Caffres; and reported that much gold is brought to this place from
certain mines on the adjacent continent; on which account Sofala is much
frequented by Moors from India, who barter merchandize of small value for
gold. He brought along with him to Lisbon a Moor whom he had received as
an hostage or pledge for the safety of one of his own men, whom he had
left there to acquire a knowledge of the country and its language; and
from this Moor they got ample information respecting the people and trade
of those parts of Africa, which I shall afterwards communicate. Including
this last ship, there returned six to Portugal out of the twelve which
had sailed on the voyage for India, the other six having been lost.
[1] It will appear in the sequel that there was another captain named
Vasco de Tayde. - E.
[2] Astley says only 1200, - Astl. I. 40.
[3] According to Astley, there were eight Franciscan friars besides the
vicar, eight chaplains, and a chaplin-major; and that their orders
were to begin with preaching, and in case that failed, to enforce the
gospel by the sword. In other words, to establish the accursed
tribunal of the inquisition in India, to the eternal disgrace of
Portugal, and of the pretended followers of the ever-blessed Prince of
Peace. - E.
[4] The remainder of this paragraph is given in the precise words and
orthography of the original translator, Nicholas Lichfild, as a
curious specimen of the nautical language of Britain in 1582. - E.
[5] According to De Faria, this vessel parted in a storm near Cape Verd,
and returned to Portugal. - Astl. I. 41. a.
[6] By some unaccountable mistake, the translation of Castaneda by
Lichefild says to the _east_. - E.
[7] It appears that Cabral had twenty malefactors on board for such
purposes, who had received pardon on condition of submitting to be
landed on occasions of danger. - E.
[8] Puerto Seguro is in lat. 16 deg.S. and about long. 39 deg. 40'W. This country
of Brasil derived its name from the dye-wood so called. - E.
[9] Originally, according to Castaneda, there were only ten ships and two
caravels: Both the caravels have been already accounted for as having
left the fleet; and after the loss of four ships, six only ought to
have remained. Astley makes the whole fleet originally to have
consisted of thirteen vessels, which will allow of seven now remaining.
- E.
[10] This part of the voyage is very indistinctly described. From the lat.
of 27 deg.S. where Cabral is said to have fallen in with the eastern coast
of Africa, to Sofala, in lat. 19 deg.S. the coast stretches out nearly
five degrees to the east, to Capes Corientes and St Sebastian, with
many rivers, the great bays of Delogoa and Asnea, and the islands of
Bocica or Bozarnio, all of which must have been seen by Cabral during
the slow navigation close along shore, but all of which are omitted in
the text. - E.
[11] Named Inhazato. Sofala is in lat. 13 deg.S. and almost 36 deg.E. from
Greenwich. - E.
[12] According to De Faria, this person was uncle to the king of Melinda,
and was named Sheikh Foteyma. - Astl. I. 41. b.
[13] In modern maps this extensive line of coast is divided into the
following separate territories, Inhambane, Sabia, Sofala, Mocaranga,
Mozambico, and Querimba; which will be illustrated in future portions
of this work. - E.
[14] This word _miso_ is probably an error of the press for mylyo, by
which the African grain named millet is distinguished in other parts
of Castaneda. The _small cattle_ of the text are probably meant for
sheep, as they are frequently thus contradistinguished in other parts
of the original from _great cattle_, not here mentioned. - E.
[15] These vessels were probably precisely similar to the Arab _dows_ of
the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, which will be afterwards more
particularly described. - E.
[16] Thus the translation of Castaneda by Lichefild. It was more probably
a superstitious ceremony to guard against witches. - E.
[17] In an account of this voyage by a Portuguese pilot, inserted in the
collection of Ramusio, the name of the reigning zamorin is said to
have been Gnaffer. Ramus. I. 125.
[18] Probably the person who was carried prisoner from Anchediva by De
Gama, in the former voyage. - E.
[19] According to De Faria, the hostages demanded on this occasion were
six principal men of the Bramin cast, whose names were brought from
Portugal by Cabral, by the advice of Bontaybo or Moncayde, the Moor
who went off with De Gama. - Astl. I. 43. b.
[20] Named by De Faria, Coje Cimireci. - Astl. I. 44, a.
[21] Called Coje Bequi by De Faria; or rather Khojah Beki, or Beghi: But
most of the foreign names are so corruptly given that it is difficult
to rectify them. - Astl. I. 44. b.
[22] According to De Faria, this house was granted not without great
difficulty, and was taken possession of by Correa with sixty men. -
Astl. I. 45.
[23] According to De Faria, this event was occasioned by the Moorish
admiral of Calicut, without the knowledge of the zamorin, who
instigated Cabral to the attempt in hope of injuring the Portuguese,
and sent information to the Moors to be on their guard. He adds that
Cabral, having discovered the fraud, restored the ship and cargo to
the owners, whom he satisfied for their damages, in order to gain the
favour of the rajah of Cochin. - Astl. I. 45.
[24] Perhaps meant by Lichefild instead of emperor; or it may be some
native term of dignity.
