Preserved his
own vast vessel as a memorial of his escape and of the grandeur of his
fleet, and not without reason, as a merchant of Malacca engaged to
purchase it of Perez for 10,000 ducats if taken. This victory cost the
Portuguese some blood, as several were slain, and few escaped without
wounds. From this time forwards, the natives of Java were for ever
banished from Malacca.
[Footnote 134: Faria perpetually confounds all Mahometans under the
general denomination of Moors. These possessors of the coast of Java
were unquestionably Malays. - E.]
Soon after this brilliant victory, Ferdinando Perez sailed from Malacca
to Cochin with a valuable cargo of spice, accompanied by Lope de Azevedo
and Antonio de Abreu, who came from the discovery of the Molucca islands
with three ships. After their arrival at Cochin, Antonio de Miranda
arrived there from Siam, to the great joy of Albuquerque, who thus
reaped the rich fruits of his care and labour for the acquisition of
Malacca, and the happy return of those whom he had sent upon other
discoveries.
King Mahomet had not yet lost all hope of recovering Malacca, to which
he now drew near; and having in vain attempted to succeed by force, had
recourse to stratagem.
