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. XX. Our Encounter at Sea with a little Fisher-boat, wherein were eight Portugals very sore hurt; and Antonio de Faria's meeting and fighting with Coia Acem the Pyrat. (Book 20)

BEing parted from this River of Anay,* 1.1 and well provided of all things necessary for the Voyage we had undertaken, Antonio de Faria resolv••d by the advice and counsel of Quiay Panian, whom he much respected, to go and anchor in the Port of Chincheo, there to be in∣formed by such Portugals as were come from Sunda, Malaca, Timor, and Patana, of cer∣tain matters requisite for his design, and whether they had any news from Liampoo, in regard the report went in the Country, that the King of China had sent thither a Fleet of four hun∣dred Junks, wherein there were an hundred thousand men, for to take the Portugals that re∣••ided there, and to burn their houses, for that he would not endure them to be any longer in his dominions, because he had been lately advertised, that they were not a people so faithful and peaceable as he had been formerly given to understand. Arriving then in the Port of Chincheo, we found five Portugal ships that were come thither about a month before from the places above mentioned. These ships received us with great joy, and after they had given us intelligence of the Country, Traffique, and Tranquillity of the Ports, they told us they had no other news from Liampoo, but that it was said a great number of Portugals were come thither from many parts to winter there; and how that great Army, which we so much feared, was not thereabout; but that it was suspected to be gone for the Islands of Go••o, to the succor of Sucan de Pontir, from whom the brute went a Brother-in-law of his had taken his Kingdom, and that in regard Sucan had lately made himself subject to the King of China, and his Tributary for an hundred thousand Taeis by the year, he had in contemplation thereof given him this great Army of four hundred Junks, with the forces aforesaid, for to restore him to his Crown and Signiories, whereof he had been despoyled. Being very glad of this news, after we had remained in this Port of Chincheo the space of nine days, we departed from thence for Liampoo, taking along with us five and thirty Soldiers more out of the five ships we found there, to whom Antonio de Faria gave very good pay; and after we had sailed five days with a contrary wind, coasting from one side to another, without advancing any whit at all, it happened that one night about the first watch we met with a little Fisher-boat, or Paroo, wherein there were eight Portugals, very sore hurt, two of the which were named M••m Taborda, and Antonio A••riques, men of honor, and very much renowned in those quarters, the cause why in particular I name them; These and the other six were in such a piti∣ful estate, and so hideous to see to, as they moved every one to compassion. This Paroo coming close to Antonio de Faria, he caused them to be taken up into his Junk, where they presently cast themselves at his feet, from whence he raised them up, weeping for pity to be∣hold them so naked, and all bathed in their own blood with the wounds they had received, and then demanded of them the occasion of their misfortune: Whereunto one of the two made answer, that about seventeen days before they set sail from Liampoo for Malaca, and that being advanced as far as the Isle of Sumbor they had been set upon by a Pyrat, a Guzarat by Nation, called Coia Acem, who had three Junks, and four Lanteaas, wherein were fifteen hundred men, namely an hundred and fifty Mahometans, the rest Luzzons, Iaoas, and Champaas, people of the other side of Malaya, and that after they had fought with them from one to four in the afternon, they had been taken with the death of fourscore and two men, whereof eighteen were Portugals, and as many made slaves; And that in their Junk, what of his and of others, there was lost in merchandize above an hundred thousand Taeis. Anto∣nio de Faria remaining a good while pensive at that which these men related unto him, at length said unto them, I pray tell me how was it possible for you to escape more then the rest, the fight passing as you deliver? After we had been fought withall about an hour and an half, ••he three great Iunks boarded us five times, and with the force of their s••ot they so tore the Prow of our Vessel, that we were ready to sink; wherefore to keep out the water, and lighten

our ship, we were constrained to cast the most part of our goods into the Sea, and whil'st our men were laboring to do so, our Enemies layd so close at us, as every one was fain to leave that he was about for to defend himself on the hatches: But whil'st we were thus troubled, most of our company being hurt, and many slain, it pleased God that one of the Enemies Iunks came to be so furiously fired, as it caught hold likewise of another that was fastned unto it, which made the Pyrats Soldiers leave the fight for to go and save their Vessels, yet that they could not do so speedily, but that one of them was burnt down even to the very water, so that they of the Iunk were compelled to leap into the Sea to save themselves from burning, where most of them were drowned: In the m••an time we made shift to get our Iunk close to a stock of Piles, which Fishermen had plant••d there against a rock, hard by the mouth of the river, where at this present is the Temple of the Siams, but the dog Coia Acem was instantly with us, and having fast grappled us, h•• leapt into our Vessel, being followed by a great number of Mahometans, all armed with Coats of Mail, and Buff Ierkins, who straightway killed above an hundred and fifty of ours, whereof eighteen were Portugals; which we no sooner perceived, but all wounded as we were, and spoyled with the fire, as you see, we sought for some way to save our selves, and to that end we sped us into a Manchu••, that was fastened to the stern of our Iunk, wherein it pleased God that fifteen of us escaped, whereof two dyed yesterday, and of the thirteen, that remain yet miraculously alive, there are eight Portugals, and five servants. In this sort we got us with all speed between this Pallisade and the land amongst the rocks, the better to preserve us from being boarded by their Iunk, but they were otherwise employed in seeking to save the men of their burnt Vessel; and afterwards they entred all into our Iunk, where they were so carryed away with covetousness of the booty, as they never thought of pursuing us; so that the Sun being almost set, and they wonderful glad of their victory over us, they retired into the River with great acclamations. Antonio de Faria, very joyful at this news, though he was as sad again on the other side for the bad success of those that had made him this relation▪ rendred thanks unto God for that he had found his Enemy, it being a matter so much desired of him and his: Certainly, said he unto them then, by your report they must needs be now in great disorder, and much spoiled in the River where they are, for I am perswaded, that neither your Junk, nor that of theirs, which was fastned to the burnt one, can do them any longer service, and that in the great Junk, which assaulted you, it is not possible but that you have hurt and killed a good many. Where∣unto they answered, that without doubt they had killed and hurt a great number. Then An∣tonio de Faria, putting off his cap, fell down on his knees, and with his hands and eyes lifted up to Heaven he said weeping, O Lord Iesus Christ, my God and Saviour, even as thou art the true hope of those that put their trust in thee, I, that am the greatest sinner of all men, do most humbly beseech thee in the name of thy servants, that are here present, whose Souls thou hast bought with thy precious blood, that thou wilt give us strength and victory against this cruel Enemy, the murtherer of so many Portugals, whom with thy favor and ayd, and for the honor of thy holy Name I have resolved to seek out, as hitherto I have done, to the end he may pay to thy Soldiers and faithful servants what he hath so long owed them. Whereunto all that were by answered with one cry, To them, to them, in the Name of Iesus Christ, that this dog may now render us that, which for so long together he hath taken, as well from us, as from our poor miserable companions. Hereupon with marvelous ardor and great acclamations we set sail for the Port of Lailoo, which we had left eight leagues behind us, whither by the advice of some of his company Antonio de Faria went to furnish himself with all that was necessary for the fight he hoped to make with the Pyrat, in the quest of whom (as I have al∣ready delivered) he had spent so much time, and yet could never till then hear any news of him in all the Ports and places where he had been.

* 1.2The next morning we arrived at the Port of Lailoo, where Quiay Panian had much kinred, and many friends, so that he wanted no credit in that place; wherefore he intreated the Man∣darin (who is the Captain of the Town) to permit us to buy for our mony such things as we stood in need of, which he instantly granted, as well for fear lest some displeasure might be done him, as for the sum of a thousand duckets, presented unto him by Antonio de Faria, wherewith he rested very well satisfied. Hereupon some of our Company went ashore, who with all diligence bought whatsoever we wanted, as Saltpeter and Sulphur to make powder, Lead, Bullets, Victual, Cordage, Oyl, Pitch, Rosin, Ockam, Timber, Planks, Arms, Darts, Staves hardened in the fire, Masts, Sails, Sail-yards, Targets, Flints, Pullies, and Anchors; that done, we

took in fresh water, and furnished our Vessels with Mariners. Now although that this place contained not above three or four hundred houses, yet was there both there, and in the villages adjoyning, such a quantity of the aforesaid things, that in truth it were hard to express it; for China i•• excellent in this, that it may vaunt to be the Country in the world most abounding in all things that may be desired. Besides for that Antonio de Faria was exceeding liberal, in re∣gard he spent out of the general booty, before the partitions were made, he payd for all that he bought at the price the sellers would set, by means whereof he had more brought him by far then he had use for, so that within thirteen days he went out of this Port wonderfully well accommodated, with two other new great Junks, which he had exchanged for two little ones that he had, and two Lanteaas with Oars, as also an hundred and sixty Mariners, both for rowing, and for governing the sails. After all these preparations were made, and we ready to weigh anchor, a general muster was taken of all that were in our Army, which in number was found to be five hundred persons, as well for fight, as for the service and navigation of our Vessels, amongst whom were fourscore and fifteen Portugals, young and resolute, the rest were Boys, and Mariners, and men of the other Coast, which Quiay Panian kept in pay, and were well practised in Sea-fight, as they that had been five years Pyrats. Moreover we had an hundred and sixty Harquebuses, forty pieces of brass Ordnance, whereof twenty were field-pieces, that carryed stone-bullets, threescore quintals of powder, namely fifty four for the great Ordnance, and six for the Harquebuses, besides what the Harquebusiers had already delivered to them, nine hundred pots of artificial fire, whereof four hundred were of powder, and five hundred of uns••aked Lime after the Chinese manner, a great number of stones, Arrows, Half-pikes, four thousand small Javelings, store of Hatchets to serve at boarding, six Boats full of Flints, wherewith the Sailers fought, twelve Cramp-irons with their hooks fastned to great Iron chains for to grapple Vessels together, and many sorts of fire-works, which an En∣gineer of the Levant made for us. With all this equipage we departed from this Port of Lai∣l••••, and within three days after it pleased God that we arrived at the fishing place, where Coia Acem took the Portugals Junk: There as soon as it was night Antonio de Faria sent spies into the River, for to l••••rn whereabout he was, who took a Paroo, with six Fishermen in her, that gave us to understand how this Pyrat was some two leagues from thence in a River, called Tinlau, and that he was accommodating the Junk he had taken from the Portugals, for to go in her, with two others that he had, unto Siam, where he was born, and that he was to depart within two days. Upon this news Antonio de Faria called some of his company to councel, where it was concluded, that first of all the places and forces of our Enemy was to be visited and seen, because in a matter of so much hazard, it was not safe to run as it were blind∣fold unto it, but to advise on it well beforehand, and that upon the certainty of that which should be known, such resolution might afterwards be taken, as should seem good to all; Then drawing the fishermen out of the Paroo, he put some of Quiay Panians Mariners into her, and sending her away only with two of those fishermen, keeping the rest as hostages, he committed the charge of her to a valiant Soldier, named Vincentio Morosa, attired after the Chinese fashion, for fear of discovery; who arriving at the place where the Enemy rode, made shew of fishing as others did, and by that means espyed all that he came for, whereupon re∣••ur••ing, he gave an account of what he had seen, and assured us that the Enemies were so weak, ••s upon ••oarding of them they might easily be taken. Antonio de Faria caused the most expe∣rienced men of his company to be assembled, to advise thereon, and that in Quiay Panians Junk, to honor him the more, as also to maintain his friendship, which he much esteemed: At this meeting it was resolved, that as soon as it was night they should go and anchor at the mouth of the River, where the Enemy lay, for to set upon him the next morning before day. This agreed unto by all, Antonio de F••ria set down what order and course should be held at the entring into the River, and how the Enemy should be assaulted: Then dividing his men, he placed thirty Portugals in Quiay Panians Junk, such as he pleased to choose, because he would be sure to give him no distaste; Likewise he disposed six Portugals into each of the Lant••••as, and into Christovano Borralho's Junk twenty; the rest of the Portugals, being three and thirty, he retained with himself, besides slaves and divers Christians, all valiant and trusty men. Thus accommodated and ordered for the execution of his enterprize, he set sail towards the River of Tinlau, where he arrived about Sun-set, and there keeping good watch he past the night till three of the clock in the morning, at which time he made to the Enemy, who rode some half a league up in the River.

* 1.3It pleased God that the Sea was calm, and the wind so favorable, as our Fleet, sailing up the River, arrived in less then an hour close to the Enemy, unperceived of any; But because they were Thieves, and feared the people of the Country, in regard of the great mischiefs and robberies which they dayly committed, they stood so upon their guard, and kept so good watch, that as soon as they discerned us, in all haste they rung an alarum with a Bell, the sound whereof caused such a rumor and disorder, as well amongst them that were ashore, as those aboard, that one could hardly hear one another, by reason of the great noise they made. Whereupon Antonio de Faria, seeing we were discovered, cryed out to his company, To them, my Masters, to them in the name of God before they be succored by their Lorches, wherewith discharging all his Ordnance, it pleased Heaven, that the shot lighted to such purpose, as it overthrew and tore in pieces the most part of the valiantest, that then were mounted and ap∣peared on the deck, even right as we could have wished: In the neck hereof our Harquebu∣siers, which might be some hundred and threescore, failed not to shoot upon the signal, that had formerly been ordained for it, so that the hatches of the Junk were cleared of all those that were upon them, and that with such a slaughter as not an Enemy durst appear there after∣wards; At which very instant our two Junks boarded their two in the case they were in, where the fight grew so hot on either side, as I confess I am not able to relate in particular what passed therein, though I was present at it, for when it began it was scarce day. Now that which rendred the conflict betwixt us and our Enemies most dreadful was the noise of Drums, Basins, and Bells, accompanyed with the report of the great Ordnance, wherewith the valleys and rocks thereabouts resounded again. This fight continuing in this manner some quarter of an hour, their Lorches and Lanteaas came from the shore to assist them with fresh men, which one, named Diego Meyrelez, in Quiay Panians Junk, perceiving, and that a Gunner employed not his shot to any purpose, in regard he was so beside himself with fear, that he knew not what he did, as he was ready to give fire to a Piece, he thrust him away so rudely, as he threw him down into the scuttle, saying to him, Away villain, thou canst do nothing, this business belongs to men, such as I am, not to thee: whereupon pointing the Gun with its wedges of level, as he knew very well how to do, he gave fire to the Piece, which was charged with bullets and stones, and hitting the Lorch that came foremost, carryed away all the upper part of her from Poup to Prow, so that she presently sank, and all that were in her, not a man saved: The shot then having past so through the first Lorch, fell on the hatches of another Lorch, that came a little behind, and killed the Captain of her, with six or seven more that were by him, wherewith the two other Lorches were so terrified, that going about to fly back to Land, they fell foul one of another, so as they could not clear themselves, but remained entangled together, and not able to go forward or backward, which perceived by the Cap∣tains of our two Lorches, called Gasparo d' Oliveyra, and Vincentio Morosa, they presently set upon them, casting a great many artificial pots into them, wherewith they were so fired, that they burnt down to the very water, which made the most of those that were in them to leap into the Sea, where our men killed them all with their Pikes, so that in those three Lorches alone there dyed above two hundred persons; and in the other, whereof the Captain was slain, there was not one escaped, for Quiay Panian pursued them in a Champana, which was the Boat of his Junk, and dispatched most of them as they were getting to Land, the rest were all battered against the rocks that were by the shore: which the Enemies in the Junks percei∣ving, being some hundred and fifty Mahometans, Luzzons, Borneos, and Iaos, they began to be so discouraged, that many of them threw themselves into the Sea; whereupon the dog Coia Acem, who yet was not known, ran to this disorder, for to animate his men. He had on a Coat of Mail lined with Crimson Sattin, edged with gold fringe, that had formerly belong∣ed to some Portugal, and crying out with a loud voyce, that every one might hear him, he said three times, Lah hilah, hilah la Mahumed, rocol halah, Massulmens, and true Believers in the holy Law of Mahomet, will you suffer your selves to be vanquished by such feeble slaves, as these Christian Dogs, who have no more heart then white Pullets, or bearded women? To them, to them, for we are assured by the Book of Flowers, wherein the Prophet Noby doth promise eternal delights to the Daroezes of the House of Mecqua, that he will keep his word both with you and me, provided that we bathe our selves in the blood of these dogs without Law: With these cursed words the Devil so encouraged them, that rallying all into one body, they re-inforced the fight, and so valiantly made head against us, as it was a dreadful thing to see how desperately they ran amongst our weapons. In the mean time Antonio de Faria thus

exhorted his men: Courage valiant Christians, and whilest those wicked Miscreants fortifie themselves in their devilish Sect, let us trust in our Lord Iesus Christ, nailed on the Cross for us, who will never forsake us, how great sinners soever we be, for after all we are his, which these Dogs here are not. With this ferver and zeal of faith flying upon Coia Acem, to whom he had most spleen, he discharged so great a blow on his head with a two-handed sword, that cutting through a Cap of Mail he wore, he layd him at his feet, then redoubling with another reverse stroke he lamed him of both his legs, so as he could not rise, which his followers be∣holding they gave a mighty cry, and assaulted Antonio de Faria with such fury and hardiness, as they made no reckoning of a many of Portugals, by whom they were invironned, but gave him divers blows that had almost overthrown him to the ground; Our men seeing this ran pre∣sently to his ayd, and behave•• ••hemselves so well, that in half a quarter of an hour forty eight of our enemies lay slaughtered on the dead body of Coia Acem, and but fourteen of ours, whereof there were not above five Portugals, the rest were servants and slaves, good and faith∣ful Christians. The remainder of them, beginning to faint, retired in disorder towards the foredeck, with an intent to fortifie themselves there, for prevention whereof twenty Soldiers, of thirty that were in Quiay Panians Junk, ran instantly and got before them, so that ere they could render themselves Masters of what they pretended unto, they were inforced to leap into the Sea, where they fell one upon another, and were by our men qu••te made an end of, so that of all their number there remained but only five, whom they took alive, and cast into the Hold bound hand and foot, to the end they might afterwards be forced by torments to confess cer∣tain matters that should be demanded of them, but they fairly tore out one anothers throats with their teeth, for fear of the death they expected, which yet could not keep them from be∣ing dismembered by our servants, and after thrown into the Se••, in the company of the Dog Coia Acem their Captain, great Cacis of the King of Bintan, the Shedder and Drinker of the blood of Portugals, Titles which he ordinarily gave himself in his Letters, and which he pub∣lished openly to all Mahometans, by reason whereof, and for the superstition of his cursed Sect, he was greatly honored by them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  §. 1.
• * 1.2

  §. 2.
• * 1.3

  §. 3.