ABSTRACT

Having collected his ships, the chief captain set sail, and kept along this coast with all the fleet, intending to touch at Magadaxo. And, as it had been agreed the other day that they should attack the city, Afonso Dalboquerque went forward and anchored in front of it. But when the chief pilot of the fleet, by name Afonso Lopez Buraquinha, perceived that it was the intention of the chief captain to attack 45Magadaxo, 1 and that much time would be spent (since he was well acquainted with the navigation of these parts, having gone thither already in company with Antonio de Saldanha), he went to him and told him that the monsoon of those parts was now nearly exhausted, and if he went any further on that course there would be no time left for him to double the shallows of St. Lazarus, which were distant fifty leagues,—but when they were doubled, the head-winds, which at that season blew off that shore, could not do him any injury, even if they were to come; for there was plenty of sea-room for tacking. The chief captain ordered the pilots, both Moors, and those of the fleet, to be summoned, and told them the opinion of his pilot; and, as all were agreed in this opinion, he ordered the course to be shaped towards Çocotora, and made signals to Afonso Dalboquerque to weigh anchor and follow him. And, without touching at other land, they went and anchored at Çoco, which is the principal port of that island, and where the population lives: and, with flags flying from all the ships in holiday trim, they saluted the place with artillery, as it was inhabited by Christians. But when the chief captain saw the fortress which the Moors had built there, surrounded with wall and barbican, and with a keep, 2 which was very different to the information which the king, D. Manoel, had received, he sent for Afonso Dalboquerque and all the captains of the fleet, to come to his ship; and he told them that the king, his lord, had ordered him to construct a fortress in that island, and to leave behind D. Afonso de Noronha, then present there, as captain of it, for the guard and protection of the Christians who had lived there since the time of St. Thomas, the king’s desire being to extend the name of Our Lord throughout all the parts he had conquered; but 46because he found this fortress to exceed the information which his Highness had, he begged them to give their opinion as to what he should do in the case. All the captains told him that he ought to have an audience with the captain of the fortress, to know of him what he intended to do, and should he be unwilling to put himself under the obedience due to the King of Portugal, that then he ought to attack it and make an entry by force of arms. This advice seemed good to the chief captain, and he sent immediately Pero Yaz Dorta and Gaspar Rodriguez, interpreter, to land, to tell the captain that the King of Portugal had sent him with that fleet to make a fortress in that island, as he had been informed that it belonged to Christians, but he found it really possessed by Moors; so he begged and desired him to quit the fortress, and safe-conduct and passage should be given to him and all his people to go to their own land. But if he were unwilling to do so, he was determined to take the fortress from him by force, and leave not one Moor alive in it, for such were the commands of the King of Portugal his lord. The captain replied that they should say to the chief captain that neither he nor the Fartaquins, whom he had in his company, would die of fear, but by the sword, and he might do as he chose, for he on his part would not leave the fortress until all were dead, for this was the custom of the Fartaquins. When this determined reply was brought to the chief captain, he ordered Afonso Dalboquerque and the captains to be sent for, and gave them an account of it all. All agreed that the fortress should be attacked, and that Our Lord would help them, and tame the pride of the Moor, for although from without it appeared very strong, still it was so small that it would not possibly contain enough people to withstand the power of that fleet.