Whereupon A Great Slaughter Was Made
Of The Christians, Above Forty Of Them Being Slain; Among Whom Was Their
Principal Factor, When Endeavouring To Escape By Swimming.
In revenge for
this cruelty, the Christians made severe reprisals; as they burnt ten
ships belonging to the prefect
Of Syria, that is the sultan; and
destroyed a considerable portion of the city by means of their
_catapults_ and _bombards_[6], many houses being burnt to the ground, as
they are covered with thatch like cottages, and exceedingly combustible.
After this, the fleet left Calicut, and went to another kingdom named
Cochin, about forty miles distant, being conducted thither by a Jew who
assumed the Christian faith. The king of Cochin hated the king of Calicut
exceedingly, and on that account received the Christians with much
kindness. Spices are in greater abundance at Cochin than at Calicut, and
the Christians carried off such riches from Cochin as I dare scarcely
venture to report; for they allege to have purchased a _cantarus_ of
cinnamon, which is a considerable measure, for one gold ducat. The king
of Cochin gave two hostages to the Portuguese, in assurance of their
safety, and sent even ambassadors to the king of Portugal. In the mean
time, the king of Calicut fitted out an immense fleet against the
Christians, in revenge for having burnt the ships in his harbour. This
fleet exceeded 150 ships, and carried 15,000 men, yet on account of a
north wind which they were unable to contend with, they dared not to
attack the Portuguese ships, and withdrew from Cochin.
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