Many Even Who Were So Badly Wounded As To Be Unable To
Rise, Made Themselves Be Carried In Their Beds To The Walls, Saying That
It Was Best To Die In An Honourable Place.
Several even of the women
armed themselves and appeared on the walls.
The whole night was spent in
anxiously waiting for the enemy; but the morning gave comfort to the
afflicted garrison, as Solyman was seen in full sail, and had no
thoughts of returning. Fear did much on this occasion, yet Zofar did
more towards inducing Solyman to go away. Zofar was weary of the
insupportable pride of the Turks, and had even received orders from the
king of Guzerat, in case it appeared that the Turks meant to keep the
city and fort of Diu, rather to endeavour that it might remain in the
hands of the Portuguese. Zofar accordingly framed a letter which fell
into the hands of Solyman, saying that the viceroy of India would be at
Diu next day with a vast fleet; on reading which letter Solyman thought
proper to hasten his departure. On the same night, Zofar set fire to the
town of Diu and marched away. Thus ended the first siege of Diu, which
added new lustre to the Portuguese fame, all due to the invincible
courage of the renowned Antonio de Sylveira, and those valiant gentlemen
who fought under his command, whose fame will last from generation to
generation.
Solyman, on his voyage back to Suez, touched at several ports in Arabia,
where he took such Portuguese as happened to be there, to the number of
140, whose heads he cut off, salting their ears and noses to send to the
Grand Turk as memorials of his services against the Christians. Among
these was Francisco Pacheco, who had not the courage to die in his
bulwark, and had surrendered with some men at Diu, as formerly related.
On his return to Turkey, Solyman was not well received, and was reduced
to the necessity of killing himself, a fit end for such a tyrant.
This famous siege was far advanced when Don Garcia de Noronha arrived as
viceroy in India, to whom Nuno de Cuna immediately resigned the
government. His arrival with a great reinforcement might well have
enabled him immediately to relieve the deplorable situation of Diu, yet
on the contrary contributed to augment its danger. For, if he had not
come, Nuna had certainly relieved Diu much sooner and prevented so many
miseries, and the death of so many brave men, as he had prepared a fleet
of eighty sail, and was ready to have gone to Diu when Don Garcia
arrived. Still fresh advices were brought of the extremity to which the
besieged were reduced, yet still Don Garcia wasted time in considering
of proper means for their relief, without putting any into execution,
and refusing to take the advice of De Cuna for his proceedings. By these
means the siege was raised before he could determine on the mode of
relief, for which purpose he had gathered 160 sail of vessels of all
sorts and sizes.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 210 of 423
Words from 109672 to 110193
of 221361
