To Repel This Formidable Invasion, The
King Of Bisnagar, Who Was Then Ninety-Six Years Of Age, Met His Enemies
With An Army Double Their Numbers.
At first the confederates seemed to
have the worst of the war; but fortune favoured them in the end, and the
ancient king of Bisnagar was defeated and slain.
The confederates spent
five months in plundering the capital of Bisnagar, although the natives
had previously carried off 1550 elephants loaded with money and jewels
to the value of above an hundred millions of gold, besides the royal
chair of state, which was of inestimable value. Among his share of the
plunder Adel Khan got a diamond as large as an ordinary egg, with
another of extraordinary size though smaller, and other jewels of
prodigious value. The dominions of the old king were partitioned by the
victors among his sons and nephews.
In the year 1567, the great poet Camoens being extremely poor though he
had served sixteen years in India, was prevailed upon to go to Sofala
along with Pedro Barreto, who was going there with the command, and
promised to do great things for him; but after waiting long and
receiving nothing, Camoens resolved to return to Portugal in a ship
which put in at Sofala, in which was Hector de Silveyra and other
gentlemen. Barreto, however, opposed his departure, having promised him
promotion without any intentions of doing so, but only to procure his
company for his own gratification, and now detained him under pretence
of a debt of two hundred ducats.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 676 of 809
Words from 184574 to 184833
of 221361
