The Rajah
Appointed A House For The Use Of The Portuguese Factory, And A Schedule
Of Prices Were Agreed Upon,
At which the various spices, drugs, and other
productions of the country were to be delivered to the Portuguese factors,
All of which were set down in writing in form of a contract. The rajah
likewise delivered present for the king of Portugal, consisting of two
gold bracelets set with precious stones, a sash or turban used by the
Moors of cloth of silver two yards and a half long, two great pieces of
fine Bengal cotton cloth, and a stone as large as a walnut taken from the
head of an animal called _bulgoldolf_, which is exceedingly rare, and is
said to be an antidote against all kipds of poison[13]. A convenient
house being appointed for a factory, was immediately taken possession of
by Diego Hernandez as factor, Lorenzo Moreno, and Alvaro Vas as clerks,
and several other assistants.
While the ships were taking in their cargoes at Cochin, a message was
brought to the admiral from the zamorin, engaging, if he would return to
Calicut, to make a complete restitution of every thing that had been
taken from the Portuguese, and that a treaty of friendship and commerce
would be immediately arranged between them. After considering this
message, the admiral ordered the messenger to prison, meaning to take
revenge on him in case the zamorin should prove deceitful in this
instance as he had already been in many others[14]. After this precaution,
he went to Calicut, more for the purpose of endeavouring to recover the
merchandize, than from any expectation of procuring the friendship of the
zamorin.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 675 of 812
Words from 186962 to 187242
of 224388
