On His Voyage Up The Red Sea, De Gama Found Most
Of The Islands And Cities Abandoned, As The People Had Received Notice
Of The Expedition.
The chief island was Massua, and the principal city
Swakem, in about 19 deg.
Of north latitude[349], which was well built and
rich. The sheikh or king had withdrawn a league into the interior, and
endeavoured to amuse De Gama with proposals of peace and amity, that he
might save his insular city from being destroyed. The greatest injury
occasioned by this delay was that it prevented De Gama from destroying
the ships at Suez, the main object of his expedition, as so much time
was gained that the news of his approach was carried to Suez, and the
Turks were fully prepared for his reception. In revenge, De Gama marched
into the interior with 1000 men, accompanied by his brother Don
Christopher, and defeated the sheikh with great slaughter, making a
considerable booty. Then returning to Swakem, that city was plundered;
on which occasion many of the private men got to the value of five or
six thousand ducats, after which the city was burnt to the ground.
[Footnote 349: Lat. 19 deg. 40'.]
Sending back the large ships from thence to Massua under the command of
Lionel de Lima, de Gama proceeded on his expedition to Suez with 250 men
in 16 catures or barks. At Al-Kossir, in lat. 25 deg. N.[350] that place was
destroyed. Crossing over to Toro, some vessels belonging to the enemy
were taken. The Turks first opposed their landing; but some of them
being slain, the rest fled and abandoned the city, in which nothing of
value was found; but De Gama refrained from burning the city from
reverence to St Catharine, as there was a monastery at that place
dedicated to her, which he visited at the instance of the friars. Being
to his great glory the first European commander who took that city, he
knighted several officers, who very justly held this honour in great
esteem, which was even envied afterwards by the emperor Charles V. The
friars of this monastery of St Catharines at Toro are of the Greek
church, and of the order of St Basil. The city of Toro is in lat. 28 deg.
N.[351] and is thought by learned cosmographers to be the ancient
Elana.
[Footnote 350: Lat. 26 deg. 15'.]
[Footnote 351: Lat. 28 deg. 15'.]
Proceeding onwards to Suez, after many brave attempts to sound and
examine the harbour, all of which failed, De Gama resolved in person and
in open day to view the Turkish gallies. He accordingly landed with his
soldiers; but the enemies shot from the town was well kept up, and 2000
Turkish horse broke out from an ambush; and, though some of the enemy
were slain by the Portuguese cannon, De Gama and his men were forced to
retire, much grieved in being unable to accomplish the great object of
the expedition.
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