Volume 1

A new general collection of voyages and travels. Consisting of the most esteemed relations, which have been hitherto published in any language; comprehending everything remarkable in its kind, in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.

Date:: 1745-1747

Credit: A new general collection of voyages and travels. Consisting of the most esteemed relations, which have been hitherto published in any language; comprehending everything remarkable in its kind, in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Source: Wellcome Collection.

78/764 (page 44)

$1500. Cabral. Liberty of 'Trade 7rant td. Unfeafot/able BiJiruJh. of State of the fame Velvet, ftriped, and bound with Gold Lace, a very fine Carpet, and two Pieces of Arras. The Audience being over, the King told the General, that he might retire, either to his Lodg¬ ings or Ships; for that he was obliged to fend for the Hoftages, who were not ufed to the Sea, and he was fure would neither eat nor drink, fo long as they were aboard : Adding, that if he came next Day to conclude what was begun, they fhould be fent on board again. But this hopeful Beginning had like to have been fpoiled, by an unreafonable Diftruft which happened to prevail on both Sides. The General being come to the Water-fide, a Servant belonging to one of the Hoftages, bv Order of the Clerk and Con- troler of the King’s Houfhold, went before, in a Pinnace, to give them Notice, that the General was coming on board. As foon as the Hoftages heard this, they all leaped into the Water, in order to get oft in the Pinnace : }b\it Ayres Correa jump¬ ing immediately into his Boat, tookfome of them j but the reft got off, among whom was the Kut- wdl. The General being come on board, or¬ dered the Hoftages that were taken to be put un¬ der the Hatches, that they might not run away j and fent to the King to complain of the reft: Laying the Blame on the Clerk and Controler; and promifing to deliver thofe he detained, as foon as his Baggage, and the Men he had left to take Care of it, were brought on board. Next Day the Samorin, accompanied with 12,000 Men, came to the Water-fide, and fent on board the General’s Men and Baggage: A- long with whom went thirty Pinnaces, to fetch back the Hoftages ; but none of them, through Fear of being detained, durft venture near enough to receive them. The Portuguese feemed alfo as backward to venture to deliver them ; fo that they remained ftill in Cuftody. However, next Morning the General refolved to fend them afhore in his own Boats, ordering the Men to land them at a Diftance from the Pinnaces. While they were preparing to put off with them, Arax- amenoka, the oldeft of the Pledges, and another, on a hidden, leaped into the Water; the former was taken again ; but the other, with five more of them, efcaped. Cabral, furprifed at their infincerity, [he (hould have blamed his ownDif- truft, and theirs] ordered Arajhemenoka to be clofe- ly watched : But noMeflenger coming to demand him, for three Days, and the General obferving that he eat nothing all the while, in Pity fent him, with feveral Weapons belonging to the Mala- 1 bars, to the King; who thereupon ordered two i^oo. Portuguese ftill on Shore, to be returned. Cabral. Three Days more being elapfed, without'—-v—-J hearing from the Samorin, the General re--fFajiory folved to fend to know if he was inclined to fi- nifh the Agreement already begun ; in which Cafe he propofed to fend his chief Fa£tor afhore, provided Hoftages were delivered, as before. E- very one was fo poflefled with Fear, that Fran- cifco Correa was the only Man aboard the Fleet, > who would undertake to deliver this Meflage. The King received Correa kindly ; faid he was well pleafed to have the Trade fettled ; and made no Difficulty to fend Hoftages: Naming for that Purpofe two Nephews of a rich Gusarat Merchant, who were immediately fent aboard ; and a hand- fome Houfe provided for the Factor, Ayres Cor¬ rea, to lodge his Merchandize. And whereas the Fadtor was not yet well known in the Coun¬ try, or acquainted with the Rules obferved in Trade, and Prices of Commodities, the King ordered the Grandfather of the Hoftages (to whom the Houfe belonged) to inftrudt him there¬ in : But the Gusarat neglected his Orders, being a Friend to the Moors; who, by this Means, had the Goods at their own Price ; the Gentiles for Fear of them feldom going to the Fadtory. On the other Hand Correa, for want of knowing the Rates of Indian Merchandizes, always bid more than they were worth, and fo bought them too dear. The Moors likewife ordered it fo, that whenever he went to fpeak to the Samorin, fome of them might be prefent to thwart his Meafures. They alfo prevailed on [Kbojab] Satni- fide*, Admiral of Kalekut, to hinder thofe be¬ longing to the Factory to go on board, and to detain any of the Ships which fhould remove near the Shore. CAB RAL being informed of this, and fear-^j^ ing to be fet upon by the King’s Fleet, in cafe hehammedans remained in the Harbour, weighed Anchor, z.nt\check(d‘ flood out to Sea, refolving there to confult what was beft to be done. The Samorin hereupon fent for Correa, and learning from him the Caufe thereof, defired him to fend to the General to return; and forthwith gave Orders to prevent the Defigns of the Moors. He alfo removed the Gu¬ sarat from about Correa, and put in his Place another, named Cofebequinb, who, though a Moor, was an honeft Man, and a Friend to the Portuguese. For the Moors, who are Natives of India, are always at Strife with thofe who come from Kayro, and the Streights of Mekka; and Cofebequin was Head of the former, as Samifide a De Faria, and others, call him Coje Cetnireci. Molt of the foreign Names are fo corrupted, ’tis difficult to rectify them. b De Faria names him Coje Bcqui, rather Kbojab Beki or Begbu was$