I Wish I Were He!"
The Victory Was Now Complete, And The Viceroy And All The Captains
Assailed The Smaller Vessels, Whose Crews Endeavoured To Escape By
Swimming; But The Gallies And Boats Of The Portuguese Being Sent Among
Them, Killed Such Numbers That The Sea Was Dyed In Blood.
In this great
battle, the enemy lost above 1500 men, and the Portuguese only 40.
Vast
riches were acquired by plunder in the captured vessels; and by the
great variety of books which were found in different languages, it was
concluded that the crews were made up of various nations. Some of these
books were in Latin, some in Italian, and others in Portuguese.[107] The
colours of the Soldan and of his admiral Mir Husseyn were taken, and
afterwards sent to the king of Portugal. Of all the vessels taken in
this glorious and decisive victory, four ships and two gallies only were
preserved, all the rest being ordered to be burnt by Almeyda. This great
victory would have much more redounded to the honour of the Portuguese
arms, had not the conquered been treated with barbarous cruelty: owing
to which, many persons very reasonably considered the unhappy end of
Almeyda and other gentlemen, as a just punishment for their crimes on
this occasion.[108]
[Footnote 107: It is hardly necessary to observe that these books
belonged in all probability to Christian galley slaves serving under the
Mamelukes. - E.]
[Footnote 108: Though not called upon to vindicate the conduct of
Albuquerque and the Portuguese on this occasion; it may be noticed that
the almost interminable war which subsisted for many centuries between
the Christians and Moors of the Peninsula, and after the expulsion of
the latter, with the states of Barbary; joined to the hellish
Inquisition on the one side, and the most degrading slavery inflicted on
both by their enemies, long nourished the most rancorous spirit of
enmity and hatred, now farther exalted by commercial rivalship.
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