But The Winter Coming On, And Bad Weather
Setting In, The Zamorin Was Obliged To Desist For The Present Season,
And
withdrew his army to Cranganor with a determination to renew the war in
the ensuing spring, leaving a strong
Detachment in the island of Cochin,
which he ordered to throw up entrenchments for their defence.
After his shameful desertion of Cochin, Vincente Sodre went with his
fleet towards the kingdom of Cambaya; meaning to capture the rich ships
of the Moors which trade to India from the Red Sea. He there took five
ships, in which in ready money only was found to the value of 200,000
_perdaos_. Most of the Moors were slain in the battle, and the ships
burnt. From Cambaya he sailed for Cape Guardafu; and as his ships were
foul, he proposed to lay them aground to be careened at the islands of
_Curia Muria_[4]. Sodre arrived there with his squadron on the 20th April
1503; and though these islands were well inhabited by Moors, he resolved
to venture on land, considering that these islanders were by no means
warlike, and stood in fear of our men. The islanders accordingly behaved
in a peaceable manner, and sold our people such provisions as they had to
spare. Sodre laid one of his caravels aground for repair, on which he was
informed by the Moors that their coast was subject to violent storms in
the month of May, during which no ships were able to keep the sea, but
were unavoidably driven on shore and wrecked. Wherefore they advised him
strenuously to remove to the other side of the island, which would then
be a sure defence against the storm, after which had blown over he might
return to their part of the coast. Sodre made light of their advice,
conceiving they meant him some harm; and told them that the ships of the
Moors having only wooden anchors, might be easily driven ashore, whereas
his anchors were of iron and would hold fast. Pedro Raphael, Hernan
Rodriguez Badarsas, and Diego Perez were convinced of the council of the
Moors being good, and therefore quitted these islands on the last day of
April; but Sodre would not listen to their advice and remained with his
brother at Curia Muria. According to the prediction of the Moors, a
violent storm came on early in May, by which the two remaining ships were
driven from their anchors and dashed to pieces. Vincente Sodre and his
brother, with many others lost their lives, and nothing whatever was
saved out of these two ships. The loss of these two brothers was
considered as a punishment of Providence, for basely abandoning the rajah
of Cochin and the factory in their imminent danger.
Those who were saved returned towards Cochin to succour our people, and
chose Pedro de Tayde[5] as their general. In their passage from Curia
Muria towards Cochin, they encountered several severe storms, and were
often in great danger of perishing. Being unable to reach Cochin on
account of the winds, they were forced to take refuge in the island of
Anchediva. A few days after their arrival, a ship came there from
Portugal, commanded by Antonio del Campo, who had left Lisbon alone some
time after Vasco de Gama, and had been much delayed on his voyage in
consequence of the death of his pilot. He had encountered severe weather
on the coast, and was forced after much trouble and danger to take refuge
in Anchediva. The united squadron wintered in this island, where they
suffered severe hardships from scarcity of provisions.
[1] This army is said to have amounted to 50,000 men. Panani is six
leagues from Cochin. - Astl. I. 54.
[2] This person is named Naubea Daring by Astley, and is said to have
been nephew to the zamorin. - Astl. I. 56.
[3] In Astley this prince is called the nephew of the rajah of Cochin. -
Astl. I. 55.
[4] These are a cluster of islands, otherwise called Chartan and Martan,
on the coast of Yemen, between the latitudes of 17 deg. and 18 deg. north. - E.
[5] Of the four officers mentioned in the text, three are enumerated at
the commencement of the former voyage of De Gama as commanders of
separate vessels. The fourth, Badarsas, is not in that list of
captains, and may have been appointed captain of Vincente Sodres flag-
ship. - E.
SECTION VII.
_Voyage of Alonso and Francisco de Albuquerque to India in 1503; being
the fifth of the Portuguese Expeditions to the East Indies._
Is the year 1503, supposing that the admiral Don Vasco de Gama had quietly
settled factories in Cochin and Cananor, the king of Portugal did not
consider it necessary to send any great fleet to India. He therefore
determined to send only six ships in two separate squadrons, under
separate generals. Alonso de Albuquerque, who was afterwards governor-
general or viceroy of India, commanded one of these squadrons, having
under him as captains, Duarte Pacheco and Hernan Martinez Mascarennas, who
is said to have died during the voyage. The other squadron, likewise of
three ships, was under the command of Francisco de Albuquerque, cousin to
Alonso, having as captains Nicholas Coello and Pedro Vas de la Vega, the
former of whom sailed under De Gama in the first discovery of India. This
latter squadron sailed from Lisbon fifteen days after the other, yet
arrived first in India. Both squadrons encountered severe storms during
the voyage, in which the ship commanded by De la Vega was lost. Francisco
de Albuquerque, and Nicholas Coello, arrived at Anchediva in the month of
August, where they found De Tayde and the other captains who had wintered
there, as related in the former section. They here received notice of the
war between the zamorin and the rajah of Cochin, and of the sinister
events which had occurred at that place; for which reason Francisco stood
over with the whole fleet, now consisting of six sail, to Cananor, where
he expected to receive more exact intelligence of the state of affairs in
Cochin.
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