That Paper Was Lost, Yet It Was Known That
He Had Named Francisco De Sa, Then Commanding In Goa, As His Provisional
Successor.
The second royal nomination was now opened, in which Pedro de
Mascarenas was appointed successor to Don Enrique; but Mascarenas
commanded at Malacca, which was at a great distance, and the season of
the year did not admit of that navigation.
On opening the third patent,
Lope Vaz de Sampayo was the person there named, who was accordingly
invested in the government, having, engaged on oath to resign to
Mascarenas on the arrival of that officer from Malacca.
At this time George Zelo and Pedro de Faria blockaded the port of
Cananor, in which lay a fleet belonging to the zamorin. Sampayo
immediately sent orders to Antonio de Sylveria and Christopher de Souza,
then at Goa, to join the other two officers at Cananor to prevent the
escape of the enemy, and went in person with seven ships and a
considerable land force to endeavour to destroy them. Cutiale, the
admiral of this fleet belonging to the zamorin, used every effort to
defend himself, both by disposing his ships in formidable order, and by
intrenchments and batteries on shore, where he had a land force of
10,000 men. Having made proper dispositions, Sampayo landed with about
1300 soldiers, leaving orders with Pedro de Faria to set the paraos
belonging to the enemy on fire. The trenches of the enemy were carried
after an obstinate resistance, and with great slaughter of the Moors,
and seventy paraos were destroyed. By this signal victory, above eighty
brass cannon were gained; but Sampayo spared the town, as it belonged to
the king of Narsinga, with whom the Portuguese were then in peace.
Having dispatched several officers on command to different places,
Sampayo sailed for Ormuz with five ships and 300 men. In his way thither
he reduced the towns of Kalayat and Muscat, which had revolted owing to
the exactions of Diego de Melo. His only transaction at Ormuz was to
compose some differences that had arisen between Melo and Reis Xarafo,
to receive the tribute due by the king of Ormuz, and to take along with
him the ambassador whom George de Lima had brought from Abyssinia. From
Ormuz, Sampayo dispatched Hector de Sylveira to cruise off Diu, on
purpose to intercept the ships of the Red Sea that traded with Cambaya,
of which three were taken. Sylveira then went to Diu, where he remained
a long time at the request of Malek Saca, who made use of him to, secure
himself against the tyranny of the king of Cambaya.
Reis Soliman, the Turk who killed Mir Husseyn at Juddah, as formerly
related, recovered the favour of Sultan Selim who had conquered Egypt
from the Mamelukes, having acquired the favour of that prince by
delivering up to him the city of Juddah which he had gained in the
service of the Soldan, and by means of a considerable present: for even
princes, though they have no need of receiving gifts, are apt to be won
like other men by their means; and as Soliman promised to perform
wonders in India for his service, Selim ordered twenty gallies and five
galleons which were then at Suez to be added to the fleet under Reis
Soliman. In the mean time Selim died at Cairo, and was succeeded by his
son Soliman, who sent that large reinforcement, under the command of
Hayraddin, to Reis Soliman, who was then fortifying the island of
Kamaran. Upon some disgust, Hayraddin killed Reis Soliman; and in his
turn was slain by Mustapha the nephew of Soliman. Mustapha, being afraid
of the consequences of this action, sailed from Kamaran with a small
number of vessels, the greater part of the fleet refusing to join him.
He went first to Aden and thence to Diu, where he put himself under the
protection of the king of Cambaya. An account of these revolutions in
the Turkish fleet, which had given great apprehensions to the Portuguese
in India, was carried to King John by Antonio Tenreyro over land, to the
great admiration of every one; being the first who had performed that
journey, till then thought impossible.
At this time Mascarenas, who waited in Malacca for the proper season of
sailing to Cochin to assume the government, went against Bintang with
twenty-one ships and 400 Portuguese soldiers, having likewise 600 Malays
commanded by Tuam Mahomet and Sinai rajah. Although the capital of
Bintang was well fortified and defended by 7000 men, Mascarenas
surmounted every opposition and took the place. Of the enemy 400 were
slain and 2000 made prisoners. A vast booty was made on this occasion,
among which were nearly 300 pieces of cannon, and the Portuguese lost
only three men in this glorious exploit. The king of Bitang died of
grief, and Mascarenas restored it to the lawful heir under vassalage to
Portugal, the former king having been an usurper.
The island of Sunda is divided on the south from Java by a very narrow
channel. It produces pale gold with abundance of pepper and provisions.
The natives are numerous but unwarlike, yet are curious in adorning
their arms. They worship idols, and often sell their children to supply
their necessities. The women are beautiful, those of the higher ranks
being chaste, contrary to what is usual in most parts of the world. They
have convents, as in Spain and Portugal, in which they reside while
virgins; and the married women kill themselves on the death of their
husbands. This were a good custom to shew their duty and affection, were
it not contrary to the law of nature, and therefore a barbarous error.
Enrique Leme happening to go there, drawn by the plenty and goodness of
its pepper, he was well received by the king of Samiam, who offered
ground for a fort, and to pay an yearly tribute of 351 quintals of
pepper, to purchase the friendship and support of the Portuguese against
the Moors, by whom he was much infested.
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