Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 166

162
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(SEPT., 1919
again hid themselves, and, since you are left alone,ply your oars with the utmost vigour, and make off from impending destruction. He accordingly again brought forth those shameful poltroons from their retreats. But the pirates, seeing several of our people killed some disabled with wounds, and others behaving in such a dastardly manner, renewed th attack on the brigentine. Meanwhile Andrew Vasconcelo appeared. The sight of hin greatly discouraged the enemy, who being likewise tired of fighting and disheartened wit! the loss of their commander, sheered off. Michael Sylvio now consulted Vieira whether he should pursue the enemy. Vieira advised him to make towards the land, and by this means to endeavour to drive the pirates on the shelves. He accordingly followed his advice. The enemy, being not a little frightened, with all their seils and oars made towards the opposite shore. Many of them jumped overboard, the greatest part of whom were drownell. Eight swam ashore and were male prisoners by the Governor of Ceuta. Thus, before Andrew Vasconcelo came up, his brother had finished the whole affair. This youth is certainly worthy of the highest encomiums, nor do I know which to praise most, his bravery, which was so gront that he alone, or with the assistance of a few, and these weakened with wounds, did so nobly withstand such fierce and desperate enemies, or his modesty wbich would allow him to do nothing without consulting those whom he thought superior to himself in age and experience."
[Jerome Osorio. History of the Portuguese, II. 290.]
II.
ANTONIO DE FARIA, BY SEA-FORTUNE A KING, BEGGAR, LORD
HOLY HOLY THEEFE. circa. 1541. The Portuguese came to India not merely to trade but to introduce the Christian religion in pegan countries which had been given to them by the Pope. However piratical their actions may have been, they could always throw over them the cloak of religion. On the coasts of Africa and Asia they found, not merely the indigenous pagan, but also the Arab trader with his Muhammadan converts. None of these wished for either the Portuguese trade or the Portuguese religion. When they were strong enough they resisted by force; when too weak by treachery. The Portuguese retaliated with cruel reprisels, and the Portuguese traders took the infliction of these reprisels into their own herds. Thus, wher ile Faria found himself ruined by a Gujarati Muhammadan named by the Portuguese Coja Acem, i.e., Khwaja Hasan, he armed a vessel and set out in quest of his enemy. plundering
ll infidels on the way. The extracts which I have taken from Purchas, tells how he fought and killed him. His success and the booty he acquired inflamed his evarice and that of his companions, and finally caused him to make a raid upon the tombs of the Chinese Emperor's. an act of impiety which was punished by his ship sinking with all hands in a storm. It will be noticed that both hc and Coja Acem considered themselves as fighting under the protection of the Deity. It may also be supposed that the pots of powder with which de Faria provided himself for the fight were probably the stink-pots--a kind of combination of hand-grenade, and poison-gas-which were early used in sea-fights on the Indian and Chinese coasts.
Faria and Quiay Panian [ Kwai-ping ] 5, who hed kindred at Lailoo, provided themselves there of powder, lead, victuals and other necessaries for money by leave of the Mandarin
* Most small ships used to carry large oars or sweepe. I.e., rocky banks or shoals. 5 A Chinese pirate who was friendly to the Portuguese and had thirty of them in his pay.
6 This and the other place-names in the narrative appear to be corruptions of the Chinese names of ports aud places in the Canton District.-ED.