The voyages and adventures of Fernand Mendez Pinto, a Portugal, during his travels for the space of one and twenty years in the Kingdoms of Ethiopia, China, Tartaria, Cauchinchina, Calaminham, Siam, Pegu, Japan, and a great part of the East-Indiaes with a relation and description of most of the places thereof, their religion, laws, riches, customs, and government in time of peace and war : where he five times suffered shipwrack, was sixteen times sold, and thirteen times made a slave / written originally by himself in the Portugal tongue and dedicated to the Majesty of Philip King of Spain ; done into English by H.C. Gent.

CHAP. VIII. What past between the King of Batas and me, until such time as I imbarqued for Malaca; my Arrival in the Kingdom of Queda, and my return from thence to Malaca. (Book 8)

THe Mahometan and I returning to our lodging, departed not in four days after,* 1.1 employ∣ing that time in shipping an hundred Bars of Tin, and thirty of Benjamin, which were still on Land. Then being fully satisfied by our Merchants, and ready to go, I went to wait upon the King at his Passeiran, which was a great place before the Palace, where those of the Country kept their most solemn Fairs; There I gave him to understand, that now we had no∣thing more to do but to depart if it would please his Majesty to permit us: The entertainment that he gave me then was very gracious, and for answer he said to me, I am very glad for that Hermon Xabandar (who was chief General of the Wars) assured me yesterday that your Cap∣tains commodities were well sold, but it may be that that which he told me was not so, and that he delivered not the truth for to please me, and to accommodate himself to the desire he knew I had to have it so, wherefore, continued he, I pre-thee declare unto me freely whether he dealt truly with me, and whether the Mahometan that brought them be fully satisfied, for I would not that to my dishonor those of Malaca should have cause to complain of the Mer∣chants of Panaiu, saying, that they are not men of their word, and that there is not a King there who can constrain them to pay their debts; and I swear to thee by the faith of Pagan,

that this affront would be no less insupportable to my condition, then if I should chance to make peace with that Tyrant, and perjured Enemy of mine, the King of Achem. Whereunto having replyed, that we had dispatched all our affairs, and that there was nothing due to us in his Country; Verily, said he, I am very well pleased to hear that it is so, wherefore since thou hast nothing else to do here, I hold it requisite, that without any further delay thou shouldst go, for the ••••me is now fit to set sail, and to avoyd the great heats that ordinarily are endured in passing the Gulph, which is the cause that ships are many times cast upon Pazem by foul weather at Sea, from which I pray God deliver thee, for I assure thee that if thy ill fortune should carry thee thither, the men of Achem would eat thee alive, and the Tyrant himself would have the first bite at thee, there being nothing in the world these Inhumanes so much vaunt of, as to car••y on the crest of their Arms the device of Drinkers of the troubled blood of miserable Ca••∣sers, who they say are come from the end of the world, calling them Tyrannical men, and Vsurpers in a soveraign degree of other mens Kingdoms in the Indiaes, and Isles of the Sea. This is the title wherein they glory most, and which they attribute particularly to themselves, as being sent them from Mecqua in recompence of the golden Lamps, which they offered to the Alcoran of their Mahomet, as they use to do every year. Furthermore, although heretofore I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 often advised thy Captain of Malaca to take careful heed of this Tyrant of Achem, yet do not thou omit to advertise him of it once more from me; for know that he never had, nor shall have other thoughts then to labor by all means to expel him out of the Indiaes, and make the Turk Master of them, who to that end promiseth to send him great succors; but I hope that God will so order it, as all the malice and cunning of this disloyal wretch shall have a contrary success to his intentions. After he had used this language to me, he gave me a Letter in answer to my Embassage, together with a present, which he desired me to deliver from him to Captain de Faria; this was six small Javelins headed with Gold, twelve Cates of Calambuca Wood, every one of them weighing twenty ounces, and a box of exceeding value, made of a Tortoise sh••ll, beautified with Gold, and full of great seed pearl, amongst the which there were sixteen fair pearls of rich account: For my self, he gave me two Cates of Gold, and a little Courte∣l•••••• garnished with the same. Then he dismissed me with as much demonstration of honor as he had always used to me before, protesting to me in particular, that the amity which he had con∣tracted with our Nation should ever continue inviolable on his part. Thus I imbarqued my self with Aquarem Dab••lay, his Brother-in-law, who was the same he had sent Embassador to Malaca, as I have related before. Being departed from the Port of Panaiu, we arrived about two hours in the ••ight at a little Island, called Apofingua, distant some league and an half from the mouth of the River, and inhabited by poor people, who lived by the fishing of Shad••.

* 1.2The next morning, leaving that Island of Apofingua, we ran along by the coast of the Ocean Sea for the space of five and twenty leagues, until such time as at length we entered into the Straight of Minhagaruu, by which we came; then passing by the contrary coast of this other Mediterranean Sea, we continued our course along by it, and at last arrived near to Pullo Bugay: There we crost over to the firm Land, and passing by the Port of Iunçalan, we sailed two days and an half with a favorable wind, by means whereof we got to the River of Parles in the Kingdom of Queda, there we rode five days at anchor in expectation of a fit wind to carry us on. During that time, the Mahometan and my self, by the counsel of certain Mer∣chants of the Country, went to visit the King with an Odiaa, or Present of divers things, that we thought were convenient for our design, which was received with much demonstration of being very well pleased therewith. When we came to his Court we found, that with a great deal of pomp, excellent musick, dancing, and largess to the poor, he was solemnizing the fune∣rals of his Father, whom he himself had poynarded, of purpose for to marry his own mother, after he had gotten her with child: Wherewithall not being contented, to decline the murmur, which so wicked and horrible an act might provoke unto, he had made proclamation, that on pain of a most rigorous death no person whatsoever should be so daring, as to speak a word of that which had past, and it was told us there, how for that cause he had most tyrannically put the principal Personages of his Kingdom, and a number of Merchants already to death, whose goods he had confiscated to his own use, and thereby enriched his Coffers with two millions of Gold; So that upon our arrival we perceived such a general fear to be amongst the people, as not the most hardy of them all durst so much as make the least mention in the world of it. Now in regard the Mahometan, my companion, named Coia Ale, was a man liberal of his tongue,

and that would say any thing which came into his head, he perswaded himself, in regard he was a stranger, and the Captain of Malaca's Factor, that he might with more liberty then those of the Country talk what he listed, and the King not punish him for it, as he did his Subjects; But he found himself far short of his account, and this presumption cost him his life: For being invited to a feast by another Mahometan like himself, a Merchant stranger, born at Patana, when as they were both of them high with wine and meat, as I learned since, they began to talk boldly, and without any respect of the Kings Brutality and Parracide, whereof the King, being incontinently advertised by Spies, which he had in every corner for that purpose, he caused the house to be presently invested, and all the guests to be apprehended, to the number of seventeen persons; These poor wretches were no sooner brought bound before him, but immediately, without observing any form of Justice, or hearing what they could say for them∣selves either good or bad, he commanded them to be put to a most cruel kind of death, called by them Gregoge, which is, to saw off the feet, hands, and heads of them that are condemned to it, as I beheld afterwards my self. This execution done, the King, fea••ing lest the Captain of Malaca should be offended for that he had executed his Factor thus with the rest, and there∣fore might arrest some goods that he had at Malaca, sent the night following for me to the Iurupango, where I was sleeping, and altogether ignorant of that which had past: understand∣ing the Kings pleasure away I went, and coming about midnight to the Palace I perceived in the outward Court a great many men in arms; the sight whereof I must confess put me into a migh∣ty amazement and mistrust, because I could not imagine what should be the cause of it, and doubting lest it might be some such Treason as at other times they had practised against us, I would fain have returned, but they that accompanied me, judging that my fear proceeded from the Soldiers which I beheld there, bid me be afraid of nothing, for these men were only going forth to apprehend an offendor by the Kings commandment; Having said thus with an intent to confirm me, I could not for all that be satisfied, but was seized with so terrible a fear, as I was not able to utter a word, howbeit at length recollecting my self a little, I signified to them the best I could, how if they would permit me to return to my Skiff for to fetch a thing which I had forgotten, I would give them forty Crowns in Gold; whereunto they answered, that if I would give them all the Silver in Malaca they would not let me go, for if they should, they were sure to lose their heads: This speech of theirs redoubled my fear, which yet increased when I saw my self invironned with twenty more of those armed men, who guarded me all that night. The next morning the King being advertised that I was there, commanded me to be brought unto him, into the next Court, where I found him mounted on an Elephant, and accompanied with an hundred persons besides those of his guard, which were far more in num∣ber; When he saw me coming towards him, much troubled, and indeed more dead then alive, he said twice to me, Be not afraid, but come nearer to me, and thou shalt know the cause why I sent for thee. Thereupon having made a sign to me with his hand that I should look that way he pointed me to, I turned me about and beheld a great many bodies extended on the place, and weltring in their own blood, amongst the which I presently knew the Mahometan, Coia Ale, with whom I came, which I no sooner perceived, but like a man distraught of his wits I cast my self at the feet of the Elephant whereupon the King rode, and with tears in my eyes cryed out, O Sir, have pity on me, and take me for thy slave, rather then cause me to end my days with the torments which have taken those out of the world whom I see here; I swear unto thee by the faith of a Christian, that I have not deserved death, as having no way offend∣ed thee; Consider likewise, I beseech thee, that I am Nephew to the Captain of Malaca, who will give thee any ransom for me thou wil•• desire, as also that thou hast the Iurupango, where∣in I came, in thy Port, full of goods, all which thou mayst take it if thou pleasest. Hearing me speak in this sort, God forbid, said he, that ever I should do any such thing, no, no, be not afraid, but stand up, and recollect thy self, for I see well thou art much troubled, and when thou art in better case to hear me I will tell thee wherefore I caused the Moor, that came with thee, to be executed; and in good faith if he had been either a Portugal, or a Christian, I would not have put him to death, no, though he had killed mine own son. Howbeit perceiving, that all which he could say would not rid me of my fear, he commanded a pot of fresh water to be brought me, whereof I drunk a pretty quantity, and withall made one of his followers to fan me with a ventilow for to refresh me: A quarter of an hour, or thereabouts, was spent in this action, at the end thereof finding that I was so well recovered, as I was able with good sence to answer unto the questions he should ask me; Portugal, said he unto me, I know that

thou hast bern told, since thy coming hither, how I killed my Father, as indeed I did, because I was sure he would have killed me, incited thereunto by the false reports of some of his slaves, would have made him believe that I had gotten my mother with child, whereof I had never so much as the least thought, whereby thou mayst see what ill tongues can do. Indeed it is true, that being most assured he had without all reason given such credit to those slanderous reports, as he was fully resolved to have taken away my life, to decline that imminent peril I prevented him, and caught him in the same snare he had layd for me; But God knows how much against my mind this fell out, and how I always made it my chiefest glory to render him the dutiful of∣fices of a most obedient son, as it may well appear now at this present: for to keep my mother from being a sad and desolate widow, as many others are, seeing my self to be the cause of her misery, and obliged to comfort her, I have taken her to wife; judg then whether I have been wrongfully blamed, or no, since that for her I have refused many great parties, that have been propounded unto me from Patacia, Berdio, Tanauçarin, Siaca, Iamba, and Andragia, who were no less then Sisters and Daughters of Kings, and offered unto me with very rich dowries. Now being informed that such false reports had been dispersed abroad of me, for to arrest the tongues of Detractors, which are so audacious as to talk of any thing comes in their heads, I caused it to be proclaimed, that none should dare to speak of that affair; But for as much as without any regard at all of this my Injunction, this fellow of thine, which lies there in the company of those other Dogs, like unto himself, spoke yesterday of me most reproach∣fully in publique, saying, I was an Hog, or worse then a very Hog, and my mother a salt Bitch; as well to punish his slanders, as to preserve my honor, I was constrained to put him to death, together with these other Dogs, who were no less slanderous then he: Wherefore I am to de∣sire thee, that as my friend thou wilt not think this procedure of mine any way strange. Now if thou shouldst happen to think, that I have done it on purpose to seize upon the Captain of Malaca's goods, be confident that I never meant it, & thou mayst truly certifie him so much; For I swear unto thee by my Law, that I have ever been a great friend to the Portugals, and so will continue all my life. Hereupon being somewhat recovered from the fear I was in a little before, I answered him, How his Highness had much obliged his very good friend, and brother, the Captain of Malaca, by the execution of that Mahometan, who had imbezelled away a great part of the goods committed to his charge, and understanding that I had discovered his knavery he had twice gone about to poyson me; whereunto also I added, how this Dog when he was drunk would bark at every one, and speak his pleasure at large. This answer made upon the sudden, and not knowing well what I said, very much pleased the King, who commanding me to come nearer to him, Verily, continued he, by this speech of thine I perceive thou art an ho∣nest man, and my friend, and being so I doubt not but thou wilt give a good interpretation to my actions, contrary to those mastiff Dogs that lie there weltring in their own blood. Having said so, he took a purse from his girdle trimmed with gold, and gave it me, as also a Letter di∣rected to Pedro de Faria, whereupon I took my leave of him, with a promise that I would stay there a week longer; howbeit getting speedily aboard my Iurupango, I made not a minutes stay, but instantly caused the Mariners to hoist sail, and away, still imagining that some were following to apprehend me, by reason of the extream fear I was in, having so lately escaped, as I thought, the danger of a most cruel death.

* 1.3Being departed from the River of Parles on a Saturday about Sun-set, I made all the speed that possibly I could, and continued my course until the Tuesday following, when it pleased God that I reached to the Isles of Pullo Sambalin, the first Land on the Coast of Mallayo. There by good fortune I met with three Portugal ships (whereof two came from Bengala, and the other from Pegu) commanded by Tristan de Gaa, who had sometimes been Gover∣nor of the person of Don Lorenzo, son to the Vice-roy Don Francesco d' Almeda, that was afterward put to death by Miroocem in Chaul Roade, as is at large delivered in the History of the Discovery of the Indiaes. This same Tristan furnished me with many things that I had great need of, as tackle, and Mariners, together with two Soldiers, and a Pilot; moreover, both himself and the other to ships had always a care of me until our arrival at Malaca▪ where dis-imbarquing my self, the first thing I did was to go to the Fortress for to salute the Captain, and to render him an account of the whole success of my Voyage, where I discoursed unto him at large what Rivers, Ports, and Havens I had newly discovered in the Isle of Samatra, as well on the Mediterranean, as on the Ocean Seas side, as also what commerce the inhabitants of the Country used; Then I declared unto him the manner of all that Coast, of all those Ports,

and of all those Rivers; whereunto I added the scituations, the heights, the degrees, the names, and the depths of the Ports, according to the direction he had given me at my departure. There∣withall I made him a description of the Rode wherein Rosado, the Captain of a French ship, was lost, and another, named Matelote de Brigas, as also the Commander of another ship, who by a storm at Sea was cast into the Port of Diu in the year 1529. during the raign of Sultan Bandur, King of Cambaya. This Prince having taken them all, made fourscore and two of them abjure their ••aith, who served him in his Wars against the great Mogor, and were every one of them miserably slain in that expedition. Moreover I brought him the description of a place fit for anchorage in Pullo Botum Roade, where the Bisquayn Ship suffered shipwrack, which was said to be the very same, wherein Mag••llan compassed the World, and was called the Vittoria, which traversing the Isle of Iooa was cast a way at the mouth of the River of Sonda. I made him a recital likewise of many different Nations, which inhabit all along this Ocean, and the River of Lampon, from whence the Gold of Menancabo is transported to the Kingdom of Campar, upon the waters of Iambes and Broteo. For the inhabitants affirm out of their Chro∣nicles, how in this very Town of Lampon there was anciently a Factory of Merchants, esta∣blished by the Queen of Sheba, whereof one, named Nausem, sent her a great quantity of Gold, which she carried to the Temple of Ierusalem, at such time as she went to visit the wise King Solomon; From whence, some say, she returned with child of a son, that afterwards succeeded to the Empire of Aethiopia, whom now we call Prester-Iohn, of whose race the Abissins vaunt they are descended. Further, I told him what course was usually held for the fishing of seed pearl betwixt Pullo Tiquos and Pullo Quenim, which in times past were car∣ried by the Bataes to Pazem and Pedir, and exchanged with the Turks of the Straight of Mecqua, and the Ships of Iud••a, for such Merchandise as they brought from Grand Cairo, and the Ports of Arabia Foelix. Divers other things I recounted unto him, having learnt them of the King of Batas, and of the Merchants of Pan••i••: And for conclusion, I gave him an in∣formation in writing, as he had formerly desi••ed me, concerning the Island of Gold: I told him, how this Island is beyond the River of Calandor five degrees to the Southward, inviron∣ed with many shelfs of sand, and currents of water, as also that it was distant some hundred and threescore leagues from the point of the Isle of Samatra. With all which reports Pedro de Faria remained so well satisfied, that he made present relation thereof to the King Don Iovan the Third of happy memory, who the year after ordained Francesco d' Almeida for Captain to discover the Isle of Gold, a Gentleman of merit, and very capable of that charge, who indeed had long before petitioned the King for it in recompence of the services by him performed in the Islands of Banda, of the Molucques, of Ternate, and Geilolo: But by ill fortune this Francesco d' Almeida, being gone from the India••s to discover that place, dyed of a feaver in the Isles of Nicubar; Whereof the King of Portugal being advertised, he honored one Diego Cabral, born at the Maderaes, with that Command, but the Court of Justice deprived him of it by express order from Martinez Alphonso de Sousa, who was at that time Governor, which partly proceeded, according to report, for that he had murmured against him; Where∣upon he gave it to Ieronimo Figuereydo, a Gentleman belonging to the Duke of Braganca, who in the year 1542. departed from Goa with two Foists, and one Carvel, wherein there were fourscore men, as well Soldiers, as Mariners; But it is said, that his Voyage was without effect, for that, according to the apparances that he gave of it afterward, it seemed that he desired to enrich himself too suddenly: To which end he passed to the Coast of Tanassery, where he took certain Ships, that came from Mecqua, Adem, Alcosser, Iudaa, and other places upon the Coast of Persia. And verily this booty was the occasion of his undoing, for upon an unequal partition thereof falling at difference with his Soldiers, they mutined in such fort against him, as after many affronts done him they bound him hand and foot, and so carried him to the Isle of Ceilan, where they set him on Land; and the Carvel, with the two Foists, they returned to the Governor Don Ioano de Castra, who in regard of the necessity of the time pardoned them the fault, and took them along with him in the Army, which he led to Diu for the succor of Don Ioana Mascarenhas, that was then straitly besieged by the King of Cambaya's Forces. Since that time there hath been no talk of the discovery of this Island of Gold, although it seems very much to import the common good of our Kingdom of Portugal, if it would please God it might be brought to pass.

Notes

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  §. 2.
• * 1.3

  §. 3.