richly laden for Lisbon.
[Footnote 72: This name mast certainly be erroneous. In the former part
of the history of the Portuguese transactions in India, _Nambea daring_
is mentioned as brother to the zamorin of Calicut, whereas the prince of
Cochin is repeatedly named Naramuhin. - E.]
SECTION III.
_Some Account of the state of India at the beginning of the sixteenth
Century, and commencement of the Portuguese Conquests_[73].
As the viceroyalty of Don Francisco de Almeyda laid the foundation of
the Portuguese dominion in India, once so extensive and powerful, it may
be proper in this place to give a general view of its principal ports
and provinces along the sea-coast. Asia is divided from Europe by the
river Don, anciently the Tanais, by the Euxine or Black Sea, and by the
Bosphorus and Dardanelles, or Straits of Constantinople. It is parted
from Africa by the Red Sea, and a line drawn from Suez at the head of
that gulf to the Mediterranean, across a narrow neck of land measuring
only twenty-four leagues in breadth, called the Isthmus of Suez. Its
principal religions are four, the Christian, Mahometan, Pagan, and
Jewish. That portion of Asia which principally belongs to our present
purpose, may be divided into _nine_ parts, following the coast from the
west to the east.
[Footnote 73: From the Portuguese Asia, Vol. I. 93. This account is
omitted in Astley's Collection, but inserted, here as a curious record
of the geographical knowledge of the Portuguese in those times. There
are numerous errors in this short geographical sketch, especially in the
names, measures, and latitudes; but it would load this portion of our
work too much with notes, and induce great confusion, to comment upon
every step of this survey. - E.]
The _first_, commencing at the mouth of the Red Sea in the west, reaches
to the mouth of the gulf of Persia, being the oceanic coast of Arabia.
From the mouth of the Red Sea in lat. 12° 40' N. to the city of Aden, is
44 leagues: Thence to Cape Fartaque in lat. 12° 30' N. is 100 leagues,
containing the towns of Abian, Ax, Canacan, Brun, Argel, Zebel which is
the metropolis, Herit, Cayem, and Fartach. Thence to Curia Muria is 70
leagues of coast, on which is the city of Dolfor, famous for
frankincense, and Norbate 20 leagues farther east. From Curia Muria to
Cape Ras-Algate, in lat. 22° 30' N. is 120 leagues all barren and
desert. Here begins the kingdom of Ormuz, and hence to Cape Mozandan are
90 leagues, having the cities or towns of Colagate, Curiate, Mascate,
Soar, Calata, Orfacam, Doba, and Lima, 8 leagues from Monbazam which
Ptolomey calls Cape Assaborum in lat. 26° N. All this track is called
Ayaman or Yemen by the Arabians, and was the Arabia Felix of the
ancients, because the most fertile and best inhabited country of all
Arabia.
The _second_ division, from Cape Jacques or Jask to the mouth of the
river Indus, is 200 leagues in extent, called Chirman or Kerman, and is
divided into the two kingdoms of Macran and Madel, with these towns,
Guadel, Calara, Tibique, Calamate, Goadel, and Diul. This coast is
barren and most of it desert, and cannot be approached on account of the
shallowness of the sea near the shore.
The _third_ division contains 150 leagues, of which 38 from Diu[74] to
Cape Jaquete or Jigat, whence to Diu in the kingdom of Guzerat are 50
leagues, having these towns, Cotinna, Mangalor, Chervar, Patan, and
Corinar[75]. From Diu to Cambaya is 50 leagues, with these towns
Madrafavat, Moha, Talica, Goda, and Gundin[76]. Between Cambaya and Cape
Jaquete or Jigat, is included a part of the kingdom of Guzarate and the
mountainous region of the Resboutos, or Rajputs.
[Footnote 74: Perhaps Debil, near the western mouth of the Indus. - E.]
[Footnote 75: Those names of sea port towns in the Guzerate are
miserably corrupted in the text: Only Puttan can be recognised among
them, and Mangalor must be a mistake; as that place is far to the south
of Guzerat on the coast of Canara. - E.]
[Footnote 76: The sea ports on this part of the coast now are Jaffrabad,
Cuttapour, Toolafee, Manuah, Gogo, Eawnagur, and Iotian. - E.]
The _fourth_ division measures 290 leagues, being the most valuable part
of India and the most frequented by the Portuguese. This is subdivided
into three portions by two rivers which run from east to west. The first
of these separates the kingdom of the Decan from Guzerate on the north,
and the second divides the Decan from Canara which is to the south.
There are other rivers, all of which have their sources in the mountains
called _Gaut_; the chief among them being the Ganga, or Gangue, which
falls into the sea near the mouth of the Ganges, between the cities of
Angali and Pisolta, in about lat. 22° N [77]. The river Bate, rising in
the Gauts, falls into the sea near Bombaim, dividing the kingdoms of
Guzerate and Decan, the mouth of that river being 70 leagues from the
city of Cambaya. From Chaul south of that river to the river Aliga, the
south boundary of the Decan, is 75 leagues, with these towns Bandor,
Dabul, Debitele, Cintapori, Coropatan, Banda, Chapora, and Goa the
metropolis and archiepiscopal see of Portuguese India.
[Footnote 77: The Guaga or Godavery is probably here meant, which falls
into the Bay of Bengal in lat. 16° 16' N. at the S.W. extremity of the
Circars. The latitude indicated in the text gets beyond the Bay of
Bengal, and the cities between which the Ganga is said to fall into the
sea have no representatives in our best maps. - E.]
The _fifth_ division begins where Canara parts from the Decan and ends
at Cape Comorin, containing above 140 leagues. From the Aliga to Mount
Delli or Dilly is about 46 leagues, with these towns, Onor, Baticale,
Barcalor, Baranor, and others of the province of Canara which is subject
to the king of Bisnagar. Below or south from Mount Delli to Cape Comorin
is Malabar, extending 93 leagues, and divided into three kingdoms which
own no superior. The kingdom of Cananor has 20 leagues of coast, in
which are the towns of Cota, Coulam, Nilichilam, Marabia, Bolepatam,
Cananor the metropolis in lat. 12° N. Tremapatam, Cheba, Maim, and
Purepatam. At this place the kingdom of Calicut begins and extends 27
leagues, of which Calicut the metropolis is in lat. 11° 17' N. besides
the following towns Coulete, Chale, Parangale, Tanor, the last of which
is the capital of a small kingdom subject to the zamorin of Calicut, and
Chatua the last in this kingdom. Next to Calicut to the south is the
small kingdom of Cranganor, which borders on Cochin, after which is
Coulan, and last of all Travancore, which is subject to Narsinga. Near
Travancore is the famous Cape Comorin, the southernmost point of the
continent of Indostan or India on this side the Ganges, in lat. 7° 30' N
[78]. at which place the coast of Malabar ends, being the _fourth_ of
the nine districts into which I have divided the coast of Asia.
[Footnote 78: The latitude of Cape Comorin is 7° 54' N, or nearly
so. - E.]
From Cape Comorin in the west to Cape Cincapura in the east, which is
the southernmost point of the _Aurea Chersonesus_ or Malacca, the
distance is 400 leagues, within which line is contained the great bay of
Bengal, sometimes called the _Sinus Gangeticus_, because the river
Ganges falls into this bay in about the lat. of 22° N. after watering
the kingdom of Bengal. This river discharges a prodigious quantity of
water, and is esteemed holy by the neighbouring nations, who believe
that its water conduces to their salvation when at the point of death,
and are carried therefore that they may die with their feet in its
water, by which means the king of Bengal derives a considerable revenue,
no one being allowed to bathe in that river without paying a certain
tax. This river has many mouths, the two most remarkable of which are
Satigan on the west and Chatigan[79] on the east, near 100 leagues from
each other, and here ends the _fifth_ of the nine districts, which may
be divided into three subordinate parts. In the first place the kingdom
of Bisnagar[80] contains 200 leagues, and the following towns,
Tarancurii, Manapar, Vaipar, Trechendur, Caligrande, Charcacale,
Tucucurii, Benbar, Calicare, Beadala, Manancort, and Cannameira, giving
name to a cape which stretches out into the sea in lat. 10° N.[81] then
Negapatnam, Hahor, Triminapatnam, Tragambar, Trimenava, Colororam,
Puducheira, Calapate, Connumeira, Sadraspatnam, and Meliapour, now
called St Thomas because the body of that apostle was found there. From
St Thomas to Palicata is 9 leagues, after which are Chiricole, Aremogan,
Caleturo, Caleciro, and Pentepolii, where the kingdom of Bisnagur ends
and that of Orixa begins. The second part of this district, or Orixa,
contains 120 leagues and reaches to Cape Palmiras, with these towns,
Penacote, Calingan, Visgapatan, Bimilepatan, Narsingapatan, Puacatan,
Caregare and others. Here begins the third part of this district, or the
kingdom of Bengal, the coast of which extends about 100 leagues.
[Footnote 79: The western branch of the Ganges is now called the Hoogly
River. Satigan in the text may have some reference to what is now called
Sagar roads or anchorage. Chatigan certainly means what is now called
Chitigong: But the most easterly mouth is properly that of the great
Barhampooter, or Bramah-putra River, long confounded among the mouths of
the Ganges. The breadth of the Sunderbunds, or Delta of the Ganges and
Barhampooter, is about 195 English miles. - E.]
[Footnote 80: The kingdom of Bisnagar in the text, appears to have
contained the entire Carnatic above and below the Gauts, with Mysore and
Golconda. - E.]
[Footnote 81: Now called Cape Calymere: It is next to impossible to
identify the other names in the text; and the attempt would lead to very
inconvenient length without correspondent utility. - E.]
The _sixth_ district of the nine begins at the east mouth of the Ganges,
called Chatigan or Chittagong, and ends at Cape Cincapura, in little
more than 1° N. Along this coast from. Chittagong to Cape Negrais or
Diamond Point, the southwestern point of Pegu, in lat. 16° N. is 100
leagues, with these towns, Sore, Satalolu, Arracan the capital of a
kingdom of the same name, and Dunadiva on the cape. Hence to Tavay in
the lat. 13° is 16 leagues[82], being the extent of the kingdom of Pegu.
From Tavay to Cincapura is 220 leagues, the chief towns on this part of
the coast being Martaban, Lugor, Tanacerim, Lungar, Pedam, Queda,
Salongor, and Malacca the capital of the kingdom of that name.
[Footnote 82: It is difficult to correct this egregious error, not
knowing the kind of leagues used by Faria. At 17-1/2 to the degree, the
difference of latitude in the text would give 52-1/2 leagues. Perhaps it
is a typographical error for 60 leagues, using the geographical measure,
20 to the degree. - E.]
The _seventh_ district begins at Cape Cincapura or Sincapure, and ends
at the great river of Siam, which falls into the sea in lat. 14° N.[83]
and has its rise in the lake of Chiammay, called by the natives Menam,
signifying the source of two rivers. Upon this coast are the towns of
Pam, Ponciam, Calantaon, Patane, Ligor, Cuii, Perperii, and Bamplacot at
the mouth of the Siam river.
[Footnote 83: The river of Siam falls into the great gulf of the same
name, in lat. 18° 30' N. But De Faria seems to overlook the gulf. - E.]
The _eighth_ district contains the kingdom of Cambodia, through which
runs the river Mecon, otherwise called the Japanese river, which has its
rise in China; the kingdom of Champa or Tsiompa, whence comes the true
aloes-wood; next to that is the kingdom of Cochin-China;[84] and last of
all the great empire of China, divided into fifteen provinces of
governments, each of which is equal to a great kingdom. The provinces of
this vast empire on the sea-coast are Quantung, Fokein, and Chekiang,
where ends the eighth district[85]
The _ninth_ district begins with the province of Nanking, and extends to
the farthest discovered land on the coast of Tartary.
[Footnote 84: De Faria omits the kingdom of Tonkin or Tonquin, which
intervenes between Cochin-China and China: Perhaps at that time Tonkin
may have been: De Faria is incorrect in his account of the provinces of
China. Those on the coast are, Quantung, Footchien, Tchetchiang,
Kiangnan, Shantang, Petcheli; or _six_ maritime provinces, instead of
_three_ only in the text. The others are, Yunnan, Quangsee, Kaeitchou,
Hooquang, Setchuen, Sifan, Honan, Shensee, and Shansee; or _nine_ inland
provinces; making _fifteen_ in all, as in the text. - E.]
[Footnote 85: Or Nizam-al-mulk, and Adel-khan. - E.]
I shall speak in the sequel concerning the many islands along this
extensive coast of Asia, as they came to be discovered in the
navigations of the Portuguese; but the principal of them may be here
mentioned by name, as the Maldives, Ceylon, Sumatra, Java, Borneo,
Banda, Timor, Celebes, the Moluccas, Mindanao, Luconia, and Japan.
Having thus given a sketch of the Asian coast, we proceed to consider
its inhabitants. Although there are many and various modes of worship in
Asia, the chief religions may be mentioned under four heads, the
Christian, Jewish, Mahometan, and Pagan; the two first of which are for
the most part under the slavery of the other two, against which the
Portuguese waged war. The power of the Mahometans and Pagans is thus
divided. All the coast from the river Cintacora opposite the island of
Anchediva, to the north and west is subject to the Mahometans, and all
to the eastwards to the Pagans; except the kingdom of Malacca, part of
Sumatra, and some parts of Java and the Moluccas, which are held by the
Mahometans. In that tract are the following sovereign princes. The kings
of Aden, Xael, and Fartaque, who have many ports of great trade, and
their subjects, the Arabs, are brave and warlike. Next is the king of
Ormuz, greater than the other three put together. Then the king of
Cambaya, equal in grandeur and warlike power to Xerxes, Darius, or
Porus. From Chaul to Cincatora belong to Nizamaluco and Hidalcan[85],
two powerful princes, who maintain great armies composed of sundry
warlike nations well armed. The Moors[86] of Sumatra, Malacca, and the
Moluccas were well disciplined, and much better provided with artillery
than we who attacked them. The heathen sovereigns were the kings of
Bisnagar, Orixa, Bengal, Pegu, Siam, and China, all very powerful, but
chiefly the last, so that it is difficult to express and scarcely
credible the prodigious extent of his power. Siam extends above 500
leagues, and has seven subject kingdoms, which are Cambodia, Como,
Lanchaam, Cheneray, Chencran, Chiamay, Canibarii, and Chaypumo. The king
of Siam has 30,000 elephants, 3000 of which are armed for war, and he
has 50,000 soldiers in _Udia_ alone, the metropolis of his kingdom. The
kingdom of China exceeds them all in extent, and the king of that
country is as powerful as all the sovereigns in Europe together. His
empire is above 700 leagues in extent, possessing abundance of metals,
and far exceeds Europe in manufactures, some of which seem to exceed
human art, and the silks, provisions, and luxuries with which it abounds
are beyond computation.
[Footnote 86: These are unquestionably the Malays, called Moors by
Faria, merely because they were Mahometans. - E.]
All the heathens of India, particularly between the Indus and Ganges,
write without ink on palm leaves, with pens or stiles rather of wood or
steel, which easily cut the letters on the leaves. Some of these I have
seen in Rome curiously folded. What they intend to be lasting is carved
on stone or copper. In writing they begin at the left hand and write
towards the right, as we do in Europe. Their histories are extremely
fabulous. About 600 years before the arrival of the Portuguese in India,
there reigned in Malabar a powerful monarch, from, whose reign the
people begin their era or historical computations, as they did
afterwards from our arrival. This king was persuaded by the Moors who
traded to his port to turn Mahometan, and gave them liberty to build
houses at Calicut. When he grew old, he divided his kingdom among his
kindred, giving Coulam to the chief, where he placed the principal seat
of his religion of the Bramins, and gave him the title of Cobritim,
which signifies high-priest. To his nephew he gave Calicut, with the
tide of Zamorin, which means emperor. This dignity continues in the
sovereign of Calicut, but the other has been removed to Cochin. Having
disposed of his dominions, he resolved to die at Mecca, but was drowned
by the way. Calicut is a plain country well watered, and abounds in
pepper and ginger; but all the other spices are procured from other
neighbouring countries. The inhabitants are wonderfully superstitious,
and do not suffer those of one trade or profession to marry with those
of a different occupation, or to put their children to learn any other
trade but that of their fathers. The _Nayres_, who are their nobles, if
they chance to touch any of the common people, purify themselves by
ablution, as was done by the Jews and Samaritans. The women among the
Nayres axe common to all, but chiefly those, of the Bramin cast, so that
no one knows his father, nor is any one bound to maintain the children.
These Nayres are wonderfully expert in the use of their weapons, in
which they begin to exercise themselves at seven years of age. They are
prone to all the ancient superstitions of augury and divination.
SECTION IV.
_Continuation of the Portuguese Transactions in India, during the
Viceroyalty of Almeyda_.
Besides the forts already erected on the eastern coast of Africa at
Quiloa and Mozambique, and the factory at Melinda, King Manuel
determined to build a fort at Sofala to secure the trade in gold at that
place; for which purpose he sent out Pedro de Annaya with six ships in
the year 1506: three of these ships being destined to remain on the
African coast, and the other three to proceed to India. This fleet was
separated in a storm, during which one of the captains was washed
overboard and drowned, and another lost sixteen men who were slain by
the natives of an island on which they landed. The squadron rejoined in
the port of Sofala, where Annaya found twenty Portuguese mariners in a
miserable condition. The ship to which they had belonged, commanded by
Lope Sanchez, was forced to run on shore at Cape Corientes, being so
leaky as to be in a sinking condition. After landing, the crew refused
obedience to their officers, and separated into different parties,
endeavouring to make their way through the unknown countries and
barbarous nations of Africa; but all perished except these twenty, and
five who were found at the river Quiloma by Antonio de Magelhaens, who
brought them to Sofala.
According to his orders, and by permission of the sheikh or king of
Sofala, Annaya erected a strong wooden fort at that place. The king soon
afterwards repented of his concession, and was for some time in hopes
that the Portuguese would be soon obliged to abandon the place on
account of its unhealthiness. About this time, three of the ships were
dispatched for India, and two of these which were destined for
protecting the coast from the attempts of the Moors were sent off upon a
cruise to Cape Guardafu, both of which were lost; the captains and part
of their crews saving themselves in the boats: In consequence of the
unwholesomeness of Sofala, the Portuguese garrison became so weakened by
sickness that it required six of them to bend a single cross-bow.
Encouraged by these disasters and instigated by his son-in-law, the king
collected a force of 5000 Kafrs with which he invested the fort, filled
up the ditch with fascines, and made a violent assault, darkening the
sun with incessant clouds of arrows. Though only 35 Portuguese were able
to stand to their arms, they made such havock among the assailants with
their cannon, that the part of the ditch which had not been filled up
with wood was levelled with dead bodies. The enemy being thrown into
confusion Annaya made a sally at the head of fifteen or twenty men[87],
with whom he drove the Kafrs before him to a grove of palms, and thence
into the town, crying out in consternation that their king had sent them
to contend against the gods. In the ensuing night, Annaya attacked the
town, and even penetrated into the house where the king resided, who,
standing behind a door, wounded Annaya in the neck with his cymeter as
he entered, but was soon killed with many of his attendants. Next day
the two sons of the slain king made a new assault on the fort, but
without success, many of the garrison who were sick, being cured by the
alarm, joined in the defence, and the Moors were again repulsed with
great slaughter. The two sons of the deceased King of Sofala fell out
about the succession, and one of them named Solyman made an alliance
with Annaya to procure his aid to establish himself in the sovereignty.
[Footnote 87: In the translation of De Faria by Stephens these are
called _Moors_; but it is not easy to conceive how Annaya should have
had any of these on his side. - E.]
The kingdom of Sofala, now called Sena by the Portuguese who monopolize
its whole trade, is of great extent, being 750 leagues in circumference;
but the inland parts are all subject to the Monomotapa, who is emperor
of this southern part of Africa, his dominions being likewise known by
the same name of Monomotapa, called by the ancients _Ethiopia Inferior_.
This country is watered by two famous rivers, called Rio del Espiritu
Santo and Cuama, the latter of which is navigable 250 leagues above its
mouth. These and many other rivers which fall into them, are famous for
their rich golden sands. Most part of this country enjoys a temperate
climate, being pleasant, healthy, and fertile. Some parts are covered
with large flocks of sheep, with the skins of which the natives are
clothed to defend them from the cold south winds. The banks of the Cuama
river are covered with wood, and the interior country rises into hills
and mountains, being abundantly watered with many rivers, so that it is
delightful and well peopled, being the ordinary residence of the
Monomotapa or emperor. Its woods contain many elephants, and
consequently produces much ivory. About 50 leagues southwest from Sofala
are the gold mines of Manica, in a valley of 30 leagues circumference,
surrounded by mountains on the tops of which the air is always clear and
serene. There are other gold mines 150 leagues farther inland, but which
are not so much valued.
In the interior of the country there are some buildings of wonderful
structure, having inscriptions in unknown characters; but the natives
know nothing respecting their origin. The natives of Monomotapa believe
in one God, whom they name _Mazimo_, and have no idols. Witchcraft,
theft, and adultery are the crimes most severely punished among them.
Every man is permitted to have as many wives as he pleases or can
maintain. The monomotapa has a thousand, but the first wife commands
over all the rest, and her children only are entitled to inherit the
throne. Their houses are built of wood; their apparel is made of cotton,
those of the better sort being mixed with gold threads; their funerals
are very superstitious. The attendance on the monomotapa is more
ceremonious than grand, his usual guard being 200 dogs, and he is always
attended by 500 buffoons. His dominions are ruled over by a great many
princes or governors, and to prevent them from rebelling he always keeps
their heirs about him. They have no law-suits. Their arms are bows and
arrows, javelins, daggers, and small sharp hatchets, and they all fight
on foot. The women of this country are used with so much respect, that
even the kings sons when they meet a woman, give way to her and stand
still till she has gone past. The Moors of Magadoxa were the first who
possessed the mines of Sofala, after which they were seized by the King
of Quiloa: But Yzuf, one of their governors, rebelled and usurped the
government to himself, assuming the title of king. This was the same
person with whom Annaya had now to contend, and whose son Solyman he
established in the sovereignty, under the protection and vassalage of
Portugal.
While these things happened at Sofala, the zamorin of Calicut was using
every exertion to raise up enemies to the Portuguese, even entering into
alliance with the Mameluke Soldan of Egypt, hoping by his assistance to
drive the Christians from the Indian seas. His measures and preparations