After Matters Had Remained In This State For Forty Days,
Ambrose Del Rego Arrived With Two Additional Ships From Malacca,
And the
Portuguese determined upon forcing their way through the Chinese fleet.
The battle on this occasion was very bloody;
But in consequence of a
gale of wind dispersing the Chinese fleet, the Portuguese were enabled
to get away from the island of Tamou. The Itao revenged himself upon
such of the Portuguese as had fallen into his hands, and particularly
upon Thomas Perez and his companions, who were all slain, and their
baggage robbed of the present intended for the emperor, and of all the
commodities which Perez had purchased during his residence in China.
Such was the profitableness of the China trade at this time, that Perez
though only an apothecary of mean parentage, had by this time acquired
2000 weight of rhubarb, 1600 pieces of damask, 400 pieces of other
silks, above 100 ounces of gold, 2000 ounces of silver, 84 pounds of
loose musk, above 3000 purses or cods of that perfume, called Papos,
and a great deal of other commodities.
As Mocrim king of Lasah refused to pay the tribute which was due to
the king of Ormuz for the islands of Bahrayn and Catifa on the coast of
Arabia, the king of Ormuz was backward in paying the tribute to the
Portuguese, alleging his inability on account of not receiving payment
from his vassal. On this account a force had been already sent against
the king of Lasah, accompanied by some Portuguese auxiliaries, but had
been unsuccessful. The king of Ormuz, wishing effectually to humble his
vassal, applied to Sequeira for assistance, who consented on purpose to
secure the tribute due to the Portuguese. Accordingly in the year 1521,
an armament of 200 vessels belonging to the king of Ormuz, having on
board 3000 Arabs and Persians, sailed for Bahrayn under the command of
Reis Xarafo or Sharafo, accompanied by seven Portuguese ships with 400
soldiers commanded by Antonio Correa. On their arrival at Bahrayn,
Mocrim was found well prepared for their reception, having 300 Arab
horse, 400 Persian archers, 20 Turkish musketeers besides some natives
armed with firelocks, and above 11,000 native troops armed with
different weapons. He had besides thrown up strong intrenchments and
redoubts, well provided with cannon, and these formidable military
preparations were under the charge of experienced commanders.
The Persian Gulf, which intervenes between Arabia and Persia, takes its
name from the latter, as the more noble country. This famous gulf begins
at Cape Jasques or Carpela, in lat. 26 deg. N. and ends at the mouth of
the river Euphrates, having many cities, rivers, woods, and islands
along its northern or Persian shores. On the other or Arabian shore,
beginning at Cape Mozandan or Musaldon, named Assaborum by the
ancients, and ending where it meets the other side at the Euphrates,
there are only four towns. One of these, Catifa or Al Katif, is
opposite the island of Bahrayn, where is the pearl-fishery. This island
is 30 leagues in circumference, and seven leagues long, and is 110
leagues from Ormuz. The principal product of this island is tamarinds,
but it has likewise all the other fruits that grow in Spain. The largest
town is of the same name with the island, besides which there are about
300 villages, inhabited by Arabs and Moors[162]. The air is very
unhealthy. The pearls found here, though not in such abundance, are more
valuable than those of Ceylon in India, or of Hainan in China. On the
continent of Arabia, opposite to Bahrayn is the city of Lasah[163], of
which Mocrim was king.
[Footnote 162: It is difficult to comprehend the distinction; and
perhaps we ought to read Arabs or Moors. - E.]
[Footnote 163: Lasah may have been the name of the territory, and
perhaps applied likewise to the capital which is named Al Katif in our
maps, and the territory Bahrayn. These are two islands of Bahrayn, one
of which from the text appears to have been named Catifa. - E.]
Having formed his dispositions of attack, Correa landed at the head of
170 Portuguese, giving orders to Reis Xarafo to send assistance wherever
he might see it necessary. Ayres Correa, the brother of the Portuguese
commander, led the van or forlorn hope of fifty men, all of whom were
knee deep in water. The Portuguese assaulted the trenches with great
bravery, and were opposed with much resolution by the enemy, headed by
the king; and after some time both parties were so much fatigued by the
heat as to be under the necessity of taking some respite, as by mutual
consent. After a short rest, the attack was renewed, and the king being
shot through the thigh, of which wound he died six days afterwards, his
men lost heart, and great numbers of them being killed and wounded, they
fled leaving a complete victory to the Portuguese. During the whole
engagement, Reis Xarafo looked on from his vessel as an unconcerned
spectator; but when afterwards the body of the deceased king was carried
over to Lasah for interment, he went there and cut off his head, which
he sent to Ormuz. In this engagement the Portuguese had seven men killed
and many wounded, but the island was effectually reduced. For this
exploit, Correa had the title of Bahrayn added to his name, and was
authorized to bear a kings head in his coat of arms, which is still
borne by his descendents.
In this same year 1521, the zamorin of Calicut made war against Cochin
at the head of 200,000 men; and although only forty Portuguese were in
the army of Cochin, and but thirty of these armed with muskets, the
enemy retired in dismay. At this time likewise Diego Fernandez de Beja,
who had been left before Diu, came to join Sequeira at Ormuz, having
been attacked by some vessels belonging to Malek Azz, whose double
dealing was now apparent.
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