After Considering This
Message, The Admiral Ordered The Messenger To Prison, Meaning To Take
Revenge On Him In Case The Zamorin Should Prove Deceitful In This
Instance As He Had Already Been In Many Others[14].
After this precaution,
he went to Calicut, more for the purpose of endeavouring to recover the
merchandize, than from any expectation of procuring the friendship of the
zamorin.
For this reason he took only his own ship[15], leaving Stephen
de Gama in the command at Cochin in his absence. The captains of the
fleet were much averse to this rashness; yet could not persuade him to
take a larger force, as he said he would be sufficiently protected by the
squadron of Vincente Sodre, which was cruizing on the coast, whom he
could join on any emergency. On his arrival at Calicut, the zamorin
immediately sent notice that he would satisfy him next day for all the
goods which had been taken from Cabral, and would afterwards renew the
trade and settle the factory on a proper footing. But as soon as he
understood that the admiral had come with so small a force, he commanded
thirty-four paraws to be got in readiness with all expedition, for the
purpose of taking his ship. And so unexpectedly did these assail him,
that the admiral was forced to cut one of his cables and make out to
seaward, which he was fortunately enabled to do, as the wind came off
from the land. Yet the paraws pursued him so closely, that he must
infallibly have been taken, if it had not been for the squadron of Sodre
making its appearance, on sight of which the paraws gave over the chase
and retired to Calicut.
On his return to Cochin, die admiral immediately ordered the messenger of
the zamorin to be hanged[16]. The failure of this treacherous attempt
against De Gama gave much concern to the zamorin; who now resolved to try
if he could induce the rajah of Cochin to refuse a loading to the
Portuguese, and to send away their factory from his port. With this view
he transmitted a letter to that prince, in the following terms:
"I am informed that you favour the Christians, whom you have admitted
into your city and supplied with goods and provisions. It is possible you
may not see the danger of this procedure, and may not know how
displeasing it is to me. I request of you to remember the friendship
which has hitherto subsisted between us, and that you now incur my
displeasure for so small a matter in supporting these Christian robbers,
who are in use to plunder the countries belonging to other nations. My
desire is, therefore, that for the future you may neither receive them
into your city, nor give them spices; by which you will both do me a
great pleasure, and will bind me to requite your friendship in whatever
way you may desire. I do not more earnestly urge these things at the
present, being convinced you will comply without further entreaty, as I
would do for you in any matter of importance."
The rajah of Cochin answered in the following terms: That he knew not how
to expel the Christians from his city, whom he had received as friends,
and to whom he had passed his word for trade and amity. He denied that
his friendly reception of the Christians could be construed as any
offence to the zamorin, as it was the custom in the ports of Malabar to
favour all merchants who resorted thither for trade; and declared his
resolution to maintain his engagements inviolate to the Portuguese, who
had brought great sums of gold and silver, and large quantities of
merchandize into his dominions in the course of their trade. The zamorin
was much offended by this answer of the rajah of Cochin; to whom he wrote
a second time, advising him earnestly to abandon the Portuguese if he had
any respect for his own welfare. The rajah of Cochin was not to be moved,
either by the persuasions or threatening of the zamorin, and sent a reply
to his second letter, in which he declared he should never be induced to
commit a base or treacherous action by fear of the consequences, and was
resolved to persist in maintaining his treaty of trade and amity with the
Portuguese. Finding that he could not prevail on the rajah of Cochin to
concur with him, he commanded twenty-nine large ships to be fitted out in
order to assail the Portuguese fleet when on its return homewards,
expecting that he should be able to destroy them with more ease when
fully laden.
The rajah of Cochin gave no intimation to the admiral of the letters and
messages which had been interchanged between him and the zamorin, until
he went to take leave; at which time, he declared he would hazard the
loss of his dominions to serve the king of Portugal. The admiral, after
many expressions of gratitude for his friendly disposition and honourable
regard for his engagements, assured him that the king his master would
never forget the numerous demonstrations he had given of friendship, and
would give him such assistance as should not only enable him to defend
his own dominions, but to reduce other countries under his authority. He
desired him not to be in fear of the zamorin, against whom there should
henceforwards be carried on so fierce war, that he would have enough of
employment in defending himself, instead of being able to attack others.
In this the general alluded to the aid which the rajah might expect from
the ships that were to remain in India under the command of Vincent Sodre.
All this conversation took place in presence of many of the principal
nayres, of which circumstance the rajah was much pleased, as he knew
these people were in friendship with the Moors, and had opposed the grant
of a factory to us at Cochin[17].
Having completed the loading of ten ships, the admiral sailed from Cochin
on his homeward-bound voyage; and when about three leagues from Pandarane,
he descried the Moorish fleet of twenty-nine large ships coming towards
him.
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