The Malabars Are Much Given To Soothsaying, And Have Lucky And Unlucky
Days.
They worship the sun moon and stars, the fire, cows, and the first
thing they meet on going out of a morning, believing every manner of
vanity.
The devil is often in them, but they say it is one of their gods
or _pagods_, as they call him. But whosoever or whatsoever it may be, it
constrains them to utter terrible words, which are believed by the king.
When the devil enters into a nayre, he goes with a naked sword before the
king, shaking and trembling and giving himself many wounds, saying, "I am
such or such a god, and am come to tell thee such and such a thing,"
crying out, and behaving himself like a madman or one possessed. If the
king makes any doubt of what he says, he continues to roar still louder
and to slash himself more severely, till the king gives credit to his
assertions. There are other tribes or lineages of people among the
Malabars, of various sects and divers customs, of whom it were too
tedious to speak in this place, who are all under obedience to the
several kings and nobles. The Moors alone are exempted from this
obedience, on account of the large customs they pay for their merchandize,
owing to which they are held in high estimation at Calicut.
Having come to anchor on the outside of the bar or reef of Calicut, the
general sent one of the Portuguese convicts on shore, in one of the
almadias which had conducted the ships to this port; instructing him to
see what kind of a place it was, and to make trial of what kind of a
reception might be looked for, seeing we were Christians, and as the
general believed that the people were likewise Christians. When this man
landed, he was immediately surrounded by great numbers of the natives,
staring at him as a stranger. These people asked of the fishermen what
man this was whom they had brought on shore? to which they answered, that
they supposed him to be a Moor, and that he belonged to the three ships
which were riding without the bar. But the people of Calicut wondered
much to see a person who was clothed so very differently from the Moors
who came from the Red Sea. Some of these people who had knowledge of
Arabic spoke to this man, but he could not understand or answer them, at
which they were much astonished. Yet, believing him to be a Moor, they
conducted him to a house where two Moors dwelt who came originally from
Tunis and had established themselves in Calicut. On his appearance, one
of these Moors whose name was Bontaybo[56], who could speak Spanish,
immediately recognized him for a Portuguese, having often seen people of
our nation at Tunis in the reign of King John, in a ship named La Reyna
which often traded to that port. As soon as Bontaybo saw the Portuguese,
he exclaimed in Spanish, _Devil take you, what brought you here_? He
farther inquired which way he had travelled so as to arrive at Calicut?
To this the banished man answered, telling how many ships our general had
brought with him; at which Bontaybo was much amazed, wondering how they
could possibly come by sea from Portugal to India. He then asked what
they sought at so great a distance from home? And was answered that they
came in search of Christians and spices. Bontaybo then asked why the
kings of France and Spain and the Doge of Venice had not sent their ships
likewise? Because, said our man, the king of Portugal would not allow
them. To this Bontaybo said, he was much in the right. After some farther
conversation in this way, Bontaybo gave him good entertainment,
commanding certain cakes of wheat flour and honey, called _apes_ by the
Malabars, to be set before him; and then said that he would accompany him
to the ships to wait upon the general.
Bontaybo accordingly came on board our general, whom he immediately
addressed in Spanish, saying, "Good luck! good luck! many rubies, many
emeralds. Thou art bound to give God thanks for having brought thee where
there is abundance of all sorts of spices, precious stones, and all the
other riches of the world." On hearing this, the general and all the
people were greatly astonished, not expecting to meet any one so far from
home who understood their language; and even shed tears of joy for this
happy circumstance, and their safe arrival. They all then joined in
humble and hearty thanks to the Almighty, by whose favour and assistance
alone this great happiness and good fortune had been accorded to them.
The general embraced Bontaybo, whom he made to sit beside him, and
questioned him if he were a Christian, and how he came to Calicut.
Bontaybo told him frankly that he was a Moor from Tunis in Barbary, and
had come to Calicut by way of Cairo and the Red Sea, and explained how he
came to know the Portuguese, as has been already mentioned. He farther
declared, that he had always been well disposed towards the Portuguese
nation, having always found them worthy of confidence and friendship in
all their dealings; and, having been a friend to them in times past, he
would not discontinue his good will, and was ready and willing to do
every thing in his power to serve them, and to assist them in the objects
for which they had now come to Calicut. The general gave him many thanks
for his good will, and promised to reward him liberally for the friendly
aid he might give to him and his expedition, expressing his extreme
satisfaction at being so fortunate as to meet such a person in this place,
believing that God had sent him here to promote the great objects of this
voyage, for which he passed through so many and long continued dangers,
being quite sensible that he must have reaped little profit from all his
labours without such friendly assistance.
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