Indian Antiquary Vol 31

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 21

JANUARY, 1902.] LETTERS FROM PORTUGUESE CAPTIVES IN CANTON.
The mandarins ordered the ambassador from Malaca to take these letters and convey them to Malaca, and that when his country had been delivered up to him he should come back with a message. The ambassador was unwilling, saying that with those letters they would cut off his head in Malaca; that they should give him leave to buy a small junk, as he wished to send half of his people to find out about his king, because they did not know where he was, since the women that they took in the two ships said, one that he was dead, the other not; and that they might bring a letter if they could send it. The small junk left by leave with fifteen Malays and as many Chinese on the last day of May 1523. It arrived at Patane, and there took in some Malays and a Bengali eunuch, and returned with a message from the king of Malacca, and reached Cantão on the fifth day of September. The Chinese who went in the junk all remained in Patane, as they did not wish to return to China. The letter of the ambassador said in substance as follows:
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"The king of Malaca is in Bintão surrounded by the Firingis, poor, deserted, looking from morning till night for help [f. 111] from his lord the king of China; and if he will not give it that he will write to the kings his vassals79 to help him with men, and that he send some provision of food to his ambassador and things similar to these." The letter also said, that, the junk being loaded at Patane, the Portuguese had notice of it, and that they came upon it to seize it; that they put to sea with a storm, without any more merchandise and provisions, and that they would certainly die of hunger at sea."
On receipt of this letter the mandarins entered Cantão, and there proceeded to dispatch them once more, saying that both the ambassadors, viz., Tuão Mafamet and Cojacão,80 and their company were to go to Bintão, the junk being already ready; and that if they did not wish to go they would not give them provisions. They replied that they could not go, that they might kill them and do what they pleased; that the Firingis had taken everything there; that they could go to no place where they would not seize them. The interpreter also said to the tutuão who came from Patane, that he had had news that in the present year there were to come one hundred Portuguese sail for which speech they gave him twenty lashes for daring to speak of such a thing. The ambassador left in the year 1524. I heard say to some merchants here, that in order to avoid the coast of Patane they made the islands of Borne in bad weather, and that the junk was wrecked and they were captivated. I do not know if this was true.
In the ship of Diogo Calvo there came a Christian Chinese, with his wife, named Pedro: this man when he saw the rout returned to Foym,81 of which he was a native. There he lay hidden; and he took the opportunity, when he had got security from the mandarins, to say that he would tell them the force that the Portuguese had in Malaca and in Cochim: that he knew it all; that he knew how to make gunpowder, bombards and galleys. He said that in Malaca there were three hundred Portuguese men, that in Cochim there were none; and he commenced in Cantão to build two galleys. He made two; and when quite finished they were shown to the great mandarins. They found that they were very lop-sided, [f. 111v] that they were useless, that they had caused a great waste of wood. They ordered that no more should be made, discontinued the work of the galleys, and set to making gelfass at Nanto. They found that he knew something of gunpowder and bombards, and, sent him to the king. He gave the latter information regarding Malaca, and was made a noble, with a pical of rice as maintenance. They say that he made bombards in Pequim because the king there makes war for war's sake. This may be so, as they told me thus of this Pedro's making bombards in Pequim. On account of this information the Chinese hold the Portuguese in little esteem, as they say that they do not know how to fight on land, that they are like fishes, which when you take them out of the water or the sea straightway die. This information well suited the wish of the king and the grandees, who had heard otherwise, for which reason they took council regarding Tome Pirez,
as to how they might entrap him in order to bring him to Cantão,
19 That is, the Rajas of Patani, Pahang, etc.
Khojah Khan P
1 From the statement infra (f. 118v) regarding the situation of this place, it is evident that Fahiun on the east coast of Lintin Bay is meant.
sa Gelfa or gelea, translated "shallop" in the Hak. Soc. ed. of the Comment. of Albog. III. p. 19. See HobsonJobson, p. 276, s. v. Gallevat.'