Vincente Sodre and his
brother, with many others lost their lives, and nothing whatever was
saved out of these two ships. The loss of these two brothers was
considered as a punishment of Providence, for basely abandoning the rajah
of Cochin and the factory in their imminent danger.
Those who were saved returned towards Cochin to succour our people, and
chose Pedro de Tayde[5] as their general. In their passage from Curia
Muria towards Cochin, they encountered several severe storms, and were
often in great danger of perishing. Being unable to reach Cochin on
account of the winds, they were forced to take refuge in the island of
Anchediva. A few days after their arrival, a ship came there from
Portugal, commanded by Antonio del Campo, who had left Lisbon alone some
time after Vasco de Gama, and had been much delayed on his voyage in
consequence of the death of his pilot. He had encountered severe weather
on the coast, and was forced after much trouble and danger to take refuge
in Anchediva. The united squadron wintered in this island, where they
suffered severe hardships from scarcity of provisions.
[1] This army is said to have amounted to 50,000 men. Panani is six
leagues from Cochin. - Astl. I. 54.
[2] This person is named Naubea Daring by Astley, and is said to have
been nephew to the zamorin. - Astl. I. 56.
[3] In Astley this prince is called the nephew of the rajah of Cochin. -
Astl. I. 55.
[4] These are a cluster of islands, otherwise called Chartan and Martan,
on the coast of Yemen, between the latitudes of 17 deg. and 18 deg. north. - E.
[5] Of the four officers mentioned in the text, three are enumerated at
the commencement of the former voyage of De Gama as commanders of
separate vessels. The fourth, Badarsas, is not in that list of
captains, and may have been appointed captain of Vincente Sodres flag-
ship. - E.
SECTION VII.
_Voyage of Alonso and Francisco de Albuquerque to India in 1503; being
the fifth of the Portuguese Expeditions to the East Indies._
Is the year 1503, supposing that the admiral Don Vasco de Gama had quietly
settled factories in Cochin and Cananor, the king of Portugal did not
consider it necessary to send any great fleet to India. He therefore
determined to send only six ships in two separate squadrons, under
separate generals. Alonso de Albuquerque, who was afterwards governor-
general or viceroy of India, commanded one of these squadrons, having
under him as captains, Duarte Pacheco and Hernan Martinez Mascarennas, who
is said to have died during the voyage.
