That They Were Separated In A Storm Off
The Cape Of Good Hope.
That Lorenzo proceeding alone in the voyage, had
taken a ship belonging to the Moors near Sofala, out of which he had
taken a large quantity of gold, and had left the hull at Melinda.
That
Saldanna prosecuted his voyage to Cape Guardafui, where he had taken many
rich prizes, without having entered the Red Sea; after which he had
sailed to India, and the winter coming on, had taken shelter in Anchediva,
where he was afterwards joined by Lorenzo. At this place, Lope Mendez de
Vasconcelles, who had been separated in the storm off the Cape of Good
Hope, rejoined the fleet. The admiral used every expedition to get the
fleet ready to proceed for Cananor, where he arrived on the 1st of
September, and was informed by the factor of the events in the war with
Calicut; and how he and his companions in the factory had been often in
great hazard of their lives.
The day after his arrival, the admiral went on shore in great state to
visit the rajah of Cananor, attended by all the captains of the fleet in
their boats, decorated with flags and streamers, and armed with ordnance,
all the boats crews being dressed in their best apparel. The admirals
barge had a rich awning, and was dressed out with carpets, on which stood
a chair of state covered with unshorn crimson velvet and two cushions of
the same for his feet. His doublet and hose were of satin of divers
colours, wrought diamond fashion; his shoes of black velvet, studded with
gold; his cap covered over with gold buttons. Over all he wore a loose
robe or gown of black velvet, in the French fashion, trimmed all round
with gold lace. From his neck hung a triple chain of gold enamelled, from
which depended a golden whistle. His rapier and dagger, which were borne
by a page, had handles of pure gold. Two lackeys preceded him in
splendid attire and six trumpeters with silk flags. He was also
accompanied by a band of wind instruments, in a small boat In another
boat were the presents which he carried for the rajah from the king of
Portugal. There were, six beds of fine Holland, with their pillows of the
same, all wrought with gold embroidery. Two coverlets or carpets of
unshorn crimson velvet, quilted all over, having three guards of cloth of
gold, that in the middle a span in width, and the others two fingers
broad. The bedstead was gilded all over, having curtains of crimson satin,
fringed with cold thread. On putting off from his ship, all the fleet
saluted him with their cannon; then the trumpets and drums sounded for a
long time; after which the organs never ceased to play till the boats
reached the shore, where vast numbers of Moors and Gentiles waited to
receive the admiral.
On his landing, the admiral Was conducted into a _sarame_ or house
appointed for his reception and audience of the rajah, in which he
ordered the bed and all its rich furniture to be set up, close to which
was placed a chair for the admiral to sit upon. Soon afterwards, the
rajah was brought to the house, carried in a rich chair of state,
preceded by three armed elephants, three thousand nayres, armed with
swords, spears, and targets, and two thousand armed with bows and arrows.
The admiral, apprized of the rajah's approach by the fleet saluting him
with all their guns, went to the door to receive him, where they embraced.
Then going together into the apartment, the admiral presented him with
the bed already described, on which the rajah immediately lay down, and
the admiral sat down beside him in the place appointed. They here
conferred together for two hours, when they were interrupted by the
barking of a greyhound belonging to the admiral, which wanted to attack
one of the elephants.
Soon afterwards a Moor from Calicut waited upon the admiral, having along
with him a Portuguese boy, who brought a letter from some of our men who
were captives at Calicut ever since the time of Cabral being there. This
boy informed the admiral, that the zamorin was so humbled by the defeats
he had sustained from Pacheco, that he had gone into religious seclusion.
That many of the Moorish merchants had gone from Calicut to other places,
as they could carry on no trade there owing to the war, and that even
provisions had become extremely scarce. That the zamorin and the prince
of Calicut, and the magistrates of that place, were exceedingly desirous
of peace with the Portuguese, for which reason they had sent him to the
admiral, and had allowed the Portuguese prisoners there to write him to
that effect, which they had done accordingly, but chiefly in hopes that
he would free them from captivity. After reading the letter, the admiral
would have sent a written answer, meaning to have sent it by the Moor.
But the boy told him, they had no permission to carry any letter, and
that he must return along with the Moor, as the people of Calicut had
threatened to put all their Portuguese prisoners to death in case he did
not return. On this account, the admiral gave the boy a verbal message
for the prisoners; saying that he would very soon come to Calicut, where
he would anchor as near as possible to the shore; and as the captives
were allowed to go about the city without irons, they might find an
opportunity to come off to the fleet either in boats or by swimming.
Suarez went accordingly with the fleet to Calicut, where he came to
anchor on Saturday the 7th September; and presently afterwards the boy
who had been to visit him at Cananor came on board, accompanied by a
servant of Cosebequin, who brought the admiral a present from the rulers
of Cochin, and a message requiring a safe conduct for Cosebequin, that he
might come on board to treat for peace.
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