This Man
Was Of Great Credit In Calicut, Being The Head Of All The Native Moors Of
That Country, Who Are Always At Variance With The Moors Of Cairo And Of
The Red Sea, Of Whom The Admiral Samicide Was The Chief.
The Zamorin gave
farther orders, that our factory should be removed to a house close to
the shore which
Belonged to Cosebequin, that our merchants might have
greater freedom to buy and sell, without any interruption from the Moors.
For the greater security, a deed of gift was made of this house by the
zamorin to the king of Portugal and his successors for ever, a copy of
which, signed and sealed by the zamorin, was enclosed in a casket of gold
that it might be conveyed to Portugal; and permission was given to
display a flag of the royal arms of Portugal from the top of the
factory[22]. On receiving intelligence of these favourable measures, Cabral
brought back the fleet into the harbour of Calicut, and sent his
compliments of thanks to the zamorin for his gracious and favourable
dispositions. After this, our factory had tolerably good fortune in
conducting its trade by the assistance of Cosebequin: and the natives,
finding our factory favoured by the zamorin, behaved so very civilly to
our people that they could go about wherever they pleased, with as much
freedom and safety as in Lisbon.
During the subsistence of this friendly intercourse, a large Moorish ship
was descried from Calicut on its voyage from Cochin for Cambaya; and the
zamorin requested our general to make prize of the ship, alleging that it
contained a peculiarly fine elephant which he wished to possess, and
which had been refused to him although he had offered more than its value.
The general answered that he would do this willingly to gratify his
highness; but, as he was informed the ship was large and well manned,
both with mariners and soldiers, it could not be expected to surrender
without resistance, in which some men might be slain on both sides, and
it was therefore necessary he should have the sanction of his highness to
kill these people in case of resistance, which was accordingly granted.
Upon which the general sent Pedro de Tayde in his caravel, accompanied by
a valiant young gentleman named Duarte, or Edward Pacheco, and by sixty
fighting men, with orders to take this ship. Along with them the zamorin
sent certain Moors, that they might witness the manner of fighting used
by the Portuguese. The caravel gave chase to the Moorish ship till night,
and then lost sight of her; but in sailing along shore by moon-light,
they saw her riding at anchor, ready for defence, judging her to be about
600 tons burthen, and to contain 300 fighting men. Pacheco, according to
his orders, did not think proper to lay the Moorish ship on board, but
commanded his ship to be brought to, intending to sink the Moorish ship
by means of his ordnance, in case of necessity.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 332 of 427
Words from 174477 to 174986
of 224388
