In A Former Return Voyage From The East Indies, He
Was Driven Upon The _Baxos_ Or Sands Of _India_, Near
The coast of
Sofala, being then captain of a carak which was lost, and himself fell
into the hands of
The infidels on shore, who kept him in a long and
rigorous captivity. Once more, having great respect for him, and willing
to mend his fortune, the king had given him the conduct of this huge
carak, in which he went from Lisbon as admiral of the India fleet, and
had returned in that capacity, but that the viceroy embarked in the Bon
Jesus, and assumed that rank in virtue of his late office. Not willing
to add too severely to the affliction of this man, Sir John Burrough
freely dismissed Don Fernando and most of his followers, giving them
some vessels for that purpose, with all necessary provisions.
Having dispatched this business, Sir John Burrough had leisure to take
such a survey of the goods in his prize, as the convenience of the seas
would admit; and seeing many inclined to commit spoil and pillage, he
very prudently seized upon the whole in the name of her majesty. He then
made a cursory inspection of the cargo, and perceived that the wealth
would be fully answerable to expectation, and would be more than
sufficient to content both the desires of the adventurers, and the
fatigues and dangers of the captors. I cannot here refrain from
acknowledging the great favour of God to our nation, by putting this
rich prize into our hands, thereby manifestly discovering the secrets
and riches of the trade of India, which had hitherto lain strangely
bidden and cunningly concealed from our knowledge, only a very imperfect
glimpse of it being seen by a few, while it is now turned into the broad
light of full and perfect knowledge.
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