He Then Asked What
They Sought At So Great A Distance From Home?
And was answered that they
came in search of Christians and spices.
Bontaybo then asked why the
kings of France and Spain and the Doge of Venice had not sent their ships
likewise? Because, said our man, the king of Portugal would not allow
them. To this Bontaybo said, he was much in the right. After some farther
conversation in this way, Bontaybo gave him good entertainment,
commanding certain cakes of wheat flour and honey, called _apes_ by the
Malabars, to be set before him; and then said that he would accompany him
to the ships to wait upon the general.
Bontaybo accordingly came on board our general, whom he immediately
addressed in Spanish, saying, "Good luck! good luck! many rubies, many
emeralds. Thou art bound to give God thanks for having brought thee where
there is abundance of all sorts of spices, precious stones, and all the
other riches of the world." On hearing this, the general and all the
people were greatly astonished, not expecting to meet any one so far from
home who understood their language; and even shed tears of joy for this
happy circumstance, and their safe arrival. They all then joined in
humble and hearty thanks to the Almighty, by whose favour and assistance
alone this great happiness and good fortune had been accorded to them.
The general embraced Bontaybo, whom he made to sit beside him, and
questioned him if he were a Christian, and how he came to Calicut.
Bontaybo told him frankly that he was a Moor from Tunis in Barbary, and
had come to Calicut by way of Cairo and the Red Sea, and explained how he
came to know the Portuguese, as has been already mentioned.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 536 of 812
Words from 148692 to 148991
of 224388
