landed next day near the Portuguese +castle, in as great state as he had done before at Cananor, and was +received with many marks of satisfaction by Trimumpara. After embracing, +they went hand in hand into the hall, in which a chair of state was +placed for the admiral. As the rajah sat on the cushions on the floor, +according to the custom of the country, and was therefore much lower than +the admiral, he commanded his chair to be removed somewhat farther from +the rajah, by which he greatly offended the native chiefs who were +present at the interview. He now delivered to Trimumpara a letter from +the king of Portugal, in which great compliments and many thanks were +given, for the favour and protection the rajah had vouchsafed to the +Portuguese. To this the rajah answered, that he had been amply repaid, by +the good service which Duarte Pacheco had rendered him in the war with +the zamorin. Next day, the admiral sent a large sum of money to +Trimumpara, as a present from the king of Portugal, who knew that his +finances had been greatly injured ill consequence of the war with Calicut. + +Soon after, Suarez sent Pedro de Mendoza and Vasco Carvallo with their +ships to guard the coast of Calicut, with orders to capture all ships +belonging to the Moors that were laden with spices. He likewise +dispatched De la Cocta, Aguilar, Cotinho, and Abreu, to go to Coulan to +take in their loading, being informed that spices were to be had there in +abundance. He likewise sent Tristan de la Silva with four armed boats up +the rivers towards Cranganor, against some armed paraws of Calicut which +were stationed in that quarter. In this expedition, Silva had a skirmish +with these paraws and some nayres on the shores of the rivers; but +falling in with a Moorish ship laden with pepper, he captured her and +brought her to Cochin, where he and the other captains loaded their ships, +as spices were now procured in great abundance. + +Duarte Pacheco happened to be off Coulan when he learnt the arrival of +Suarez; and knowing that his own command was ended so soon as the new +captain-general should arrive at Cochin, determined to attempt some +exploits while he remained master of his own conduct. With this view, he +put to sea on the 22d of October, and soon after got sight of a ship at a +great distance, to which he gave chase all that day and part of the night. +The chase was driven into Coulan, when Pacheco learnt that she _belonged +to the confederates[3]_, and was bound from Coromandel. He immediately +afterwards descried three ships of Calicut, to which he gave chase, +keeping as near the coast a possible to take the advantage of a land +breeze. In the morning he put off to sea in chase of the vessel, which he +was unable to get up with till towards evening close to the land; after a +brave defence, as the ship had many men, she at length yielded; and not +chusing to encumber himself with so many prisoners, he landed a part of +her company, and made the rest prisoners in irons in his own ship. +Learning that this was one of the three ships belonging to Calicut of +which he was in search, he put two of his men on board the prize, with +orders to keep him company. Being arrived directly abreast of Cape +Comorin, he met with a sudden whirlwind, by which he was nearly cast away, +and when this subsided, he came to anchor within a league of the shore, +where he remained all night. While at anchor thirty of his Moorish +prisoners made their escape, twelve of whom were retaken by means of his +boat. Pacheco remained for some time off the Cape in expectation of the +other ships of the Moors coming round from Coromandel, but none making +their appearance, he went to Coulan with the ship he had captured, which +he delivered to the factor at that city with all its rich merchandize. He +then went to Cochin, where he put himself under the command of Suarez. + +The zamorin had now resumed the government, having withdrawn from the +_torcul_ or religious seclusion. He had dispatched one of his generals +with a fleet of eighty paraws and fifty ships[4] to defend the passages +of the rivers, and to obstruct the trade of Cochin with the interior; and +had likewise set on foot a considerable land army under the prince Naubea +Daring. It was the intention of the zamorin to stand on the defensive +only while the Portuguese fleet remained in India, and to renew the war +against Cochin after their departure. But the admiral Suarez, by the +advice of all his captains, resolved to make an attack on Cranganor, a +town belonging to the zamorin, about four leagues from Cochin, whence the +enemy had often done much injury to the dominions of Trimumpara during +the late war. For this purpose, Suarez took fifteen armed boats with +raised defences on their gunwales, and twenty-five paraws belonging to +Cochin, all armed with cannon, and accompanied by a caravel, the whole +manned with about 1000 Portuguese soldiers, and an equal number of nayres +from Cochin. The armament arrived before day at _Palypuerto_, where it +had to wait for daylight, not daring to attempt the passage of certain +shoals, as the boats were heavily laden. On arriving at Cranganor, the +fleet of Calicut was found drawn up ready to repel the Portuguese attack. +The Calicut commander was posted in the front, in two new ships chained +together, which were full of ordnance and well manned; chiefly by archers. +In the rear of these ships, and on both flanks, the paraws of Calicut +were arranged, all full of armed men. + +On the arrival of the Portuguese flotilla, the battle immediately +commenced by the discharge of ordnance on both sides. Five Portuguese +captains who led the van, pushed on to attack the Calicut admiral in his +two chained ships, which they carried by boarding after a brave +resistance, in which that officer and two of his sons with many others of +the Malabars were slain. After the capture of these ships, the paraws +made little resistance, and soon took to flight. Suarez immediately +disembarked his troops, which soon put Naubea Daring to flight, who +commanded the land army of Calicut. The Moors and Malabars in their +flight, plundered the houses of Cranganor, which was immediately +afterwards set on fire by the Portuguese. Certain Christian inhabitants +of the place came to Suarez and prayed him not to burn their city, +representing that it contained several churches dedicated to the Virgin +and the Apostles, besides many Christian houses which were interspersed +among these belonging to the Moors and Gentiles. For their sakes, Suarez +ordered the conflagration to be stopped; yet many of the houses were +destroyed before that could be effected, as they were all of wood. After +the fire was quenched, our men plundered the houses belonging to the +Moors, many of whom had formerly dwelt in Cochin. The two ships, and +several paraws which had been taken in the before mentioned engagement, +were set on fire, and other three ships that were found drawn on shore. + +At this time Suarez was joined by the prince of Cochin, who informed him +that Naubea Daring remained with his army at no great distance, and +intended to return to Cranganor after his departure. A considerable force +was therefore sent against Naubea Daring; but immediately on seeing their +approach, the troops of Calicut fled. On the return of the Portuguese +flotilla towards Cochin, Suarez was disposed to have destroyed another +town which lay near their passage; but the prince of Cochin represented +that half of it belonged to him, and prevailed on the admiral to spare it, +as he could not destroy one part without the other. Suarez, therefore, +returned to Cochin, where he knighted some of his officers for their +bravery during the last engagement. A few days after his return, there +came an ambassador from the rajah of _Tanor_, whose dominions are next +adjoining to those of Cochin. This ambassador represented, that his +master had hitherto adhered to the zamorin, and had assisted him in all +his wars against Pacheco. But that the zamorin, since he had come out +from his religious seclusion, had redoubled his arrogant ideas of his +irresistible power, and in reward of the services of the rajah of Tanor, +now threatened him with war and conquest. He farther represented, that on +the late occasion, when the general of the Calicut forces was in full +march for the relief of Cranganor, the rajah of Tanor had placed 4000 of +his nayres in ambush in a defile in their line of march, who had defeated +the troops of Calicut, and hod slain 2000 of them. On this account the +rajah of Tanor was in great fear of the zamorin, and humbly requested +assistance from the admiral, promising in return to become subject to the +king of Portugal. + +For this purpose, the admiral sent Pedro Raphael in a caravel to Tanor, +with 100 soldiers, most of whom were crossbow men. It chanced that on the +very day of his arrival at Tanor, the zamorin arrived before that city +with his army and gave battle to the rajah; but, chiefly owing to the +valour of Raphael and his company, the army of the zamorin was defeated +with great slaughter. In reward for this well-timed succour, the rajah of +Tanor became subject to the king of Portugal. In consequence of this +defeat, the zamorin was much humbled, and lost more credit with the Moors +than by all the victories which Pacheco had obtained; as these had been +obtained by strangers, while the present victory had been gained by a +native prince. In consequence of these reverses, seeing no likelihood of +ever being able to recover their trade, all the Moors who dwelt in +Calicut and Cranganor determined upon removing to their own country with +their remaining wealth. For this purpose, they fitted up seventeen large +ships at _Pandarane_, which they armed on purpose to defend themselves +against any attack from our men, and loaded them with all expedition for +Mecca. Besides these, they loaded a great number of paraws and tonys with +such goods as the ships were unable to contain. + +The season now approached for the return of the fleet to Portugal, and +Suarez appointed Manuel Telez de Vasconcelles[5] as captain-general of +the Indies, with whom he left a ship and two caravels, of which last +Pedro Raphael and Diego Perez were captains. The admiral presented these +officers to the rajah of Cochin, who would much rather have procured +Duarte Pacheco to remain, having great confidence in his valour and +attachment to his service, but dared not to request this of the admiral, +as he was of a haughty disposition. In a conference between Pacheco +and the rajah, the latter entreated him to remain in India if possible, +as he did not think himself quite secure from the enmity of the zamorin; +and even urged him to remember that he had promised not to leave him till +he had made him king of Calicut. Pacheco answered, that he left him in a +good situation, his country being restored to quiet, and the zamorin so +much humbled that he was no longer to be dreaded; as a proof of which the +Moors were about to depart from Calicut, seeing their trade entirely +ruined. And that he hoped to return from Portugal, and to serve him +longer and to greater purpose than he had done hitherto. The rajah was +somewhat satisfied with this answer, and craved pardon of Pacheco that he +had not rewarded his services as they deserved, because he was extremely +poor; yet requested he would take as much pepper as he pleased. Pacheco +refused to accept of any thing; saying, he hoped to find the rajah rich +and prosperous on his return to Cochin, and then he would accept a reward. +The rajah gave Pacheco a letter for the king of Portugal, in which he set +forth all his gallant actions during the war, strongly recommending him +to his majesties favour. + +The admiral Suarez departed from Cochin on the 27th December[6], taking +with him the whole of his fleet, even those captains who were to remain +in India. His intention was to have come to anchor in the harbour of +Paniani, on purpose to visit the rajah of Tanor; but from foul weather, +and bad pilots, the fleet could not make that port, and was driven to +Calicut and Pandarane. Being off these ports and with a scanty wind, the +admiral detached Raphael and Perez with their caravels, to examine if +there were any ships of the Moors at anchor. While on this service, ten +paraws came off to attack them, and an engagement ensued. On the rest of +the fleet hearing the sound of the ordnance, they bore up as close to the +wind as possible, and came to anchor[7]. In a council of war, it was +resolved to attack the seventeen ships of the Moors, which lay all +aground; and as the ships were unable to get near them, because they lay +within the bar, the attack was determined to be made by the boats of the +fleet, with orders to set the Moorish ships on fire. This being resolved +upon, the admiral and all the captains of the fleet embarked in the boats, +taking with them all the soldiers belonging to the expedition. + +The Moorish ships were all drawn on the beach in a close line, having +their sterns to the shore, and were well armed with ordnance, and had +many soldiers on board armed with bows and arrows, a considerable number +of them being men of a fair complexion[8]. Besides all these, the Moors +had two pieces of ordnance on a small bulwark or redoubt which flanked +the passage of the bar. Our boats, seeing all these formidable +preparations, returned towards the fleet[9], whence they towed several +caravels within the bar to assist the boats in the attack. After a severe +conflict, in which the Portuguese had twenty-five men killed, and 127 +wounded, the whole seventeen ships of the Moors were boarded and taken, +with the loss of 2000 men. But as the Moorish ships were all aground, the +victors were under the necessity to burn them, with all the rich +merchandize they contained. Owing to this severe loss, the Moors deserted +the city of Calicut, which by the cessation of trade became much +distressed for provisions, insomuch that most of its inhabitants withdrew +to other places. The zamorin was so much humbled by this succession of +disastrous events, that he remained quiet for a long time afterwards[10]. + +The particular incidents of this engagement are so confusedly related in +Lichefilds translation of Castaneda as to baffle every attempt to reduce +them into intelligible order. Among these, the two following are more +distinctly told. Tristan de la Silva endeavoured to board a ship which +appeared to be the admiral, of which the captain and a numerous crew were +Turks. A little before De Silva got up to this ship, the crew had fired +off a piece of ordnance which lay on the upper deck, and which by its +recoil broke a large hole in the side of the ship. The Turks were so +intent on defending themselves against the Portuguese boats, that they +neglected to barricade this hole, of which the people in De Silvas boat +took advantage to get on board; Alonzo Lopez the master, and Alvaro Lopez +one of the kings servants, now town-clerk of Santarem, being the first +who entered by the hole. A desperate conflict ensued on deck, in which +many of the Turks were slain, others hid themselves below the hatches, +and others leapt into the water, most of whom were drowned, as they were +covered with shirts of mail. + +The caravel commanded by Pedro Raphael, one of these brought within the +bar to co-operate with the boats, was struck by a ball from the battery +on shore, which killed three men and dangerously wounded other ten. In +the confusion occasioned by this accident, another shot killed the master +at the helm, and the caravel drove with the tide of flood right under the +bows of a large Moorish ship full of men which had not yet been attacked +by the boats. In this situation, a great number of the enemy boarded the +caravel, _and used our men very ill_. The caravel afterwards drifted on +certain rocks, where she remained till the end of the battle. The +situation of the caravel was now perceived by the admiral, who ordered +effectual succour to be sent to Raphael. The succours boarded the caravel, +which was quite full of Moors, whom they drove out with great slaughter; +but all of our men belonging to that caravel were sore hurt. + +On the next day, being the first of January 1505, the admiral went with +the fleet to Cananor, to take in the rest of his lading. He was here +informed by the factor of the humbled situation of the Moors, from whom, +in his opinion, the Portuguese had no longer any thing to fear in India. +Being ready to depart for Europe, the admiral made an oration to Manual +Telez, and those who were to remain with him in India, giving them +instructions for their conduct after his departure; and as the enemy was +so greatly humbled, he considered that such a fleet as had formerly been +left by Albuquerque was quite sufficient, in which he left an hundred +soldiers. Indeed the zamorin, as has been already said, was sick of the +war, and remained quiet after the departure of the admiral. + +Departing from Cananor, Suarez arrived off Melinda on the 1st of February; +where, without landing himself, he sent Antonio de Saldanna to bring away +the rich prizes he had formerly made at Cape Guardafui. From Melinda, the +fleet went to Quiloa, on purpose to enforce the payment of the tribute +from the king of that place. Departing from thence on the 10th of +February, he arrived safe at Lisbon on the 22d of June 1505[11], without +any incident worth relating[12]; carrying with him two ships more than +had accompanied him to India, all laden with rich commodities, and was +received by the King Don Manuel with great honour. + +When the king learnt the great service which Pacheco had performed in +India, he expressed his high approbation of his conduct in a public +procession. The king went, in all the splendour usually shewn on _Corpus +Christi_ day, from the high church to that of St Domingo, accompanied by +Duarte Pacheco. After solemn service, a sermon was preached by Don Diego +Ortis, bishop of Viseo; who, by the kings command, gave a rehearsal of +all that had been performed by Pacheco in the war against the zamorin. On +the same day, a solemn festival was held in all the churches of Portugal +and Algarve. The king sent letters on the occasion to the pope and all +the princes of Christendom, announcing all these notable acts and +victories which had been performed in the Indies.[13] + + +[1] These are said to have been the largest ships hitherto built in + Portugal, and to have carried 1200 men; perhaps soldiers, besides + their ordinary crews.--Astl. I. 57. + +[2] The Turkish empire, as succeeding that of the Romans or Greeks of + Constantinople, is still called _Rumi_ in the east. It will be + afterwards seen, that these _Rumes_, Romans, or Turks, made some + powerful efforts to drive the Portuguese from India, as greatly + injurious to the Indian trade with Europe through the Red Sea and + Egypt.--E. + +[3] This expression is quite inexplicable, unless we may pick out very + darkly that it belonged to the Calicut confederacy against the + Portuguese. Yet Castaneda, or his imperfect translator Lichefild, does + not inform us whether this vessel was made a prize. Lichefild seems + almost always to have had a very imperfect knowledge of the language + of the author, often to have mistaken his meaning or expressed it with + great obscurity, and sometimes writes even a kind of jargon, by + endeavouring to translate verbally without being able to catch an idea + from the original.--E. + +[4] According to Astley, from De Fariz only _five_ ships; and indeed in + the sequel, Castaneda only mentions _two_ ships as employed, on the + present occasion and three others that were drawn up on shore.--E. + +[5] At the commencement of this section, Castaneda names this person Lope + Mendez de Vasconcelles; in Astley, I. 58, he is called Manuel Tellez + Barreto.--E. + +[6] In Lichefilds translation of Castaneda, this date is made the 27th + September, which is an obvious mistake.--E. + +[7] By some strange blunder, Lichefild says they came to _Cananor_; but + from all the circumstances in the contexts, it is obvious that the + fleet came to anchor on the outside of the bar at Pandarane.--E. + +[8] Arabs probably, whites in the estimation of the Portuguese as + compared with the native blacks of Malabar.--E. + +[9] This part of the story is very confusedly translated by Lichefild. + According to his relation, in one sense, the admiral alone returned in + his boat for the caravels; while, by another part of his expressions, + the whole boats returned for the admiral and the caravels.--E. + +[10] According to Astley, a peace was concluded between the Portuguese + and the zamorin immediately after the victory obtained by the rajah of + Tanore; but this does not agree with the circumstances just related + respecting the destruction of the Moorish fleet in the harbour of + Pandarane, which would hardly have been done during a time of peace--E. + +[11] By some strange typographical mistake, Lichefild makes this date + 1525, both in the text and in a marginal note, thus adding no less + than twenty years to the true chronology. In Astleys Collection, the + conclusion of this voyage is dated 22d July 1506; but we have chosen + to retain the regular series of dates as given by Castaneda. Owing to + the mistake in Lichefilds translation not being detected till a part + of this chapter was printed off, it has been repeated in our + introduction to this article, which our readers are requested to + correct.--E. + +[12] In Astley, the ship commanded by Pedro Mendoza, is said to have been + stranded during the homeward voyage, fourteen leagues from the + _Aguada_, or watering-place of St Blas, and never more heard of.--Astl. + I. 58. + +[13] Astley concludes the account of the honours conferred on Pacheco in + the following words: "But soon after imprisoned, and allowed him to + die miserably. A terrible example of the uncertainty of royal favour, + and the little regard that is had to true merit!"--Astl. I. 58. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +LETTERS FROM LISBON IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, RESPECTING +THE THEN RECENT DISCOVERY OF THE ROUTE BY SEA TO INDIA.[1] + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The following letters bear to have been written by some Italian public +agents and merchants, to their employers and friends, and contain a +curious record of the first impressions made on the public mind by the +wonderful discoveries which navigation was then opening up to the +European world. They are selected from the _Novus Orbis_, a work which +was published by _Simon Grynæus_ early in the sixteenth century. +According to M. de la Richarderie,[2] this collection was formed by Hans +Heteirs, canon of Strasburg, and was printed under the care of Simon +Grynæus, by Isaac Hervag, in folio, at Basil in 1532. We learn likewise +that it passed rapidly through several editions, having been reprinted at +Basil in 1535, 1537, and 1555; and at Paris in 1582. The edition used on +the present occasion is printed at Basil in 1555 by Jo. Hervag. Its +principal contents, besides those translated for the present chapter, are +the voyages of Cada Mosto, already given; the discovery of America by +Christopher Columbus, which will form the first article in our subsequent +volume; the voyages of Vincent Alonzo Pinzon, and of Americus Vespucius, +which will be attended to hereafter; and the travels of Marco Polo, which +have been already given at full length from a better source. + +The language of the _Novus Orbis_ is perhaps the most barbarous Latin +ever composed for the press, and its punctuation is so enormously +incorrect that it would have been easier understood without any points +whatever. + +As already mentioned, the edition here used is dated in the year 1555, +little more than fifty years after the discoveries they commemorate; and +the letters themselves are dated in 1501, 1502, and 1503, immediately +after the return of the earliest of the Portuguese voyages from India. +Indeed the first letter seems to have been written only a day or two +after the arrival of the first ship belonging to Cabrals fleet. + +This work is accompanied by a very curious map of the world, on one +planisphere, much elongated to the east and west, which may be considered +as a complete picture of the knowledge then acquired of the cosmography +of our globe. The first meridian is placed at the island of Ferro, and +the degrees of longitude are counted from thence eastwards all round the +world, so that Ferro is in long. 0° and 360° E. In every part of the +world, the outlines are grossly incorrect, and it would serve no purpose +to give an extended critical view of this map; yet a few notices +respecting it may gratify curiosity. + +Europe is singularly incorrect, especially in the north and east. America, +called likewise _Terra Nova_, has an approximated delineation of its +southern division, stretching far to the south, as if the cosmographer +had received some tolerable notices of Brazil, Cape Horn, and the coasts +of Peru and Chili. But instead of the continent of North America, the +island of Cuba is delineated in a north and south direction, reaching +between the latitudes of 10° and 50° north; leaving a small strait or +passage between its southern extremity and the Isthmus of Darien into the +South Sea. About twelve degrees west from Cuba the island of Zipangri is +placed; and at least twenty degrees east from Cathay or China. At sixteen +degrees east from the northern end of Cuba, a large island is placed in +the _Oceanus Magnus_ or Atlantic, called _Terra Cortesia_; which the +cosmographer seems to have intended to represent the kingdom of Mexico, +recently discovered by Cortez; though placed almost in lat. 50° N. +Perhaps this may be an error for _Corterealis_, an early navigator, who +is said to have made discoveries on the eastern coast of North America. + +In Africa there is an approximation towards its true shape; yet the +_Caput Viride_, or Cape Verd, is placed to the north of the river Senegal, +instead of between that river and the Gambia; and the sources of the Nile +are brought down to lat. 15° S. at least twenty-two degrees too far to +the southwards. + +Asia, with India and China, are too much distorted for criticism. Calicut +is placed in the peninsula of Cambaya or Guzerate. The _Aurea +Chersonesus_ and _Regnum Malacha_, or Malacca, are separated by a great +gulf, while the latter is placed so low as 30° S. latitude. This much may +suffice for an account of the incorrect yet curious specimen of +cosmographical knowledge which had been acquired by the learned in Europe +about 300 years ago. + +To these four letters we have added a short account of several curious +circumstances relative to the trade of the Europeans with India at the +commencement of the sixteenth century, or three hundred years ago; which, +though not very accurately expressed, contains some curious information. + + +[1] Novus Orbis Grynæi, p. 94-102. + +[2] Bibl. Univ. des Voy. I. 55, and V. 486. + + + +SECTION I. + +_Letter from the Venetian Envoy in Portugal to the Republic_[1]. + +Most serene prince, &c. Believing that your highness has been already +informed by the most excellent legate, of all the memorable things which +have occurred in this place, and particularly respecting the fleet so +lately dispatched for India by the king of Portugal, which, by the +blessing of God, has now returned with the loss of seven ships; as it +originally consisted of fourteen sail, seven of which only have come home, +the other seven having been wrecked in the voyage. Their voyage was along +the coasts of Mauritania and Getulia to Cape Verd, anciently called +_Experias_; off which the islands called the _Hesperides_ are situated. +From thence they explored lower _Ethiopia_ towards the east, beyond which +the ancients never penetrated. They sailed along this _eastern_ coast of +Ethiopia to a line corresponding with the meridian of Sicily, about five +or six degrees _within_ the equinoctial, the gold mines belonging to the +king of Portugal being about the middle of that coast.[2] Beyond that +coast of the gold mines, and nine degrees to the south of the _winter +tropic_,[3] they came to a great promontory called the Cape of Good Hope, +which is almost 5000 miles distant from our country. From thence they +came to the cape anciently called _Prasum_, which was considered by +Ptolemy as the extremity of the southern regions, all beyond being +unknown to the ancients. After that they reached the country of the +_Troglodites_, now called _Zaphala_, or Sofala, which our ancestors +affirm to have abounded in gold, infinitely more than any other part of +the earth. Stretching from Sofala across the _Barbaric Gulf_,[4] they +came into the Indian Ocean, and at length to the city of Calicut. Such +was their voyage, which carefully calculated, as following the coasts of +the ocean, extends to the prodigious length of 15,000 miles; but which, +if the lands and mountains would allow in a direct line, were greatly +shorter. + +Before passing the Cape of Good Hope, in consequence of being forced out +of their course by a S.W. wind, they discovered a new country to which +they gave the name of the _Land of Parrots_, because they found, there an +incredible number of these birds, of many beautiful colours, some of them +a cubit and a half in length and more. We have seen two of these birds, +and can vouch for the truth of the description. On exploring this +extensive coast, the navigators believed that it must necessarily belong +to a continent, as they sailed along it for the space of 2000 miles +without having seen either extremity. Its coasts are inhabited by people +of a tolerably handsome appearance, who go quite naked.[5] + +In this voyage they lost four ships. Two others were sent to the gold +mines, which are not yet returned; and seven only reached Calicut, where +they were honourably received, and had a house allotted them by the +prince, and there they brought their ships to anchor. Soon afterwards +there assembled many boats of the Moors and other neighbouring people, +and some frigates belonging to the great sultan, all the people belonging +to which conspired together against the Christians, being exceedingly +adverse to the coming of the Christians into these parts, lest they +should diminish their profits. They insisted therefore to have their +ships first loaded, to the great dissatisfaction of the Christians, who +immediately complained to the king of the insolence of the Moors, but +soon discovered that he favoured them. The king of Calicut was a person +of very doubtful faith, and made the following answer: That it did not +seem equitable for the Moors to be permitted to finish their traffic +before the Christians; and gave orders accordingly, that the Christians +might carry on their trade. The Moors trangressed this decree, and took +away the goods of the Christians at pleasure; upon which disputes arose +between the Christians and the Moors, in which the whole inhabitants of +the city took part with the Moors. Whereupon a great slaughter was made +of the Christians, above forty of them being slain; among whom was their +principal factor, when endeavouring to escape by swimming. In revenge for +this cruelty, the Christians made severe reprisals; as they burnt ten +ships belonging to the prefect of Syria, that is the sultan; and +destroyed a considerable portion of the city by means of their +_catapults_ and _bombards_[6], many houses being burnt to the ground, as +they are covered with thatch like cottages, and exceedingly combustible. + +After this, the fleet left Calicut, and went to another kingdom named +Cochin, about forty miles distant, being conducted thither by a Jew who +assumed the Christian faith. The king of Cochin hated the king of Calicut +exceedingly, and on that account received the Christians with much +kindness. Spices are in greater abundance at Cochin than at Calicut, and +the Christians carried off such riches from Cochin as I dare scarcely +venture to report; for they allege to have purchased a _cantarus_ of +cinnamon, which is a considerable measure, for one gold ducat. The king +of Cochin gave two hostages to the Portuguese, in assurance of their +safety, and sent even ambassadors to the king of Portugal. In the mean +time, the king of Calicut fitted out an immense fleet against the +Christians, in revenge for having burnt the ships in his harbour. This +fleet exceeded 150 ships, and carried 15,000 men, yet on account of a +north wind which they were unable to contend with, they dared not to +attack the Portuguese ships, and withdrew from Cochin. As their great +numbers were considerably formidable, the Portuguese ships went to a +certain island in which the body of St Thomas is interred, the lord of +which received them kindly, and gave them some relics of that holy person +in token of friendship: He even offered them greater quantities of spices +than they had ever seen before, without money, trusting that they would +pay for them on their return from Europe: But, being already laden, the +Portuguese declined this friendly offer. + +The Portuguese fleet employed fourteen months in this voyage, and +returned to Lisbon in spring; but they say that it may be made much +sooner, now that the course is well known, and may even be accomplished +in ten months. All the ships that reached Calicut returned, except one +which was lost on certain rocks, but the crew saved, which ship was of +six hundred tons burden. As yet only one caravel has come into port, but +the rest are said to be not far off. This lately arrived ship came into +port on St Johns day, 6th May, at which time I happened to be with the +king, who addressed me in these words. "_Hah!_ congratulate me, good sir, +as my fleet is already in the river, loaded with all kinds of spices." I +received the news joyfully, as became me, and made my compliments of +congratulation to the king. The tidings were welcomed with exceeding joy +and all kind of festivity, with the sound of trumpets, cymbals, and +flutes, and the continual firing of cannon. On the day following there +was a solemn thanksgiving, at which all the people assisted. When I again +waited on the king, he desired me to apprize your serenity of his good +fortune, saying that you may send your ships hither in safety to purchase +his spices; adding, that he should take such measures as to prevent the +prefect of Syria, that is the sultan[7]; from procuring spices in India. +He founds this hope assuredly on the success which his fleet had lately +in contending with the numerous vessels of the Moors, and has no doubt of +being able to reduce India under his own authority. The ship already +arrived is commanded by a Tuscan named Bartholomew, a native of Florence. +Her cargo consists of 300 _cantari_ or quintals of pepper, 120 cantari of +cinnamon, 60 cantari of lac, and 15 cantari of castor and other perfumes +of that kind[8]. They have no cloves or ginger, having been prevented by +the Moors, as these could only be procured at Calicut; neither have they +any of the lesser spices. They had purchased many pearls of different +sorts, which were all lost in the disturbances at Calicut, in which many +of their men and much riches were destroyed. + +I must not omit to mention, that there have lately arrived messengers +from _Ubenus_[9] king of Ethiopia to the king of Portugal, bringing gifts +of ivory and many other things. These are soon to return in two ships, +which are to go to India after stopping at the new gold mines. While this +ship which has first arrived was on its voyage home, it met two ships +steering their course from the _new gold mines_[10] for India. These; +thinking themselves lost, or that they would be plundered by the +Christians, offered to pay them a ransom of 15,000 ducats for leave to +continue their voyage: But the Christians, though tempted by so much gold, +gave these people many gifts and permitted them to continue their course, +that they might hereafter be allowed a free trade with their country. + + +[1] This letter is dated on the 20th of June 1501, and obviously refers to + the voyage of Cabral, who had returned from India not long before. The + writer is described as a native of Crete, and envoy from the lords of + Venice to the king of Portugal.--E. + +[2] The strange geographical language here used is inexplicable, probably + because the ideas of the writer were confused. He seems to mean the + _Mina_ in Guinea, which is _five or six_ degrees _within_ the equator, + or to the north; but is at least 18º west from the meridian of Sicily. + --E. + +[3] Meaning the tropic of Capricorn, on which the sun is during our + winter solstice--E. + +[4] The recession of the coast inwards from Cape Delgado to Melinda, + which may be called the Bay of Zanzibar.--E. + +[5] In the map of Grynaeus already mentioned, this _Terra Psittacorum_ or + Land of Parrots, is placed on the _south-west_ coast of Africa, + between the Cape of Good Hope and Congo. Yet there can be no doubt + that the recent discovery of Brazil on the _eastern_ coast of South + America is here alluded to: Consequently, instead of the _lebeccio + vento_, or S.W. wind of the text, it would naturally have required a S. + E. wind to force the Portuguese fleet so far to the westward of its + intended course.--E. + +[6] The author assuredly uses these words to denominate two kinds of + ordnance or cannon then used in the Portuguese ships of war.--E. + +[7] By the sultan or prefect of Syria, twice so designed in this dispatch, + is evidently meant the Mameluk sultan of Egypt; but who was soon + afterwards defeated and slain by the Turkish emperor. The ineffectual + exertions of the Mameluks and Turks, instigated by Venice, to obstruct + the Portuguese trade in India, will be afterwards mentioned.--E. + +[8] It is difficult to say what is meant by a _cantarus_ in the text; + perhaps a quintal or 100 pounds. The castor of the text, and other + perfumes, may mean musk, civet, and ambergris.--E. + +[9] Perhaps the king of Congo, or some other prince of the west coast of + Africa is here alluded to; or perhaps the xeque or prince of the Moors + at Sofala.--E. + +[10] By the new gold mines Sofala seems indicated, as contradistinguished + from the _old_ gold mines of Guinea. The story of the two ships on + their voyage to India from Sofala, obviously alludes to the Guzerate + vessels, more particularly mentioned already in the voyage of Cabral + --E. + + + +SECTION II. + +_Letter from certain Merchants and Bankers of Spain,[1] to their +correspondents in the cities of Florence and Venice, respecting a treaty +of peace and league between the kings of Portugal and Calicut._ + +We have been informed by those who were on board of the fleet which +sailed from Lisbon to India in May 1502, and returned on the 15th +December 1503, that the king of Calicut has concluded a peace with our +sovereign on the following conditions. As a compensation for the +slaughter of our men, he is to pay 4000 _bahars_ of pepper, equal to 12, +000 quintals. That the Moors shall not be allowed to trade there from any +place whatever, excepting only those who are natives of Calicut; and that +these even shall not be permitted to trade with Mecca. That our king, if +so inclined, may build a fort at Calicut, and shall be supplied with a +sufficient quantity of stones, lime, and timber for that purpose by the +zamorin, paying for these on delivery. That the king of Calicut shall aid +and favour the Portuguese in all things, and that it shall be competent +for our king to appoint one of his own subjects to administer justice +among the Portuguese resident in that city, even with the power of life +and death, and without appeal to the zamorin. That when any of our people +shall revolt from or be disobedient to our commercial agent, they shall +immediately be delivered up to be judged by the aforesaid Portuguese +consul. If any captive Moors are detained, they shall all be delivered up +to our agent. That the two Milanese lapidaries, who had gone from Rome to +India, and who there acted as military engineers and shipbuilders in the +European fashion, to the disgrace of the Christian profession, and the +vast injury of the Christians, should be delivered up in chains to the +admiral of our fleet. That the kings or rajahs of Cochin and Cananore +shall be included in this treaty as co-allies, mutually sharing all +danger and advantages with the other contracting parties: So that if any +one shall take arms against any of the parties to this treaty, he shall +be declared an enemy to all the parties hereby confederated. If any of +the parties to this league shall act contrary to its stipulations, the +power of all the rest shall act against him, as a perfidious person, a +traitor, and an enemy to good faith; all the contracting parties using +their utmost to preserve the present peace and alliance inviolate. While +the Portuguese fleet might remain in the harbour of Calicut, all other +ships whatever were to be refused access, at least until after ours were +laden: But when there were sufficient goods for all who wanted them, then +all ships Were to be at liberty to load; provided always that the +accustomed prices should not be augmented, and expressly that the profit +to the venders should never exceed 8 per cent which was usual in that +port. + +These are the conditions of peace and alliance which have been stipulated, +to the great honour and renown of our sovereign, as must be evident to +every one; as henceforwards he may not only be accounted sovereign of +India, but has imposed laws on Turkey and the prefect of Syria[2], since +by this treaty all access to the city of Calicut is debarred to their +traders. We do not even doubt that, in four years from hence, through the +vigorous measures of our king, our sailors may safely navigate to +Constantinople and Alexandria, the present most celebrated marts of +eastern commerce, and shall take signal vengeance on the Moors by whom +they have been infamously and frequently abused. For this purpose a fleet +of twelve sail was fitted out this year, which found the rajah of Cochin +expelled from his dominions, having fled for refuge from the hostilities +of the king of Calicut to a strong place in a certain island. The only +reason he could assign for the hostilities of the zamorin was, that, +faithful to his engagements, he refused to deliver our people to the king +of Calicut, and chose rather to live in exile than to betray his trust. +In this extremity, our fleet brought opportune aid to the friendly rajah, +and having landed troops for his assistance, they marched boldly against +the perfidious zamorin, routed his forces with great slaughter, and +triumphantly restored the rajah of Cochin to his dominions. + +This kingdom is not far distant from the straits of the Red Sea, where +they have erected a very strong fortress[3], and are building another in +the mouth of the bay of Cochin, provided with all kinds of warlike +artillery, by which to repel the enemy, and to provide a safe station, +for our fleet; nor shall we recede from thence, however adverse the +natives may be to our remaining; and when the same shall be done in the +bay of Calicut, it will not then be difficult to defend these stations +and the adjoining coasts against all aggressors. Our ships which remained +in these seas last year made no small booty, as they took one morning +five ships bound from the kingdom of Cambaya for Mecca, the shrine of +Mahomet, in which they found 1000 _cantari_ or quintals of clean cloves, +besides a large quantity of the same spice not freed from the husk as is +usual with us. These ships had likewise castor and other perfumes of that +kind[4], sanders wood, amber, purified lac, and excessively fine linen, +and a large sum in gold and silver coin; insomuch that the value of this +prize exceeded 200,000 ducats. + +Having thus informed you of the wealth of that country, which abounds in +almost every thing, we now proceed to relate that two of our ships above +mentioned have been cast away in a storm near the mouth of the Red Sea, +their commander Vincentius and above six hundred men having perished, but +the other two were saved[5]. Another vessel, which escaped that dreadful +tempest, was soon afterwards dashed to pieces against a rock; so that the +sea was covered with dead bodies and with rich merchandize of all kinds: +Thus, as the proverb says, wealth ill acquired is ill lost. Of all these +ships one small caravel only rode out the storm, and brought intelligence +of the destruction of the others. + +We have now to inform you, that our king has given permission to all who +choose to proceed to India and to carry on trade, providing that he is +paid a quarter part[6] of all returns, and that they purchase from him +for the purpose such ships as he thinks proper, and the price of these +ships must be paid before setting out on the voyage; because, considering +the loss of ships which he has already sustained, he is desirous that +others should now bear the risk: It will therefore require large funds to +embark in this trade, so that we hardly believe the king will find any to +engage on these conditions; but of this we shall inform you from time to +time as it may occur. It must not, however, be concealed that the +circumstances of this trade are by no means established on certain +principles, which can only be determined by future events. + +A Portuguese of the former fleet touched at a certain port in the kingdom +of Sofala, and visited a gold mine of which he relates wonderful things. +He assured us that a ship of the Christians had been there, and speaks of +incredible quantities of gold to be found there. On this account, our +king is resolved to erect a strong fort at that place, to keep the +barbarians under subjection, and to keep away the Indians and the +inhabitants of Cambaya, lest they should make themselves masters of the +mine. He will therefore immediately seize upon this mine for his own use, +which we certainly believe to have been the mine whence Solomon derived +such vast riches, and where the queen of Sheba dwelt, who went to visit +Solomon, as related in holy writ. These things are of such importance +that they ought not to be concealed from you; and our king is to be +deemed happy and fortunate; because he hath made the discovery of such +vast riches. + +It is believed by many that they will soon obtain permission from the +king to go to India, paying him at the rate of 25 per cent. and taking +his ships as before mentioned. It appears to be his wish that the +merchants should send out their own factors or supercargoes with the care +of their goods, but without any authority, as he wishes to rule in all +things, and that every thing may be directed by his officers, even the +expences of the merchants. The trade in spiceries is to remain +exclusively in the viceroy, and is not to be permitted to the merchants; +for which reason it is not believed that this Indian trade will be very +profitable: But we shall give you due information of all these things as +they occur. We have formerly written you that Cairo failed in its +commercial prosperity from the very same cause; and if this great eastern +trade shall be appropriated by the king, it will certainly occasion a +Babylonian confusion in the state, and very deservedly: For at Cairo the +Moors were in use to maltreat the Christians exceedingly, and they are +now perhaps suffering for that error, as they will not any longer be +allowed to carry away any kind of spices, or jewels of all kinds, or +pearls and other valuable commodities; as by means of the Portuguese +forts, they will in future be debarred from trading to Calicut and Sofala; +for all which you will be thankful to God. + +Concerning the gold mine of Sofala, which we mentioned before, and of +which such wonderful things are told, it is said our king will be the +sole proprietor in two years, which must prove of vast importance; as +from that place, which is now possessed by the idolaters, all India and +Persia used to procure the whole of their gold; although the mouth of the +bay is under the dominion of a king of the Chaldeans[7], at which place +the trade is carried on with the idolaters by the Moors, who bring yearly +their ships from Cambaya laden with low-priced articles, which they +barter for gold. These goods are coarse cotton cloths, silks of various +fashions and many colours, but chiefly of the Turkish fabric. The king of +Quiloa, an island about sixty leagues from Sofala, it is said, will have +to quit that place from fear of the idolaters. At Quiloa all ships going +to Sofala have to stop and pay tribute, before going to the mine of +Sofala. When they get to Sofala, they have to remain there six or eight +months before completing their affairs; carrying from thence gold, ivory, +and wax, all of the best kind. After this they have again to touch at +Quiloa, and to pay a tax for their gold. Thence they go to Cambaya or +Mecca. In our ships there are twelve or fifteen agents of the king of +Quiloa, who pays a tribute yearly to our king of 1500 _metigals_, each of +which metigals is worth 150 ducats, or in all 225,000 ducats. That king +depends so entirely on the king of Portugal, that our king may dethrone +him whenever be pleases to send there a force of 1000 men, which would +oblige the king of Quiloa to run away; and it is believed this will be +done shortly, the thing being so easy, and by this means an yearly +revenue of 500,000 ducats would be secured. + +If you have properly considered what those ships may bring which are +daily expected, you will find that they will at least import about 222 +quintals of all kinds of spice: And we shall ship for you of all these, +using our endeavours that you may never be in want of them. Even after +the before mentioned treaty with the king of Calicut, no small risk still +remains to those who navigate to the Indies, on account of a certain +archipelago, containing about 14,000 islands[8], and owing to the +narrowness of a certain strait which is scarcely navigable. We shall +persist notwithstanding, as by custom and experience these dangers will +become of no consequence. At length we expect to have the glory of having +discovered almost the whole of the world, and those parts of it +especially to which the ancients never penetrated. It only remains for us +to go to the island of Taprobana, or Ceylon, which according to Pliny is +exceedingly rich in gold, gems, and ivory. Thus by our anxious endeavours, +we shall lay open the whole of India to our trade. By letters from thence, +it appears that our merchandize is not much valued in these parts, and +that _crusadoes_ ought to be sent out, if we wish to have our affairs +speedily conducted, as other goods remain long in hand: For the Indians +purposely procrastinate, that they may beat down the value of our +commodities. The Indians give a high price for brass and alum; but this +last must be white not red, and in large pieces, as they despise the +small. They do not care for coral, unless large and finely wrought, which +otherwise bears no value. Lead is valued, if in large bars. Quicksilver +and amber are in no request. Wrought brass bears a low price, as it is +always manufactured over again in their own fashion, so that the cost of +manufacturing in Europe would be thrown away. All other goods besides +these mentioned are in no demand, and will therefore bring small profit. + + +[1] This letter has no date, but must have been very early in the + sixteenth century, probably in 1504, from the circumstance to which it + alludes at its commencement. Although said to be from _Spain_, there + is every reason to suppose it was written from Lisbon, as we find + Portugal frequently considered as _in_ Spain, which it actually is in + the most extensive geographical sense.--E. + +[2] This, as formerly observed, alludes to the Mameluk sultan of Egypt, + through whose dominions the trade between India and Europe was + entirely carried on before this era. This treaty of peace and alliance + between Portugal and Calicut, may possibly have been proposed at this + period, but certainly was not then agreed to; as there were long wars + with the zamorin before his power was reduced under the influence and + dominion of the Portuguese.--E. + +[3] This is rather an anachronism, as at this period the Portuguese had + no fortress on the Red Sea. + +[4] The _Castor_ of the text was probably musk, and its _amber_ ambergris. + --E. + +[5] This alludes to the misfortune of Vincente Sodre and his squadron, + already more distinctly related in the preceding chapter.--E. + +[6] The expression of the original, _ex centenario lucro quadrugenarium_, + is not easily understood: It is here translated a quarter part of the + return cargo, conformably with the regulations of Don Henry for the + trade of Guinea, as already stated in Vol. I. p. 204, from which the + present were probably copied.--E. + +[7] It is difficult to guess what bay, and who may be the king of the + Chaldeans here alluded to. Perhaps the town of Sofala, the emporium of + the gold trade of Eastern Africa, which was ruled by an Arabian prince + or sheik. By the idolaters in the text, are apparently meant the + Negroes of the interior, where the gold came from by way of Sofala.--E. + +[8] This alludes to the Maldives and Lakedives.--E. + + + +SECTION III. + +_Letter from Peter Pasquali, orator of the Venetian republic at the court +of the king of Portugal, to his brothers dwelling in Lisbon_[1]. + +Beloved brothers! I formerly wrote you by Peter Verzo the carrier, +informing you of all the news of this place; and now write again by +Bartholomew Marquesi, the uncle of Dominic Benedicto of Florence, that +you may be informed of our affairs, and may be assured of our desire to +write whenever an opportunity offers. Know, therefore, that the vessel +which was sent out last year towards the north by the king of Portugal +under the command of Caspar Corterato, has now returned. He reports +having discovered a continent about 2000 miles from hence, in a direction +between the north-west and the west, hitherto utterly unknown. He is +likewise said to have sailed almost 800 miles along its coast, without +finding any end; on which account it is considered to be a continent, and +not an island: and its coast appears to join with another land, formerly +discovered almost under the very north[2]. But the vessel was unable to +proceed so far, on account of the sea being frozen, and from excessive +falls of snow. It is concluded, from the number of rivers which descend +from the snowy mountains, that this land must be a continent, as no +island could possibly supply so many rivers. The land is said to be well +cultivated. The houses of the inhabitants are constructed of wood, +covered with hides or the skins of fish. The vessel now arrived has +brought over seven of the natives of both sexes, and the other ship, +which is hourly expected, is said to have fifty. In stature, colour, +appearance, and dress, these people are very like the _Cingani_. They are +clothed in the skins of fish and otters, and other hairy skins like those +of wolves; wearing the fur side inwards in winter, as we do, and outwards +in summer; but these are not fashioned or sewed together, being used in +their natural forms. These are principally worn on their arms and +shoulders, and their loins are girded with many cords made of sinews. +They appear a savage people, yet not impudent, and are well made in all +their limbs. Their faces are punctured with many marks, like the Indians, +having six or eight punctured lines, more or less according to their +fancies, in which they seem to take great delight. They have a language, +which is not understood by any one, although interpreters of almost every +tongue have been tried. Their country is destitute of iron, yet they have +swords edged with sharp stones; and their arrows are pointed by the same +means, and are sharper even than ours. Our people brought from thence +part of a broken sword with gilded ornaments, which seemed of Italian +manufacture. + +A certain boy is said to have been seen in that country, having two +silver balls banging from his ears, which certainly appeared to be +engraved after our manner. On the whole, it may be concluded that this +country is a continent, not an island, and that is a new discovery; for +if any ships had ever been here before, we should assuredly have heard +something respecting it. The coast abounds in fish, particularly salmon, +herrings, and many others of that kind. There are forests, which abound +in all kinds of trees; so that _they build_[3] ships, with masts, yards, +benches, and all things conformable. On this account the king of Portugal +has resolved to convert this discovery to profit, both on account of the +abundance of wood which is fit for many purposes, and because the natives, +being accustomed to labour, may become very useful, and indeed I have +never seen better slaves. I have deemed it consistent with our friendship +to acquaint you with these things; and when the other vessel arrives, +which is daily expected, I shall communicate other particulars. + +The fleet has sailed for Calicut, and the king has ordered that it shall +seize the fleet of Mecca, that the soldan of Syria may neither have +access there in future nor may export any more spices. The king of +Portugal is satisfied that every thing shall go according to his wishes +in this respect, and the court and all the nation are of the same opinion. +Should this purpose succeed, it is incredible how abundant this kingdom +must soon become in all kinds of riches and merchandize; and from hence +the ships of Venice in particular will have to bring their accustomed +articles of trade. To us truly, who formerly sustained this branch of +commerce entirely by our own resources, this decree will be injurious, +unless he shew us favour. + + +[1] This letter is dated 9th October 1501. It is probable that Pasquali + would hardly write this _from_ the court of Portugal to his brothers + in _Lisbon_; it being more likely that they resided in Venice.--E. + +[2] The discovery here referred to, seems to have been the coast of + Labradore; and the other country under the north may possibly be + Greenland. This voyage was probably in quest of a north-west passage + to India.--E. + +[3] In this passage we surely ought to read _ships may be built_.--E. + + + +SECTION IV. + +_Letter from Francis Sagitta of Cremona, from Lisbon, directed to the +Venetian orator Peter Pasquali, residing at the Court of Castile_[1]. + +Most excellent orator! In two former letters, I have promised to omit no +opportunity of informing your excellency what kind of merchandize might +be brought in four vessels which were expected daily from India. They are +now arrived, and I shall truly state all the merchandize which they have +brought, which is as follows: One thousand quintals of pepper; 450 +quintals of cinnamon; about fifty quintals of ginger; fifty quintals of +lac: and as much cotton as may be bought for 400 ducats. The reason +assigned for having brought so small a quantity of spice is, that they +agreed among themselves, after sailing from hence, that two of the ships +should steer for the gold mine, and the other two for Calicut. On this +account, each took only such goods as it was thought would be valued in +the ports to which they were bound. But when these ships came to Calicut +they were not allowed to trade, and were obliged to go to other places. +On going to Cananore, they there learnt what had been done by Peter +Aliaris, the factor at Cochin for the king. The king or rajah of Cananore +received our people honourably, and offered to supply our commanders +gratuitously with all kinds of spices; but, thanking him gratefully for +this kindness, he declined the offer, saying that he must go in the first +place to the kings factor at Cochin, and would then return and accept his +spices on credit. Setting out therefore for Cochin, he transacted +business with the royal agent, Peter Aliaris; but as the ships did not +bring money for their purchases, and as the goods they brought were in +small request, and they could not therefore succeed in making purchases, +the commander resolved to return to Cananore, where the rajah had +expressed so much good will for the Portuguese, and where he bartered his +merchandize for spices at a good profit. He here left three persons, with +the ships factor and a clerk, because the rajah had advanced money on +credit for the spices, that they might not appear to have cheated the +rajah. Yet after all, the ships had to come away only half loaded, +because they had not taken out money for their purchases, and their goods +were in no request. The conclusion from this is evident, that the Indians +have no demand for our goods, and that money alone is especially desired +by them, and of which they are in great need. + +It has been reported since, that these kings of the Indies gave as much +merchandize to our admiral without price as would load four ships, out of +fear of the Christians; especially the king of Calicut, who has been told +by his soothsayers to beware of the ensuing year, as the stars threaten +him with a great slaughter of his men by the Christians, and that his +kingdom even would be deserted, owing to dread of that people. We have +this intelligence from three men who escaped from the battle at +_Araschorea_ with the barbarians. The same thing is reported by a native +of Bergamo, who had dwelt twenty-five years at Calicut, which is likewise +confirmed by a native of Valentia, who had sojourned there six years. In +the meantime the king of Calicut fitted out a large fleet to attack our +ships at Cananore; but they immediately sought for safety by setting sail. +On this account the king of Portugal has ordered eight or ten ships of +burthen to be fitted out by next January, of which seven are already +built. Two ships have been sent out this summer, one of which is of 700 +tons burthen, and the other of 500. There is a third in the port of +Lisbon of 450 tons; two others at Madeira, one of 350, and the other of +230 tons; another is fitting out at Setubal carrying above 160 tons. +Besides these six, a caravel is to be added which lately came from the +island of Chio, all of which are entirely at the royal charges; and two +are to be fitted out by the king for certain merchants, one of 450 tons +and the other of 350. It is agreed between these merchants and the king, +that the king shall be at the sole expence of the voyage and payment of +the sailors, as in his service. That the merchants shall carry out as +much money as may suffice for all their purchases; and on the return of +the ships half of the goods shall belong to the king, and the merchants +shall be at liberty to sell the other half for their own behoof. It +appears evident to us that this mode of conducting business will be +greatly more to the benefit of the merchants than going entirely at their +own risk, as has been done hitherto; so that the king will probably find +abundance of people willing to trade to India on these conditions. We +have accordingly a share in these two ships; but of the event, God alone +can judge. + + +[1] This letter is dated 16th September 1502; and by it P. Pascquali + appears to have gone from Portugal into Spain:--E. + + + +SECTION V. + +_Of the Weights and Money of Calicut, and of the places whence they +procure their Spices_[1]. + +Having already treated concerning the articles of commerce of all kinds +in the Indies, it is proper to give some account of the prices and +weights of these. In the city of Calicut a _bahar_ of nutmegs is sold for +450 _favi_. A bahar consists of four quintals, of 100 pounds each, and +twenty _favis_ are equal to a ducat. A bahar of cinnamon costs 390 favi. +A _faracula_, or the twentieth part of a bahar of dried ginger, is six +favi. A faracula of candied ginger is twenty-eight favi. A bahar of +tamarinds thirty favi. A bahar of the best pepper 400 favi. A bahar of +_zerombeci_ forty favi. A bahar of myrabolans 560 favi. A bahar of +zedoary thirty favi. A bahar of red sanders eighty favi. A bahar of lac +260 favi. A bahar of _sanasius_ 160. A bahar of mastic 430 favi. A +_faracula_ of camphor 160. A bahar of pepper 360. A faracula of +frankincense five favi. A faracula of benzoin six favi. A faracula of +aloes wood 400 favi. A faracula of cassia eleven favi. A faracula of +rhubarb 400 favi. A bahar of cloves 600 fevi. A faracula of opium 400 +favi. A bahar of white sanders 700 favi. A mitrical of ambergris, or six +ounces and a quarter. A bahar contains twenty faraculas. A faracula +fourteen aratollae and a third; as twenty-three Venetian aratollae are +equal to twenty-two Portuguese pounds. A golden ducat is equal to twenty +favi. + +As to those things which are carried from Europe for sale at Calicut, a +faracula of brass sells for forty-five favi. A faracula of white coral +for 1000. A faracula of silver for twenty favi. A faracula of spurious +coral for 300. A faracula of alum twenty. An almenum of saffron sells for +eighty favi: the almenum exceeds the Portuguese pound two aratollae and a +half, and is therefore equal to about three Venetian pounds. + +It appears proper to mention the regions from whence the various spices +are brought to Calicut. Pepper is brought from a certain tower near the +coast, about fifty leagues beyond Calicut. Cinnamon comes from a country +called _Zolon_, Ceylon, 260 leagues beyond Calicut, and from no other +place. Cloves come from the district of _Meluza_, which is twelve +Portuguese leagues from Calicut, and is in the country of Cananore. +Nutmegs and mastic come from _Meluza_, which is 740 leagues from +Calicut[2]. Castor, which is musk, comes from a certain region called Pegu, +500 leagues from Calicut. Fine pearls come from the coast of _Armuzi_[3], +700 leagues from Calicut. Spikenard and myrabolans from the province of +_Columbaia_[4], 600 leagues from Calicut. Cassia _in twigs_[5] is procured +in the territory of Calicut. Frankincense is brought from _Saboea_[6], 800 +leagues distant. Aloes-wood, rhubarb, camphor, and calinga, is sent from +the country of Chiva[7], 4000 leagues from Calicut. Myrrh from the +province of _Fastica_[8], 700 leagues distant. Calicut produces +_zeromba_[9]; and Cananore sends cardamoms, being only twelve leagues +distant. Long pepper is found in _Same_[10]. Benzoin from _Zan_, 700 miles +from Calicut. Zedoary is produced in the territory of Calicut. Lac comes +from the city of _Samoterra[11], 500 leagues distant. Brasil wood from the +region of _Tannazar_, 500 leagues. Opium from the coast of _Adde_, 700 +leagues. + + +[1] This Section is taken from the _Novus Orbus_ of Grynaeus, p 63. in + which it forms part of the navigations from Lisbon to Calicut, + attributed to the pen of Aloysius Cadamosto. The information it + contains respecting the principal commodities then brought from India + to Europe, and their prices, is curious: Yet there is some reason to + suspect that the author, or editor rather, has sometimes interchanged + the bahar and the faracula, or its twentieth part, in the weights of + the commodities. Several of the names of things and places are + unintelligible, probably from corrupt transcription.--E. + +[2] Meluza may possibly be the city of Malacca, then a great emporium of + Indian trade; but it is impossible to reconcile or explain Meluza in + Cananore twelve leagues from Calicut, and Meluza 740 leagues from + thence.--E. + +[3] This may possibly refer to the island of Ramisseram in the straits of + Manaar, between Ceylon and the Coromandel coast, near which the famous + pearl fishery is still carried on.--E. + +[4] Evidently Cambaya or Guzerat.--E. + +[5] Probably Cassia lignea, or in rolled up bark like twigs, to + distinguish it from the drug called Cassia fistula.--E. + +[6] Perhaps the coast of Habesh on the Red Sea.--E. + +[7] Probably a typographical error for China.--E. + +[8] Alluding to some part of the coast of Arabia.--E. + +[9] Perhaps Zedoary, repeated afterwards under its right name.--E. + +[10] Same and Zan probably are meant to indicate some of the Indian + islands. Same may be Sumatra. Zan may be some port in Zangibar, on the + eastern coast of Africa.--E. + +[11] Samoterra probably alludes to some port in the Bay of Bengal. + Tannazar, almost certainly Tanaserim in Siam. Adde, probably is Adel + or Aden in Arabia.--E. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A General History and Collection of +Voyages and Travels, Vol. II, by Robert Kerr + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10803 *** |