The General Then Requested Information From Bontaybo, As To The Character
Of The King Or Zamorin Of Calicut, And Whether, In His Opinion, He Would
Willingly Receive Him As Ambassador From The King Of Portugal.
Bontaybo
represented the zamorin as a prince of good and honourable dispositions,
who, he was convinced, would gladly receive
The general as ambassador
from a foreign king; more especially, if the objects of his voyage were
to establish a trade with Calicut, and if the general had brought with
him any merchandize proper for that purpose; since the advantages which
the zamorin derived from the customs upon trade formed the chief source
of his revenue. He farther informed the general, that the zamorin resided
at this time at Panane, a village on the coast about five leagues from
Calicut; and advised that the general should send a message there to
notify his arrival, and the reasons of his coming. The general was well
pleased with this advice and presented certain gifts to Bontaybo, along
with whom he sent two of his men to Calicut, requesting Bontaybo to
direct them on their way to Panane, which he did accordingly. When these
messengers came into the presence of the zamorin, one of them, named
_Fernan Martyn_, declared to him, by means of an interpreter, "That he
waited upon his highness on the part of his general, who had arrived in
the port of Calicut with three ships, having been sent there by the king
of Portugal with letters to his highness, which the general begged
permission to present to him." On hearing this message, and before giving
any answer, the zamorin commanded each of the two messengers to be
presented with a piece cotton cloth and two pieces of silk, such as he
used in his own apparel; after which he inquired of Fernan Martyn what
king it was who had sent him these letters, and how far his dominions
were from thence. Fernan fully answered these inquiries, adding, that he
was a Christian prince, and that those whom he had sent in the ships now
at Calicut were Christians; and related what great and numerous dangers
they had passed through during their voyage. The zamorin was much amazed
at the incidents of the voyage which Fernan related at some length, and
expressed his satisfaction that so powerful a prince of the Christians
should think of sending an ambassador to him from so great a distance. He
then desired Fernan to inform the general, that he heartily welcomed him
and his people into his dominions, advising him to bring his ships to
anchor near a village called _Pandarane_ some way below where the ships
then lay, as a far better harbour than Calicut which is an open and very
dangerous road for shipping. The zamorin desired likewise that the
general might come by land from that place to Calicut, where he would be
ready to receive him. After this, the zamorin sent a pilot to navigate
the ships to the harbour of Pandarane; but, on coming to the bar of that
port, the general did not think it advisable to enter so far within the
harbour as the pilot proposed, fearing lest he might expose himself to
danger by reposing too great confidence in these people, and placing
himself too much within their power. In this he acted with much prudent
foresight, by which he wisely avoided the injuries which were afterwards
attempted against him at this place.
On his arrival at Pandarane, the general received a message from the
kutwal[57] of Calicut, intimating that he and other nobles awaited him on
shore by order of the zamorin, to conduct him to the city, and that he
had permission to land whenever he pleased[58]. But as the day drew near
a close, the general returned an answer excusing himself from landing
that night. He immediately called a council of the other captains and
principal officers of the fleet, to take their advice on the present
emergency, to whom he intimated his intention of going to visit the king
of Calicut on purpose to settle a treaty of trade and amity. Paulo de
Gama, his brother, strongly objected to his venturing on shore; alleging
that although the natives of the place were Christians, as they still
believed them, yet there were many Moors among them who were much to be
feared as his mortal enemies; since these people at Mozambique and
Mombaza, where they had only passed by their ports, endeavoured to
destroy them all, they were much more to be feared at Calicut where we
had come on purpose to enter into competition with them in trade, by
which their profits would be diminished. It was therefore the more
probable that they would use every effort to destroy the general, on whom
our whole hope of safety and success depended; and, however much the
zamorin might regret the commission of such a deed, he could not restore
him to life: besides which, the Moors were inhabitants of the place,
where they had much interest, whereas the general was an utter stranger.
Likewise, it was quite impossible for them to be assured that the king of
Calicut might not have leagued with the Moors for his death or captivity;
either of which would ruin their voyage and prove the destruction of them
all, and all the toils and dangers they had passed through would prove in
vain. To prevent all this danger, he strongly urged that the general
should on no account go on shore, but should depute one of the captains,
or some other person in the fleet in his stead; alleging that commanders
in chief ought never to subject themselves to personal danger, unless in
cases of the most urgent necessity.
All the officers were of the same opinion. But the general answered, that
even if he were perfectly assured that his landing were to occasion his
instant death, he would not refrain from going to visit the king of
Calicut, to endeavour to settle amity and trade, and that he might
procure some spices and other commodities from the place, by means of
which their discovery of Calicut might be proved on their return into
Portugal:
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