Before Anchoring, A
Portuguese Foist Was Seen Coming Out Of The Harbour, Which Was Chased By
A Half Galley All Day, But Made Her Escape In The Night.
SECTION IV.
The Castle of Diu is besieged by the Moors. The Turks plunder the City,
and the Indian Generals withdraw in resentment. The Pacha lands. A man
300 years old. Women burn themselves. The Fleet removes.
The same day on which we anchored near Diu, one Khojah Zaffer came on
board in a galley. This man was a native of Otranto in Italy, but had
turned Turk and was captain of a galley in the former fleet sent to
India by the sultan. When that fleet was defeated and destroyed, Zaffer
entered into the service of the king of Diu or Kambachia, who gave him
lands and made him chief governor of his kingdom. Zaffer had also
insinuated himself into the confidence of the Portuguese; but when he
learnt that the Turkish fleet was coming, he and the vizier or viceroy
of the kingdom came with 8000 Indians, took the city of Diu from the
Portuguese, and besieged them in the castle which was now closely begirt
by their troops, not a day passing without a skirmish. Zaffer was
accompanied on this visit to the Pacha by the prime vizier of Cambaya,
and both were received with much honour. They informed the Pacha that
there were 500 soldiers and 300 others in the castle, which they had
besieged for 26 days, and had no doubt of being able to reduce it with
their Indian troops, if the Pacha would furnish them with artillery and
ammunition.
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