In This Manner
The Action Continued To Rage For Some Time With Reciprocal Courage And
Violence, Till At Length The Paraos Belonging To Calicut Fled Along The
Coast, Giving Out Every Where That The Rumis Or Mamelukes Were
Victorious.
On the flight of the Moors of Calicut, and seeing many of his fleet
destroyed, Mir Husseyn, who was
Wounded, went on shore in disguise; and
mounting on horseback, went in all haste to the king of Cambaya, being
no less fearful of the fury of the Portuguese than of the treachery of
Malek Azz, against whom he made loud complaints, that though he had
given aid in the battle with his vessels, he had not assisted in person.
Yet did not the absence of Husseyn discourage his men, for those of his
own vessel being boarded disdained to yield, and fought valiantly till
they were all slain. The Portuguese now attempted to carry a large ship
belonging to Malek Azz by boarding, but being unable to succeed, the
ship commanded by the viceroy in person sunk her by repeated broadsides.
Antonio de Campo boarded and took a large galleon. Ruy Soarez, who was
next in order to enter the harbour, dashed boldly through the thickest
of the enemies ships and placed his vessel in front of the city, where
he fought his ship in so gallant a style, forcing the crews to abandon
two gallies, which he took, that being noticed by the viceroy he
exclaimed, "Who is this who so nobly excels the rest? I wish I were he!"
The victory was now complete, and the viceroy and all the captains
assailed the smaller vessels, whose crews endeavoured to escape by
swimming; but the gallies and boats of the Portuguese being sent among
them, killed such numbers that the sea was dyed in blood. In this great
battle, the enemy lost above 1500 men, and the Portuguese only 40. Vast
riches were acquired by plunder in the captured vessels; and by the
great variety of books which were found in different languages, it was
concluded that the crews were made up of various nations. Some of these
books were in Latin, some in Italian, and others in Portuguese.[107] The
colours of the Soldan and of his admiral Mir Husseyn were taken, and
afterwards sent to the king of Portugal. Of all the vessels taken in
this glorious and decisive victory, four ships and two gallies only were
preserved, all the rest being ordered to be burnt by Almeyda. This great
victory would have much more redounded to the honour of the Portuguese
arms, had not the conquered been treated with barbarous cruelty: owing
to which, many persons very reasonably considered the unhappy end of
Almeyda and other gentlemen, as a just punishment for their crimes on
this occasion.[108]
[Footnote 107: It is hardly necessary to observe that these books
belonged in all probability to Christian galley slaves serving under the
Mamelukes. - E.]
[Footnote 108: Though not called upon to vindicate the conduct of
Albuquerque and the Portuguese on this occasion; it may be noticed that
the almost interminable war which subsisted for many centuries between
the Christians and Moors of the Peninsula, and after the expulsion of
the latter, with the states of Barbary; joined to the hellish
Inquisition on the one side, and the most degrading slavery inflicted on
both by their enemies, long nourished the most rancorous spirit of
enmity and hatred, now farther exalted by commercial rivalship.
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