ABSTRACT
On Sunday morning I rose early, and said that I would go to amuse myself a little. My companions answered: “ Go where you please and so I took my way according to my fancy, and went where the castle o f the Christians was being
built; and when I was a little distant from my companions, coming to the sea-shore I met two Portuguese Christians, and said to them : “ O sirs, where is the fortress of the Por tuguese ?” These two Christians said : “ Are you a Chris tian?” I answered ; ** Yes, sir, praised be God.” And they said to me: “ Where do you come from.” I answered them: “ I come from Calicut.” Then said the one to the other of the two companions : “ Go you to the factory, and I will take this man to Don Lorenzo,” that is, the son of the Viceroy.1 And so he conducted me to the said castle, which is distant from the beach half a mile. And when we arrived at the said castle, the Senor Don Lorenzo was at breakfast. I immediately fell on my knees at the feet of his lordship and said: “ Sir, I commend myself to you to save me, for I am a Christian.” At this juncture, we heard a great uproar in the neighbourhood because I had escaped. The bombardiers were immediately sum moned, who loaded all the artillery, fearing that those of the city might come to the castle to fight. Then the captain, seeing that those of the place did not do any harm, took me by the hand and conducted me into a chamber to interro gate me concerning the affairs of Calicut, and kept me three days to talk with me ; and I, being desirous of the victory of the Christians, gave them all the particulars about the fleet preparing in Calicut. These conversations being concluded,
1 After garrisoning the new fort, at Cannonore, Don Francisco de Almeyda proceeded to Cochin, but hearing there that the factor at Quilon and all his men had been murdered by the Mussulmans, “ he sent his son Don Lorenzo with three ships and three caravels, with orders to procure lading, without taking notice of what had passed, but in case of denial, to avenge the slaughter. The messenger was received with a shower of arrows, and twenty-four ships of Calicut and other places prepared to receive ours. Don Lorenzo, after pouring in his shot liberally, burnt them all, only a few of the Moors were saved by swimming. Don Lorenzo then went to load in another port.” ( Portuguese Asia, vol. i. p. 102.) I presume that it was about this time that Yarthema met the Viceroy’s son at Cannanore.
