On His Return To The Fleet At Massua, He There Found That Owing To The
Severity Of Emanual De Gama[352] A Mutiny Had Taken Place, And That 80
Men Had Run Away With A Ship, Designing To Go Into Ethiopia.
They were
met however by a captain belonging to the king of Zeyla, and most of
them slain after a vigorous resistance.
Five of the mutineers were found
hanging on a gallows, executed by order of Emanuel de Gama, for having
concealed the design of the other 80 who deserted. At their execution,
these men cited De Gama to answer before the great tribunal, and
within a month De Gama died raving mad.
[Footnote 352: In preceding passage, Lionel de Lima is mentioned as
commanding the fleet; Emanuel de Gama may therefore be supposed to have
commanded the ship that mutinied. - E.]
About July 1541, while on its return from Massua to India, the fleet
commanded by the governor Don Stefano de Gama encountered so severe a
storm that one of the galliots sunk bodily, a bark was lost, and all the
other vessels dispersed. During the continuance of this dreadful
tempest, many religious vows were made by the people; but that made by
one of the soldiers afterwards occasioned much mirth. He vowed, if he
survived the tempest, that he would marry Donna Isabel de Sa, daughter
to Don Garcia de Sa afterwards governor of India, which lady was one of
the most celebrated beauties of the time. At length De Gama arrived at
Goa; and as the ships from Portugal did not arrive at the expected time,
and the public treasure was much exhausted by the late charges, he
loaded the goods provided for the home voyage in four galleons, and
dispatched them, for Lisbon.
About this time Nizamoxa[353] wished to gain possession of the forts
of Sangaza and Carnala, held by two subjects of Cambaya, on the
frontiers of that kingdom, which were formidable from their strength and
situation; and took them by assault in the absence of their commanders,
who applied to Don Francisco de Menezes, the commander at Basseen to
assist in their recovery, offering to hold them of the Portuguese.
Menezes went accordingly with 300 Portuguese and a party of native
troops, accompanied by the two proprietors, each of whom had 200 men.
The fort of Carnala was taken by assault, and the garrison of Sangaza
abandoned it on the approach of De Menezes. Having thus restored both
commanders to their forts, De Menezes left Portuguese garrisons with
both for their protection. Nizamoxa sent immediately 5000 men who ruined
both districts, and the owners in despair resigned their titles to the
Portuguese, and withdrew to Basseen, whence De Menezes sent supplies to
the two forts, meaning to defend them. Nizamoxa sent an additional force
of 6000, men, of which 1000 were musqueteers and 800 well equipped
horse. This great force besieged Sangaza, to which they gave two
assaults in one day, and were repulsed with great slaughter.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 308 of 423
Words from 161047 to 161551
of 221361
