This Man Landed In The Night
Near Malacca, And It Is Said That The Garrison Was Alarmed And Put On
Their guard by a flock of geese, as the capitol was in ancient times.
The garrison of Malacca was then
Very weak, yet the enemy were forced to
reimbark, after burning two Portuguese ships then ready to sail. On
returning from their intended attack on Malacca, the enemy took seven
poor fishermen, whose noses, ears, and feet they cut off and sent them
in that mutilated condition to the commander at Malacca, George de Melo,
with a letter written with their blood, challenging him to come out and
fight them at sea. Melo was by no means disposed to accept this
challenge, having a very inadequate force, and because he had only eight
small vessels which lay aground in a state unfit for service. But the
great St Francis Xavier, who was then in Malacca, prevailed on some
merchants to be at the expence of fitting out these vessels, and upon
Melo to go out against the enemy, promising that two galliots would come
by a certain time to his aid. When the time was near expired, two
galliots actually made their appearance and came into the harbour,
though intended upon a different course. The saint went on board, and
found that they were commanded by Diego Suarez de Melo, commonly called
the Gallego, and his son Baltazar, whom he prevailed upon to join in
the attack of the Acheenese. The ten small vessels were accordingly
fitted out and manned by 230 men, and set sail in search of the enemy
under the command of Don Francisco Deza. After ranging about for two
months in search of the Acheen fleet, when at length about to return to
Malacca, Deza found them in the river Parles, where he resolutely
attacked them one Sunday morning, and, after an obstinate engagement,
gained a complete victory, in which 4000 of the enemy were slain.
Several of the Acheen ships were sunk, and almost all the rest taken, of
which the Portuguese brought in twenty-five to Malacca, with 300 pieces
of cannon, and about 1000 firelocks, having only lost twenty-five men
according to one account, while some said only four. St Francis was
preaching at Malacca when this battle took place, and suddenly pausing
in the middle of his discourse, he distinctly related all the
particulars of the victory to his auditors, who were in great anxiety
for the fate of their ships, having received no news of them during two
months. His prophecy was verified a few days afterwards by their
triumphant arrival.
Don Juan de Castro began his operations in January 1548, by the entire
destruction of all that part of the western coast of India which
belonged to Adel Khan. From the river Charopa two leagues from Goa, to
that of Cifardam, which divides the dominions of Adel Khan from that
of the Nizam, he spared neither living creature, vegetable, nor dwelling
of any kind.
When the news of the glorious termination of the siege of Diu was
received at Lisbon, the king sent out a greater fleet than usual to
India, and honoured Don Juan with extraordinary favours for his good
services. Besides a present in money, he continued him in the
government, raising his rank from governor-general to the dignity of
viceroy, and appointed his son Don Alvaro admiral of the Indian seas.
But Don Juan was almost dead when these honours reached him, being sick
of a disease which now-a-days kills no one, for even diseases die! He
was heart-broken by the cowardly behaviour of a Portuguese force that
had been sent to Aden, and the rash conduct of his son at Xael, in both
of which they had suffered severe losses. Finding himself dying, he
publicly asked pardon of many for having written against them to the
king; and being unable to manage the affairs of government, he appointed
a select council to supply his place. Calling the members into his
presence, he said "Though he neither hoped nor wished to live, yet it
behoved him to be at some expence while he remained alive; and having no
money, he entreated they would order him a small supply from the royal
revenues, that he might not die for want." Then laying his hand on a
missal, with his eyes lifted up to heaven, he solemnly swore, "That he
had on no occasion converted the money belonging to the king, or to any
other person, to his own use; and that he had never engaged in trade to
increase his own fortune." He desired that this his solemn declaration
might be recorded. He soon afterwards expired in the arms of St Francis
Xavier, on the 6th of June 1548, in the 48th year of his age. All the
treasure found in his private cabinet was three ryals and a bloody
scourge.
Don Juan was an excellent scholar, being particularly skilled in Latin
and the mathematics. During his government of India he did not allow
himself to be actuated by pride, as others had done before and after
him, and always valued and promoted his officers for their merits. He so
much loved that every one should act becomingly, that seeing one day a
fine suit of clothes on passing a tailors shop, and being told that it
was intended for his son, he cut it in pieces, desiring some one to tell
the young man to provide arms, not fine clothes.
SECTION V.
Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from 1548 to 1564, under
several Governors,[369]
Immediately on the death of Don Juan the first patent of succession was
opened, in which Don Juan Mascarenhas was named; but he had gone to
Lisbon to seek the reward of his gallant defence of Diu, which he now
missed. The second named Don George Telo, who was also absent. In the
third, Gracia de Sa was nominated to the succession, an officer of much
experience in the affairs of India.
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