The Rest Were
Intimidated By This Procedure, And Immediately Delivered Up Every Thing
Belonging To Them, Which Was Very Valuable;
All of which was committed to
the charge of Diego Hernando Correa, the factor appointed for conducting
the trade at
Cochin, by whose directions they were transported into one
of the Portuguese ships. De Gama ordered all the children belonging to
the Moors to be taken on board one of his own ships, and vowed to make
them all friars in the church of our Lady at Belem, which he afterwards
did[7]. All the ordinary merchandize belonging to the Moors was divided
among his own men; and when all the goods were removed, he ordered
Stephen de la Gama to confine the Moors under the hatches, and to set the
ship on fire, to revenge the death of the Portuguese who were slain in
the factory at Calicut. Soon after this was done, the Moors broke open
the hatches, and quenched the fire; on which the admiral ordered Stephen
de Gama to lay them, aboard. The Moors rendered desperate by this inhuman
treatment, defended themselves to the utmost, and even threw firebrands
into our ship to set it on fire. Night coming on, Stephen had to desist,
but was ordered to watch the Moorish ship carefully that it might not
escape during the dark, and the Moors all night long were heard calling
on Mahomet to deliver them out of the hands of the Christians. When day
appeared, the admiral again ordered Stephen de la Gama to set the ship on
fire, which he did accordingly, after forcing the Moors to retreat into
the poop. Some of the Moors leapt into the sea with hatchets in their
hands, and endeavoured to swim to our boats; but all of these were slain
in the water by our people, and those that remained in the ship were all
drowned, as the vessel sunk. Of 300 Moors, of whom thirty were women, not
one escaped alive; and some of our men were hurt.
De Gama came soon afterwards to Cananor, where he sent on shore the
ambassadors, and gave them a message for the king, informing him of his
arrival, and craving an audience. Upon this the rajah ordered a platform
of timber to be constructed, which projected a considerable way into the
water, covered over with carpets and other rich cloths, and having a
wooden house or pavilion at the end next the land, which was likewise
covered like the bridge, and was meant for the place of meeting between
the rajah and the admiral. The rajah came first to the pavilion, attended
by 10,000 nayres, and with many trumpets and other instruments playing
before him; and a number of the principal nayres were arranged on the
bridge or platform, to receive the admiral in an honourable manner. The
admiral came in his boat, attended by all: the boats of the fleet decked
out with flags and streamers, carrying certain ordnance in their prows,
and having many drums and trumpets making a very martial appearance.
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