The Kutwal Observed That He Could Not Give Credit
To This, As He Was Sure Any Thing He Commanded Would Be Obeyed.
But no
arguments could prevail on the general to this measure, which he was
satisfied was meant for facilitating the destruction of the fleet to
gratify the Moors.
The whole of this day was spent in this manner, and in the night our
people were confined in a large paved yard surrounded with walls, and
under even a stronger guard than attended them during the day; and even
the general began to fear as well as the men, that they would be
separated from one another. Yet he trusted, when the zamorin should come
to know the usage they had received, he would give orders for their
release. That night, the kutwal came to sup with the general and sent a
supply of fowls and rice. Finding that he could not prevail over the
constancy of De Gama, he determined at last to set him at liberty. Next
day, therefore, being Saturday the second of June, he desired the general,
since he had promised to the king to bring his merchandize on shore, that
he ought to do so; as it was the usage of all merchants who came to
Calicut to land their goods and crews, and not to return to their ships
till all was sold; and he promised, when this was done, to give him free
liberty to depart. Although the general gave very little credit to his
fair words, he yet said, if the kutwal would provide almadias for the
purpose, he would order his goods on shore; but was certain his brother
would not allow the boats to leave the ships while he was detained on
shore. The kutwal was now content to get the goods into his power, as he
understood from the general they were of great value, and allowed the
general to send off a message to his brother. He therefore sent off a
letter by two of his men, in which he gave his brother an account of his
situation, confined to his lodging but otherwise well used, and desiring
him to send some of the merchandize on shore to satisfy the kutwal; but,
directing him, in case he was much longer detained, to believe that he
was kept prisoner by order of the zamorin; whose only object was to get
the Portuguese ships into his power, not having time to arm his own ships
for that purpose. For this reason, if not set at liberty immediately
after the goods were landed, he required his brother to return without
delay to Portugal, and inform the king of all that had happened; that the
trade of so fine a country might not be lost to his country. And farther,
to inform the king in what state he remained, trusting that his royal
master would send such an armament as would enforce his restoration to
liberty.
On receiving this letter, and a circumstantial relation from the
messenger of all that had happened on shore, Paulo de Gama immediately
sent the goods; but said in answer to the general, that he could not
answer to his honour to return to Portugal without him, and he trusted
God would enable the small force he had still in the fleet, with the aid
of his ordnance, to compel the kutwal to liberate him. On the merchandize
being landed, the general delivered it over into the custody of Diego
Diaz as factor, with Alvora de Braga as his clerk, whom he left in a
house provided for them by the kutwal; after which he went on board the
ships. He then refused to send any more goods on shore, till those
already there were sold and paid for, and determined not to run himself
again into danger by venturing on shore after what had already past. At
this the Moors were grievously vexed, as they thought it more easy for
them to have destroyed him on land than on board the ships. On purpose to
entice him to land once more, the Moors made a mock of his goods,
pretending they were good for nothing, and did all in their power to
prevent them from selling. Thinking that the zamorin knew nothing of all
these transactions, he sent him an account of the whole five days
afterwards, by his factor, of all that had happened, and of the injurious
conduct of the Moors respecting the sale of the goods. The king seemed
much offended by these proceedings, sending the general word that he
would punish all those who had used him ill, yet the kutwal remained
unpunished. The king likewise sent seven or eight merchants of Guzerate,
who were idolaters, to buy the goods, accompanied by an honest nayre, to
remain with Diaz at the factory to defend him against the Moors. Yet all
this was only done colourably, that the Moors might not appear to suborn
the merchants; for these men bought nothing, and even beat down the price
of the commodities, to the great satisfaction of the Moors; who now
boasted that no person would buy our goods any more than they. Yet none
of the Moors durst venture to our factory, after they heard a nayre was
stationed there by the kings order. If they did not love us before, they
hated us ten times worse now, and when any of our men landed, they used
to spit on the ground in contempt, calling out Portugal! Portugal! But by
the especial order of the general, our people took no other notice than
merely laughing at their insolence.
As none of the merchants would buy our goods, the general supposed that
this was occasioned by their being lodged at Pandarane, where none of the
merchants of Calicut resided; and requested leave, by a messenger, from
the zamorin, to have the goods removed to the city. This permission was
immediately granted, and the king issued orders to the kutwal to see them
removed, and even to pay the persons who carried them, that nothing
belonging to the king of Portugal might be subject to any charges in his
country.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 154 of 219
Words from 157447 to 158481
of 224388
