Knowing That Those Orders Are Without Appeal, And Always
Punctually Executed, I Prepared Myself To Receive The Correction I
Was Threatened With, But Unexpectedly Found The People So Charitable
As To Lend Me The Money.
By several other threats of the same kind
they drew from us about six hundred crowns.
On the 24th of June we embarked in two galleys for Suaquem, where
the bassa resided. His brother, who was his deputy at Mazna, made
us promise before we went that we would not mention the money he had
squeezed from us. The season was not very proper for sailing, and
our provisions were but short. In a little time we began to feel
the want of better stores, and thought ourselves happy in meeting
with a gelve, which, though small, was a much better sailer than our
vessel, in which I was sent to Suaquem to procure camels and
provisions. I was not much at my ease, alone among six Mahometans,
and could not help apprehending that some zealous pilgrim of Mecca
might lay hold on this opportunity, in the heat of his devotion, of
sacrificing me to his prophet.
These apprehensions were without ground. I contracted an
acquaintance, which was soon improved into a friendship, with these
people; they offered me part of their provisions, and I gave them
some of mine. As we were in a place abounding with oysters - some of
which were large and good to eat, others more smooth and shining, in
which pearls are found - they gave me some of those they gathered;
but whether it happened by trifling our time away in oyster-
catching, or whether the wind was not favourable, we came to Suaquem
later than the vessel I had left, in which were seven of my
companions.
As they had first landed, they had suffered the first transports of
the bassa's passion, who was a violent, tyrannical man, and would
have killed his own brother for the least advantage - a temper which
made him fly into the utmost rage at seeing us poor, tattered, and
almost naked; he treated us with the most opprobrious language, and
threatened to cut off our heads. We comforted ourselves in this
condition, hoping that all our sufferings would end in shedding our
blood for the name of Jesus Christ. We knew that the bassa had
often made a public declaration before our arrival that he should
die contented if he could have the pleasure of killing us all with
his own hand. This violent resolution was not lasting; his zeal
gave way to his avarice, and he could not think of losing so large a
sum as he knew he might expect for our ransom: he therefore sent us
word that it was in our choice either to die, or to pay him thirty
thousand crowns, and demanded to know our determination.
We knew that his ardent thirst of our blood was now cold, that time
and calm reflection and the advice of his friends had all conspired
to bring him to a milder temper, and therefore willingly began to
treat with him. I told the messenger, being deputed by the rest to
manage the affair, that he could not but observe the wretched
condition we were in, that we had neither money nor revenues, that
what little we had was already taken from us, and that therefore all
we could promise was to set a collection on foot, not much doubting
but that our brethren would afford us such assistance as might
enable us to make him a handsome present according to custom.
This answer was not at all agreeable to the bassa, who returned an
answer that he would be satisfied with twenty thousand crowns,
provided we paid them on the spot, or gave him good securities for
the payment. To this we could only repeat what we had said before:
he then proposed to abate five thousand of his last demand, assuring
us that unless we came to some agreement, there was no torment so
cruel but we should suffer it, and talked of nothing but impaling
and flaying us alive; the terror of these threatenings was much
increased by his domestics, who told us of many of his cruelties.
This is certain, that some time before, he had used some poor pagan
merchants in that manner, and had caused the executioner to begin to
flay them, when some Brahmin, touched with compassion, generously
contributed the sum demanded for their ransom. We had no reason to
hope for so much kindness, and, having nothing of our own, could
promise no certain sum.
At length some of his favourites whom he most confided in, knowing
his cruelty and our inability to pay what he demanded, and
apprehending that, if he should put us to the death he threatened,
they should soon see the fleets of Portugal in the Red Sea, laying
their towns in ashes to revenge it, endeavoured to soften his
passion and preserve our lives, offering to advance the sum we
should agree for, without any other security than our words. By
this assistance, after many interviews with the bassa's agents, we
agreed to pay four thousand three hundred crowns, which were
accepted on condition that they should be paid down, and we should
go on board within two hours: but, changing his resolution on a
sudden, he sent us word by his treasurer that two of the most
considerable among us should stay behind for security, while the
rest went to procure the money they promised. They kept the
patriarch and two more fathers, one of which was above fourscore
years old, in whose place I chose to remain prisoner, and
represented to the bassa that, being worn out with age, he perhaps
might die in his hands, which would lose the part of the ransom
which was due on his account; that therefore it would be better to
choose a younger in his place, offering to stay myself with him,
that the good old man might be set at liberty.
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