Notable Voyagers, From Columbus to NordenskioldKingston, William Henry Giles
History
Notable Voyagers, From Columbus to Nordenskiold
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Explorers; Voyages and travels
On this the Captain-Major ordered him to be unbound, and becomingly
dressed. The Jew then informed the Admiral that when a lad he was
living at Grenada, that on the capture of that city by the Christians he
had left Spain, and travelling through many lands, he had gone to Mecca.
Thence he had made his way to India, where he had taken service with
Sabayo, who had made him captain-major of his fleet; that to please his
master he had undertaken to capture the Portuguese ships. He now
repented of his design, and as a proof of his desire to obtain the
friendship of the Portuguese, he offered to deliver up all the fustas
into their hands.
It was therefore arranged that the Jew should go in his own fusta,
manned by Portuguese, and that several boats should follow, with the
crews well armed. As soon as it was dark they pushed off from the
ships. As they approached where the fustas lay, the people on board
hailed to know who was coming, when the Jew replied, "It is I. I bring
some relations with me."
On this the fusta and boats dashed on, the Captain-Major shouting his
war-cry of Saint George, while the crews, who had kept their matches
concealed, shouting and firing their guns, threw their powder-jars among
the sleeping crews, who being thus alarmed, leaped into the sea, while
the fighting men, who were few in number, made but a faint resistance.
They were all immediately killed, while the fusta went about destroying
the hapless wretches who were in the water. A number also who had taken
refuge on the island were made prisoners, not one escaping. The boats
and fusta, having thus finished the work, returned to the ships. The
Portuguese then selected from among the captives twelve of the
strongest-looking men, to work the pumps and do other service, while the
rest were killed in the presence of the fishermen, who accordingly knew
there would be none left to betray them.
The Captain-Major gave the fishermen permission to carry off the fustas;
but this they declined doing, taking only the sails and tackling for
their own boats.
The Jew, seeing the punishment inflicted on the other prisoners, became
dreadfully alarmed, suspecting that he also would be put to death. The
Captain-Major, however, ordered him to be taken below, and confined in a
cabin.
The monsoon having just commenced, the pilots advised that the ships
should proceed on their voyage. They accordingly made sail and steered
westward, their great object accomplished, across the Indian Ocean. The
wind was fair, and the sea, as before, calm; but sickness broke out
among the men, and many more died. The first land made was near the
city of Magadaxo. The Captain-Major having had ample experience of the
Moorish rulers of these coasts, bombarded it as he sailed by. He then
proceeded, without stopping, until he came off another city called Pate,
from which eight large zambuks came out to attack him. A few broadsides
drove them away, and he sailed on until he reached Melinda.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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