Several Almadias Came Off
Immediately To Sell Victuals:
And some of the principal nayres, with a
Guzurat merchant, brought a message from the zamorin,[17] declaring his
satisfaction at the arrival of the general at his city, in which every
thing he might need was at his command.
The general made a polite answer
to the king, with thanks for his civility, and gave orders to bring the
fleet nearer to the city, in doing which all the ordnance was fired as a
salute, to the great astonishment of the natives, the idolaters among
them saying that it was impossible to resist us. Next day one Gaspar[18]
was sent on shore to the zamorin, desiring to have a safe-conduct for a
deputation from the general to wait on his highness; and along with
Gaspar the four Malabars who had been carried away from Calicut by Don
Vasco de la Gama were sent on shore. These men were all finely dressed in
Portuguese habits, and the whole inhabitants of the city came out to see
them, rejoiced to find they had been well treated. Though the zamorin was
well pleased with the safe return of his subjects, he refused allowing
them to come into his presence as they were only fishermen, or of a low
cast; but he sent for Gaspar, whom he received with civility, and whom he
assured that our people might come on shore in perfect safety. On
receiving this intelligence, Cabral sent Alonso Hurtado to the zamorin,
intimating that the Portuguese fleet had come on purpose to settle trade
and friendship, and that the general wished for an audience in which to
arrange these matters with his highness.
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