Page:The Three Voyages of Vasco da Gama and His Viceroyalty.djvu/300

202 with him, in woollen jackets, with sticks in their hands, were getting tired. He had not chosen that they should carry

taken from them four principal fortresses in the kingdom of Fez by force of arms ; and on that account the Moors everywhere reviled the name of Portuguese, and maliciously sought their death. Such treachery they had not met with from the heathen, because they were naturally friends of the Christians, and conformed with them in many of their customs, and in the fashion of their temples, as he had seen in this kingdom of Calecut. Even the King of Calecut's Brahmans, in the religion which they held of the Trinity of three Persons and one only God, which amongst the Christians was the foundation of all their faith, conformed with them (though in another very different manner) [Barros' parenthesis], which thing the Moors contradict. And the King of Portugal had so long desired to make the discovery of the way from Portugal to India, that even if he, Gama, should not return, by reason of any disaster, he knew for certain that the King would prosecute this discovery until he got information of the Zamorin. He therefore begged the Zamorin to use his power to protect them against the hatred of the Moors, and not allow them to be the cause of lighting up war in these parts. The Zamorin listened very attentively to all these words of Vasco da Gama, looking much at the temperance with which he spoke, and the fervour and constancy of the man, in order to form a conjecture as to their truth. As he was a prudent man, and wished also in part to satisfy the Moors, he desired Vasco da Gama to return to his ships, where he would send him the reply to his embassage. lie added that, for the present, this seemed most suitable for Vasco da Gama himself, since he had confessed that there was hatred between the Portuguese and the Moors; and if the Portuguese remained in the city, they might exchange words which might be the cause of their receiving some injury, against his will, at which he would be displeased ; and with this he dismissed him. The Catual then conducted Vasco da Gama out of Calicut, under the show of accompanying him half way to the place of his embarcation ; and he had secretly ordered the officers of the King, who were in Capo- cate, where he took leave of him, to detain him, like men who did that in their course of duty. AVhen Vasco da Gama saw himself detained, it appeared to him that it was rather at the instigation of the Moors than by the orders of the Zamorin, and he began to complain seriously to the officers; but they said that he complained without cause, and that it was their duty as King's officers to look to the good and safety of the country ; for they did not detain him with the intention of annoying him, but from apprehension that he would cause some annoyance or injury to the people of the country after he got to his ships, according as it was said that they had done in the ports where they had touched ; and if he and