But He Was Afraid To Venture On Land With So
Small A Force Against So Great A Multitude, Or Even
To approach too near
the shore, lest the enemies might assail him in their almadias and tonis.
He lay off,
Therefore, at a considerable distance, where he remained a
spectator of the valiant defence made by our people at the factory,
whence they killed great numbers of the assailants. But their enemies
always increased in numbers, and they at length brought up certain
engines to beat down part of the wall, in which they at length succeeded.
On this, our men issued out by a door which led towards the sea side, in
hopes of being able to fight their way to the boats, in which attempt
Corea was slain, and fifty more of our men were either killed or made
prisoners, twenty only escaping who swam to the boats, most of whom were
much wounded. Among these were Fra Henriques, and Antonio, the son of
Aries Corea, then only eleven years old; who hath since done many noble
feats of arms in the Indies and other places, as I shall afterwards
declare in the _Fourth_ Book of this history.
The general was much concerned at this event, not only for the loss of
his men, but on seeing how little confidence could be reposed on the
promises of the zamorin after all the presents he had received, and the
services which had been performed for him. He had now spent three months
at Calicut, during which he had only loaded two of his ships, and knew
not how to procure loading for the rest; especially as he could not
expect a favourable reception at Cochin on account of having captured the
ship with the elephant as before related. Considering the treason which
had been practised on our men, the general determined upon taking a
signal revenge, if the zamorin did not make an ample excuse for what had
taken place, and make a full reparation by immediately providing the rest
of the ships with lading. The zamorin, however, had no such intentions,
being much pleased with what the Moors had done, and even ordered all the
goods in our factory to be seized, to the value of 4000 ducats. He
likewise ordered all of our people who had been taken on shore to be made
captives, four of whom died of their wounds. Seeing that no message or
excuse was sent by the zamorin all that day, the general held a council
with his officers as to the proper steps to be taken on the present
emergency; when it was determined to take immediate and ample revenge,
without giving time to the zamorin to arm his fleet. On this, orders were
issued to take possession of ten large ships which lay in the road or
harbour of Calicut, which was done after some resistance, many of their
crews being killed or drowned, and others made prisoners who were
reserved to serve as mariners on board our fleet. Some spices and other
merchandize were taken in these ships, and three elephants, which were
killed and salted as provisions for the voyage; and it appeared that 600
Moors were slain in defending these ships. After every thing of value was
taken from the Moorish ships, they were all burnt in sight of the city.
Many of the Moors embarked in their almadias to attempt succouring their
ships, but our men soon put them to flight by means of their ordnance.
The zamorin and the whole city of Calicut were much mortified to see so
many ships destroyed, and them unable to help, but their astonishment and
terror were much increased by the events of the ensuing day. During the
night, the general ordered all the ships of the fleet to be towed as near
as possible to the shore by means of the boats, and spread out at some
distance from each other, that they might be able to reach the city with
their ordnance; which, as soon as day broke, was directed to play upon
the city in every direction, doing vast damage among the houses. The
natives brought down to the shore such small pieces of ordnance as they
possessed, which they fired off against us, but without being able to do
us any injury; whereas not a shot of ours missed taking effect, either
among the multitude of our enemies which flocked to the shore, or on the
buildings of the city, both the houses of the inhabitants and the temples
of their deities receiving incredible damage. So great was the
consternation, that the zamorin fled from his palace, and one of his
chief nayres was killed by a ball close beside him. Part even of the
palace was destroyed by the cannonade. Towards afternoon two ships were
seen approaching the harbour, which immediately changed their course on
seeing how our fleet was employed; on which the general ceased firing
against Calicut, and made all sail after these two ships to Pandarane,
where they took shelter among other seven ships lying at anchor close to
the shore and filled with Moors. Finding that our fleet could not get
near enough to attack them, owing to shallow water, and considering that
it was now late in the season for his voyage back to Lisbon, the general
resolved to be contented with the revenge he had already taken upon
Calicut, and made sail for Cochin, where he was informed there was more
pepper to be had than even at Calicut, and where he hoped to enter into a
treaty with the rajah of that place.'
On his way towards Cochin, Cabral took two ships belonging to the Moors,
which he set on fire, after taking out of them some rice which they had
on board. On the 20th of December the fleet arrived at Cochin, which is
nineteen leagues to the south of Calicut, and is in nine degrees towards
the north[25]. Cochin is in the province of Malabar, on a river close to
the sea, and is almost an island, so that it is very strong and difficult
of access, having a large and safe harbour.
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