Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/198

 Kit

Jil.ST(JllV OF INJJIA

fli^WK I.

AD. 1M)0

Cabral arrives at Calicut.

Interview with the zamoriii.

Mutual ilisti'ust.

guese were on IViendly terms with its chief" Cahral was sorry for what had liappened, more especially as the most valuable part of the cargo coasisted of gold, which, during the teiTor of the tiight, had been thrown overboard. On expressing his regret, the Moorish captain gravely asked whether he ha/J not some wizard with him, who might conjure it up from the bottom of the sea. At Melinda, where the chief proved as friendly as before, Cabral wa,s funiished with two Gujerat pilots. Under their guidance he made a prosperous voyage across the Indian Ocean, and cast anchor within a league of Calicut on the 1 3th of September.

Shortly after his arrival several nairs came on board, bringing the zamorin's welcome, and making great offers of friendship. Cabral was thus induced to take his ships nearer the city, and sent ashore four natives whom Vasco de Gama had carried off. He afterwards sent a messenger, intimating that he came from Portugal purely to settle trade and friendship ; but, taught by De Gama's expei-ience, he refused to land till hostages were given. This demand produced some delay and altercation, but at last six of the principal natives arrived, and Cabral ventured ashore. The interview took place in a pavilion, erected on purpose, near the water-edge. The zamorin, dressed nearly as when De Gama visited him, dazzled all eyes with the size and brilliancy of the diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls, which studded his girdle and hung from liLs ears, or covered his fingers and toes. His chair of state and palanquin, all of gold and silver, curiously wrought, glistened with precious stones; and, among other articles composed of the precious metals, were three gold and seventeen silver trumpets, and various silver lamps, and censers smoking with perfumes. Cabral, after delivering his credentials, and stating the desire of the King of Portugal t<j enjoy the zamorin's friendship, and establish at Calicut a factory, which should be supplied with all kinds of European goods, and take spices in exchange, or pay for them in ready money, caused the present to be brought in. It consisted of a wrought silver basin gilt, a fountain of the same, a silver cup with a gilt cover, two cushions of cloth of gold, and two of crimson velvet, a cloth of state of the same velvet striped and bound with gold lace, and two rich pieces of arras.

So far all things had gone on smoothly ; but beneath this seeming friendship mutual distrust was at work, preparing for a final rupture. First, the hostages, on learning that Cabral was preparing to retm-n, began to suspect that they might be detained altogether, and endeavom-ed to escape by leaping into the sea. Some succeeded, while those re-captured were treated with .some degree of harshness. Before the misunderstanding thus occasioned was completely cleared up, Cabral proposed to send a message to the zamorin, to ask whether he was willing to finish the aoreeraent which he had begun. So strong was the conviction among the Portumiese that this message would onlv make matters worse, that Fiancisco Correa was the only man in the fleet bold enough to volunteer to carry it. Contrary to expectation, Correa met with a friendly