however became known to the Rajah of Cochin, who communicated the
intelligence to the viceroy Almeyda. He accordingly sent his son Lorenzo
with eleven vessels to endeavour to counteract the designs of the
zamorin by destroying the fleet he had prepared. Learning that the
Calicut fleet was in the port of Cananor, consisting of 260 paraos, 60
of which were larger than the Portuguese ships, Lorenzo sailed thither
and put them to flight after a severe engagement. In the pursuit, some
of the paraos were taken, but many were sunk and run aground, by which
the enemy sustained great loss, while only five or six of the Portuguese
were slain. The principal booty taken on this occasion was four ships
loaded with spice. Almost immediately after this victory, Don Lorenzo
received notice that the fort of Anchediva was beset by 60 vessels
belonging to the Moors and Malabars, well armed and manned with a number
of resolute men under the command of a renegado. On this occasion the
besieged behaved with great gallantry, and the besiegers pressed their
attacks with much bravery, but several of their vessels having been
destroyed and others much damaged by the cannon of the fort, and hearing
of the approach of Lorenzo, the enemy withdrew in all haste.

Finding their trade almost destroyed by the Portuguese, the Moors
endeavoured to shun their cruisers by keeping out to sea in their
voyages from Cambaya and the ports of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf,
passing through the Maldive Islands, and keeping to the south of Ceylon
in their way to Sumatra and Malacca. The viceroy on learning this new
course of the Moorish trade, sent his son Lorenzo with nine ships to
intercept the trade of the enemy. While wandering through seas unknown
to the pilots, Lorenzo discovered the island of Ceylon, formerly called
Taprobana, and came to anchor in the port of _Gale_, where many Moors
were taking in cinnamon and elephants for Cambaya. To induce Lorenzo not
to molest or destroy them, the Moors made him an offer of 400 bahars of
cinnamon in the name of the king of Ceylon; and although he well knew
this proceeded only from fear, he thought it better to dissemble and
accept the present, contenting himself with the discovery of the island,
on which he erected a cross with an inscription of the date of his
discovery. On his return to Cochin, he attacked the town of Biramjam or
Brinjan, which he burnt to the ground and put all the inhabitants to the
sword, in revenge for the slaughter of the factor and his people at
Coulam, as this place belonged to that kingdom.

While Cide Barbudo and Pedro Quaresme were coming out from Portugal with
two ships, they arrived after many misfortunes at Sofala, where they
found Annaya and most of his men dead, and the rest of the Portuguese
garrison sick. Quaresme remained there to defend the fort; and Barbudo
proceeding towards India found Quiloa in as bad a condition, of which he
carried intelligence to Almeyda. The viceroy sent immediately Nunno Vaz
Pereyra to relieve the forts of Quiloa and Sofala[88]. But that of
Quiloa was soon afterwards abandoned and destroyed, after having lost
many lives, owing to the ill usage of the Portuguese to the natives,
whom they treated with insufferable pride, and boundless avarice.

[Footnote 88: De Faria does not give any dates to the particular
transactions in his text, merely noticing the successive years in the
titles of the various sections into which his work is loosely divided,
and occasionally on the margin: Even this has been neglected by the
editor of Astley's Collection. These last transactions on the coast of
Africa seem to have taken place towards the end of 1506. - E.]

Having been informed by Diego Fernandez Pereyra that the island of
Socotora near the mouth of the Red Sea was inhabited by Christians who
were subject to the Moors, the king of Portugal ordered Tristan de Cunna
and Alfonso de Albuquerque to direct their course to that island, and to
endeavour to possess themselves of the fort, that the Portuguese ships
might be enabled to winter at that island, and to secure the navigation
of the Arabian Gulf against the Moors; for which purpose they carried
out with them a wooden fort ready to put up. De Cunna was destined to
command the trading ships which were to return to Europe, and
Albuquerque to cruise with a small squadron on the coast of Arabia
against the Moors. These two commanders sailed from Lisbon on the 6th of
March 1507, with thirteen vessels in which were 1300 soldiers, some of
whom died by the way, having been infected by the plague then raging in
Lisbon; but when they came under the line, the sickness left them.
Having come in sight of Cape Augustine in Brasil, they took a new
departure from thence to cross the Southern Atlantic for the Cape of
Good Hope; but in this course De Cunna held so far to the south that he
discovered the islands still called by his name. At this place the ships
were parted in a storm, each following a separate course till they met
again at Mozambique. Alvaro Tellez, however, who commanded one of these
ships, overshot Mozambique and proceeded to Cape Guardafu, where he took
six ships belonging to the Moors, so laden with all kind of goods, that
he made a sort of bridge from them to his own vessel, consisting of
bales thrown into the sea, over which his men passed as on dry land.

During this part of the voyage likewise, Ruy Pereyra put into the port
of Matatama in the island of Madagascar; and being informed that this
island abounded in spice, especially ginger, Tristan de Cunna was
induced to go there, and anchored in a bay which his son Nunno named
_Angra de Donna Maria_, after a lady whom he courted. By others it is
named the bay of _Santa Maria delta Conception_. As some Negroes
appeared on the coast, De Cunna sent a Moor to converse with them; but
when he mentioned that the ships belonged to Christians, they
endeavoured to kill him, and had to be driven away by the Portuguese
cannon. About three leagues farther on, they came to a village, the
_xeque_ or sheikh of which carried them to another town on an island in
a well sheltered bay into which the great river Lulangan discharges its
waters. This town was inhabited by Moors[89] somewhat civilized, who,
being afraid of the fleet made their escape to the main-land, but so
overloaded their boats that many of them perished by the way. The
Portuguese surrounded the island and took 500 prisoners, only twenty of
whom were men, among whom was the _xeque_ or chief, an aged man of a
respectable appearance. Next morning the sea was covered with boats,
bringing over 600 men to demand the release of their wives and children.
After some negociation, the Portuguese commander restored the prisoners
to their liberty. He here learnt that the island of Madagascar was
chiefly inhabited by negro _cafrs_, and produced but little ginger. He
afterwards wished to have entered a town on this island called _Zada_,
but the inhabitants set it on fire.

[Footnote 89: By Moors in the writings of the early Portuguese,
Mahometans are always to be understood. The Moors of Madagascar were a
mixed breed between the Arabs and Negroes. - E.]

From this place, De Cunna sent on Alfonso de Albuquerque with four ships
to Mozambique, with orders to reduce some places on the coast of
Melinda; while he went himself with three ships to Matatama in
Madagascar, where he was told that cloves, ginger, and silver were to be
had. On this expedition however, he lost one of his ships, only the
pilot and seven men being saved; on which account he steered for
Mozambique, but was forced by stress of weather into the island of
Angoza. At night he discovered the lights of the ship St Jago which he
had left at Mozambique, and soon after Juan de Nova arrived from Angoza,
where he had wintered[90], laden with pepper. At Mozambique he rejoined
Albuquerque, whom he sent on before him to Melinda; and meeting two
other ships of his squadron at Quiloa, he proceeded to Melinda. To
oblige the king of Melinda, the Portuguese attacked the city of Oja, the
king of which place, aided by the king of Mombaza, made war on the king
of Melinda. In this country, which is inhabited by Arabs, there are some
ancient and wonderful structures. Each city, and almost every village
has a separate king, whom they call _xeque_ or sheikh; but the principal
among these are the sheikhs of Quiloa, Zanzibar, and Mombaza, while the
sheikh of Melinda pretends to be the most ancient, deducing his pedigree
from the sheikhs of Quitau, which, though in ruins, shows evident marks
of ancient grandeur, having been superior to all its neighbours. These
are Luziva, Parimunda, Lamon, Jaca, Oja, and others. This country is
watered by the river Gulimanja, up which George Alfonso sailed for the
space of five days, finding the banks every where covered with
impervious woods, and the river inhabited by a prodigious number of sea
horses or _hippopotami_.

[Footnote 90: This wintering, being in the southern hemisphere, probably
refers to June and July 1507. - E.]

Having now only six ships out of thirteen with which he left Portugal,
one being lost, some separated by storms, and others sent away, Tristan
de Cunna appeared before the city of Oja, on an open shore seventeen
leagues from Melinda, and defended by a wall towards the land, to
protect it against the Kafrs. De Cunna sent a message to the sheikh
desiring an interview, as having some important matters to arrange with
him; but the sheikh answered, that he was subject to the soldan of
Egypt, caliph or head of the Musselmans, and could not therefore treat
with a people who were enemies to the prophet. Considering delay
dangerous, Tristan resolved upon an immediate attack, and dividing his
men into two parties, one commanded by himself and the other by
Albuquerque, made for the shore as soon as day light appeared. The Moors
were drawn up on the shore to resist the landing, but were soon forced
to take shelter behind their walls; and, not trusting to them for
protection, no sooner entered at the sea gate but they ran out at the
gate opposite. Nunno de Cunna and Alfonso de Noronha pursued the sheikh
and his people to a grove of palm trees, in which the sheikh and many of
his attendants were slain. At this time, George Silveyra observed a
grave Moor leading a beautiful young woman through a path in the wood,
and made towards them. The Moor turned to defend himself, desiring the
woman to make her escape while he fought; but she followed him,
declaring she would rather die or be taken along with him, than make her
escape alone. Seeing them thus strive who should give the strongest
demonstration of affection, Silveyra allowed both to go away unhurt,
unwilling to part so much love. The town was plundered and set on fire,
and burnt with such fury that some of the Portuguese perished in the
flames while in anxious search of plunder.

On being informed of what had happened at Oja, the sheikh of Lamo,
fifteen leagues distant, came to make his submission, and to render
himself more acceptable offered to pay a tribute of 600 meticals of gold
yearly, about equal to as many ducats, and paid the first year in
advance. From hence De Cunna proceeded to Brava, a populous town which
had been formerly reduced, but the sheikh was now in rebellion, trusting
to a force of 6000 men with which he opposed the landing of the
Portuguese. But De Cunna and Albuquerque landed their troops next day in
two bodies, in spite of every opposition from showers of arrows, darts,
and stones, and scaled the walls, routing the Moors with prodigious
slaughter. The city was plundered, and burnt; but in this enterprise the
Portuguese lost forty-two men; not the half of them by the sword, but in
consequence of a boat sinking which was overloaded with spoil. Those who
were drowned had been so blinded with covetousness while plundering the
town, that they barbarously cut off the hands and ears of the women to
save time in taking off their bracelets and earrings. Sailing from
Brava, Tristan de Cunna was rejoined off Cape Guardafu by Alvaro Tellez,
who had been in great danger in a storm of losing his ship with all the
rich booty formerly mentioned. Having got sight of Cape Guardafu, De
Cunna now stood over for the island of Socotora, according to his
instructions.

Socotora, or Zakatra is an island twenty leagues long and nine broad,
stretching nearly east and west, in lat. 12° 40' N. and is the largest
of the islands near the mouth of the Red Sea, but has no ports fit for
any great number of ships to ride in during winter. Through the middle
of this island there runs a chain of very high hills, yet covered over
with sand blown up by the north winds from the shore to their tops, so
that they are entirely barren and destitute of trees or plants,
excepting some small valleys which are sheltered from these winds. It is
30 leagues from Cape Guardafu, and 50 leagues from the nearest part of
the Arabian continent. The ports principally used by us are Zoco or
Calancea to the westwards, and Beni to the east, both inhabited by
Moors, who are very unpolished. In those valleys that are sheltered from
the sand, apple and palm trees are produced, and the best aloes in the
world, which from its excellence is called Socotorine aloes. The common
food of the people is maize, with milk and tamarinds. The inhabitants of
this island are Christians of the Jacobite church, similar in its
ceremonies and belief to that which is established in Ethiopia[91]. The
men generally use the names of the apostles, while most of the women,
are named Maria. They worship the cross, which they set up in all their
churches, and wear upon their clothes, worshipping thrice a-day in the
Chaldean language, making alternate responses as we do in choirs. They
have but one wife, use circumcision, pay tythes, and practice fasting.
The men are comely, and the women so brave that they go to war like
Amazons. They are clothed mostly in skins, but some of the better sort
use cloth; their weapons are stones, which they sling with much
dexterity, and they live mostly in caves[92]. This island was subject to
the sheikh or king of Caxem[93] in Arabia.

[Footnote 91: Abyssinia is obviously here meant. - E.]

[Footnote 92: Though not distinguished in the text, Faria seems here to
confine himself to the barbarous Christian natives, inhabiting the
country; as the towns appear to have been occupied by Mahometan
Arabs. - E.]

[Footnote 93: Cashen or Cassin. - Astley, I. 63.]

At this place[94] De Cunna found a tolerable fort, not ill manned, and
decently provided for defence. He sent a friendly message to the sheikh,
but receiving an insolent answer he resolved to attack the place,
though the attempt seemed dangerous. He and Albuquerque went towards the
shore with the troops, but Don Alfonso de Noronha, nephew to De Cunna,
leapt first on shore, determining to shew himself worthy of the choice
which the king had made of him to command in Socotora, if gained.
Noronha immediately advanced against the sheikh with a few brave men.
The sheikh defended himself with great resolution, and had even almost
repulsed the assailants, when he was struck down by the lance of
Noronha. The Moors endeavoured with much valour to rescue their wounded
chief, but he and eight more were slain, on which the rest fled to the
castle. This was immediately scaled by a party of the Portuguese, who
opened the gate for the rest, who now rushed into the large outer court.

[Footnote 94: By a marginal note in Faria, it appears to have been now
the year 1508; but the particular place or town in Socotora attacked by
De Cunna is not mentioned. I am disposed however to believe that date an
error of the press, for 1507. - E.]

The Moors bravely defended their inner fort to the last man, so that of
eighty-three men only one was taken alive, besides a blind man who was
found hidden in a well. Being asked how he had got there, being blind,
he answered that blind men saw only one thing, which was the way to
liberty. He was set free. In this assault the Portuguese lost six men.
During the assault the natives of the island kept at a distance, but now
came with their wives and children, joyfully returning thanks to the
Portuguese commander for having delivered them from the heavy yoke of
the infidels; and De Cunna received them to their great satisfaction
under the protection of the crown of Portugal[95]. The Mosque was
purified by the solemnities of the Catholic church, and converted into a
church dedicated to the _Invocation of Neustra Sennora della Vittoria_,
in which many were baptised by the labours of Father Antonio of the
order of St Francis. De Cunna gave the command of the fort, now named
San Miguel, to Don Alfonso de Noronha, his nephew, who had well deserved
it by his valour, even if he had not been nominated to the command by
the king. Noronha was provided with a garrison of an hundred men, with
proper officers; after which De Cunna wintered at the island of
Socotora, though very ill accommodated, and then sailed for India,
sending Albuquerque, according to the royal orders, to cruise on the
coast of Arabia[96].

[Footnote 95: Little did these poor Jacobite Christians suspect, that in
exchanging masters they were subjected to the more dreadful yoke of the
Portuguese Inquisition! The zeal of the Portuguese for the liberty of
the Christian inhabitants of Socotora soon cooled, when it was found
unable to pay the expence of a garrison, and it was soon abandoned to
the milder oppression of its former Mahometan masters. - E.]

[Footnote 96: From an after part of the text of Faria, we learn that
this fort in the island of Socotora was taken on the 20th of August,
probably of the year 1507.]

While these things occurred at Socotora, the zamorin of Calicut was
arming afresh against the Portuguese, relying on the promises of his
wizards and soothsayers; who, finding that the succours under Tristan de
Cunna were long delayed, assured him of success in that lucky
opportunity, and predicted a great change of affairs, as indicated by an
earthquake and a great eclipse of the sun, so complete that the stars
were seen at noon for a considerable time, and which they pretended was
a sure sign of the approaching destruction of the Portuguese. But on the
viceroy Almeyda receiving notice of the preparations at Calicut, he sent
his son Don Lorenzo thither with a squadron of ten ships. At this time
Gonzalo Vaz was in Cananor with his ship, taking in water; and on his
voyage to join Don Lorenzo he fell in with a ship belonging to Cananor
having a Portuguese pass, which he sunk with all her moorish crew sewed
up in a sail that they might never be seen. But this wicked action was
afterwards discovered, for which Vaz was broke; a very incompetent
punishment for so great a crime, owing to which the Portuguese
afterwards suffered severe calamities, as will appear in the sequel.

On his way towards Dabul in search of the Calicut fleet, Don Lorenzo
cast anchor at the entrance of the port of Chaul, into which seven
vessels belonging to the Moors entered without making any return to his
salute. On this Lorenzo followed them in his boats, and the Moors leaped
overboard to escape on shore, but many of them were slain by the
Portuguese in the water. Lorenzo then took possession of the ships,
which were laden with horses and other goods; and as the Moors
endeavoured to overreach him with regard to ransoming their vessels,
greatly underrating their cargoes, he ordered them all to be burnt.
Going thence to Dabul, where he found the Calicut fleet, he anchored off
the mouth of the river, and called a council of his officers to consult
on the proper measures for an attack; but owing to the narrowness of the
river it was carried in the council not to attack, contrary to the
opinion of Lorenzo, who was eager to destroy the enemies ships. Passing
on therefore to a river four leagues beyond Dabul, a brigantine and
parao which led the van saw a ship sailing up the river, and pursued the
vessel till it came to anchor over against a town, where there were many
other vessels. Seeing the two vessels in pursuit of the ship Lorenzo
sent a galley after them, and the three began to clear the shore with
their shot of many Moors who flocked thither to defend their ships.
Supposing from the noise of firing that his assistance was necessary,
Lorenzo made all possible haste up the river; but before his arrival the
others had taken all the vessels in the harbour, and had burnt a house
on shore full of valuable commodities. All the ships in this harbour
were burnt, except two from Ormuz having very rich cargoes, which were
carried away. On his return to Cochin with victory and rich spoil,
expecting to be received by his father with applause, he was astonished
to find himself threatened with severe punishment for not having fought
with and destroyed the Calicut fleet. He was however excused, as it
appeared he had been overruled by the votes of the other captains,
contrary to his own opinion. The viceroy broke them all therefore, and
sent them home in disgrace to Portugal. By this severity, Don Lorenzo
was much troubled, and in afterwards endeavouring to restore himself to
the esteem of his father, he lost his life in rashly displaying his
valour.

The body of one of the Moors who had been basely destroyed by Vaz, as
formerly mentioned, was washed on shore, and discovered to be the nephew
of _Mamale_, a rich merchant of Malabar. Founding on this circumstance,
the zamorin prevailed upon the rajah of Cananor to break with the
Portuguese; and as it was not known who had been guilty of that
barbarous act, the blame fell upon Lorenzo de Brito, captain of the fort
at Cananor, who got notice of his danger, and not being in sufficient
force to defend himself, sent intelligence to the viceroy. This message
was delivered to Almeyda while in church assisting at the service on
_Maunday_ Thursday; and was of so pressing a nature that he immediately
left the church, to give orders for the immediate shipment of provisions
and men to succour Brito; and these orders were executed with such
speed, that those who had lent their arms to others _to watch the
sepulchre_, as the custom is, had to go to the church to get them back.
Don Lorenzo was appointed to command this relief of Cananor, with orders
on his arrival at that place to put himself under the command of Brito,
who insisted that as son to the viceroy and an officer of reputation and
experience he should take the command: But Lorenzo was positive that he
would not take the command over Brito, pursuant to the orders of his
father; and being unable to prevail, he left the relief at Cananor, and
returned to Cochin.

By this time the rajah of Cananor had drawn together a force of 20,000
men, with which he besieged the Portuguese fort, which Brito determined
to defend to the last extremity, and used every possible means to
strengthen the place. Much blood was spilt about the possession of a
well, which the Portuguese at length made themselves masters of by means
of a mine. After this loss, the enemy retired to a wood of palm-trees,
meaning to prepare engines to batter the fort, of which circumstance
intelligence was conveyed to Brito by a nephew to the rajah of Cananor,
who wished to acquire the friendship of the Portuguese, so that Brito
was prepared to receive the intended assault. Having completed their
preparations, the enemy moved on to fill up the ditch and assault the
fort; but were opposed with so much energy, at first by incessant
discharges of cannon, and afterwards by means of a sally, that the ditch
was filled with dead bodies instead of fascines. After losing a
prodigious number of men, the enemy retreated to the wood; and next
night, which was cold and rainy, Brito sent out eighty men to beat up
their quarters under the command of a Spanish officer named Guadalaxara,
who was next in command. This enterprise was so vigorously executed,
that after the discharge of a few small pieces of artillery, the enemy
fled in every direction to save themselves, leaving 300 of their men
slain. The joy for this victory on the side of the Portuguese was soon
miserably abated in consequence of the destruction of their entire
magazine of provisions by fire, by which they were reduced to the
extremity of famine, and under the necessity of feeding on all kinds of
vermin that could be procured. In this extreme distress, they were
providentially relieved by a rough sea throwing up vast quantities of
crabs or lobsters on the point of land where the chapel of the Virgin