A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Ii Part 35

[11] By some strange typographical mistake, Lichefild makes this date 1525, both in the text and in a marginal note, thus adding no less than twenty years to the true chronology. In Astleys Collection, the conclusion of this voyage is dated 22d July 1506; but we have chosen to retain the regular series of dates as given by Castaneda. Owing to the mistake in Lichefilds translation not being detected till a part of this chapter was printed off, it has been repeated in our introduction to this article, which our readers are requested to correct.--E.

[12] In Astley, the s.h.i.+p commanded by Pedro Mendoza, is said to have been stranded during the homeward voyage, fourteen leagues from the _Aguada_, or watering-place of St Blas, and never more heard of.--Astl.

I. 58.

[13] Astley concludes the account of the honours conferred on Pacheco in the following words: "But soon after imprisoned, and allowed him to die miserably. A terrible example of the uncertainty of royal favour, and the little regard that is had to true merit!"--Astl. I. 58.

CHAPTER VII.

LETTERS FROM LISBON IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY, RESPECTING THE THEN RECENT DISCOVERY OF THE ROUTE BY SEA TO INDIA.[1]

INTRODUCTION.

The following letters bear to have been written by some Italian public agents and merchants, to their employers and friends, and contain a curious record of the first impressions made on the public mind by the wonderful discoveries which navigation was then opening up to the European world. They are selected from the _Novus...o...b..s_, a work which was published by _Simon Grynaeus_ early in the sixteenth century.

According to M. de la Richarderie,[2] this collection was formed by Hans Heteirs, canon of Strasburg, and was printed under the care of Simon Grynaeus, by Isaac Hervag, in folio, at Basil in 1532. We learn likewise that it pa.s.sed rapidly through several editions, having been reprinted at Basil in 1535, 1537, and 1555; and at Paris in 1582. The edition used on the present occasion is printed at Basil in 1555 by Jo. Hervag. Its princ.i.p.al contents, besides those translated for the present chapter, are the voyages of Cada Mosto, already given; the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, which will form the first article in our subsequent volume; the voyages of Vincent Alonzo Pinzon, and of Americus Vespucius, which will be attended to hereafter; and the travels of Marco Polo, which have been already given at full length from a better source.

The language of the _Novus...o...b..s_ is perhaps the most barbarous Latin ever composed for the press, and its punctuation is so enormously incorrect that it would have been easier understood without any points whatever.

As already mentioned, the edition here used is dated in the year 1555, little more than fifty years after the discoveries they commemorate; and the letters themselves are dated in 1501, 1502, and 1503, immediately after the return of the earliest of the Portuguese voyages from India.

Indeed the first letter seems to have been written only a day or two after the arrival of the first s.h.i.+p belonging to Cabrals fleet.

This work is accompanied by a very curious map of the world, on one planisphere, much elongated to the east and west, which may be considered as a complete picture of the knowledge then acquired of the cosmography of our globe. The first meridian is placed at the island of Ferro, and the degrees of longitude are counted from thence eastwards all round the world, so that Ferro is in long. 0 and 360 E. In every part of the world, the outlines are grossly incorrect, and it would serve no purpose to give an extended critical view of this map; yet a few notices respecting it may gratify curiosity.

Europe is singularly incorrect, especially in the north and east. America, called likewise _Terra Nova_, has an approximated delineation of its southern division, stretching far to the south, as if the cosmographer had received some tolerable notices of Brazil, Cape Horn, and the coasts of Peru and Chili. But instead of the continent of North America, the island of Cuba is delineated in a north and south direction, reaching between the lat.i.tudes of 10 and 50 north; leaving a small strait or pa.s.sage between its southern extremity and the Isthmus of Darien into the South Sea. About twelve degrees west from Cuba the island of Zipangri is placed; and at least twenty degrees east from Cathay or China. At sixteen degrees east from the northern end of Cuba, a large island is placed in the _Ocea.n.u.s Magnus_ or Atlantic, called _Terra Cortesia_; which the cosmographer seems to have intended to represent the kingdom of Mexico, recently discovered by Cortez; though placed almost in lat. 50 N.

Perhaps this may be an error for _Corterealis_, an early navigator, who is said to have made discoveries on the eastern coast of North America.

In Africa there is an approximation towards its true shape; yet the _Caput Viride_, or Cape Verd, is placed to the north of the river Senegal, instead of between that river and the Gambia; and the sources of the Nile are brought down to lat. 15 S. at least twenty-two degrees too far to the southwards.

Asia, with India and China, are too much distorted for criticism. Calicut is placed in the peninsula of Cambaya or Guzerate. The _Aurea Chersonesus_ and _Regnum Malacha_, or Malacca, are separated by a great gulf, while the latter is placed so low as 30 S. lat.i.tude. This much may suffice for an account of the incorrect yet curious specimen of cosmographical knowledge which had been acquired by the learned in Europe about 300 years ago.

To these four letters we have added a short account of several curious circ.u.mstances relative to the trade of the Europeans with India at the commencement of the sixteenth century, or three hundred years ago; which, though not very accurately expressed, contains some curious information.

[1] Novus...o...b..s Grynaei, p. 94-102.

[2] Bibl. Univ. des Voy. I. 55, and V. 486.

SECTION I.

_Letter from the Venetian Envoy in Portugal to the Republic_[1].

Most serene prince, &c. Believing that your highness has been already informed by the most excellent legate, of all the memorable things which have occurred in this place, and particularly respecting the fleet so lately dispatched for India by the king of Portugal, which, by the blessing of G.o.d, has now returned with the loss of seven s.h.i.+ps; as it originally consisted of fourteen sail, seven of which only have come home, the other seven having been wrecked in the voyage. Their voyage was along the coasts of Mauritania and Getulia to Cape Verd, anciently called _Experias_; off which the islands called the _Hesperides_ are situated.

From thence they explored lower _Ethiopia_ towards the east, beyond which the ancients never penetrated. They sailed along this _eastern_ coast of Ethiopia to a line corresponding with the meridian of Sicily, about five or six degrees _within_ the equinoctial, the gold mines belonging to the king of Portugal being about the middle of that coast.[2] Beyond that coast of the gold mines, and nine degrees to the south of the _winter tropic_,[3] they came to a great promontory called the Cape of Good Hope, which is almost 5000 miles distant from our country. From thence they came to the cape anciently called _Prasum_, which was considered by Ptolemy as the extremity of the southern regions, all beyond being unknown to the ancients. After that they reached the country of the _Troglodites_, now called _Zaphala_, or Sofala, which our ancestors affirm to have abounded in gold, infinitely more than any other part of the earth. Stretching from Sofala across the _Barbaric Gulf_,[4] they came into the Indian Ocean, and at length to the city of Calicut. Such was their voyage, which carefully calculated, as following the coasts of the ocean, extends to the prodigious length of 15,000 miles; but which, if the lands and mountains would allow in a direct line, were greatly shorter.

Before pa.s.sing the Cape of Good Hope, in consequence of being forced out of their course by a S.W. wind, they discovered a new country to which they gave the name of the _Land of Parrots_, because they found, there an incredible number of these birds, of many beautiful colours, some of them a cubit and a half in length and more. We have seen two of these birds, and can vouch for the truth of the description. On exploring this extensive coast, the navigators believed that it must necessarily belong to a continent, as they sailed along it for the s.p.a.ce of 2000 miles without having seen either extremity. Its coasts are inhabited by people of a tolerably handsome appearance, who go quite naked.[5]

In this voyage they lost four s.h.i.+ps. Two others were sent to the gold mines, which are not yet returned; and seven only reached Calicut, where they were honourably received, and had a house allotted them by the prince, and there they brought their s.h.i.+ps to anchor. Soon afterwards there a.s.sembled many boats of the Moors and other neighbouring people, and some frigates belonging to the great sultan, all the people belonging to which conspired together against the Christians, being exceedingly adverse to the coming of the Christians into these parts, lest they should diminish their profits. They insisted therefore to have their s.h.i.+ps first loaded, to the great dissatisfaction of the Christians, who immediately complained to the king of the insolence of the Moors, but soon discovered that he favoured them. The king of Calicut was a person of very doubtful faith, and made the following answer: That it did not seem equitable for the Moors to be permitted to finish their traffic before the Christians; and gave orders accordingly, that the Christians might carry on their trade. The Moors trangressed this decree, and took away the goods of the Christians at pleasure; upon which disputes arose between the Christians and the Moors, in which the whole inhabitants of the city took part with the Moors. Whereupon a great slaughter was made of the Christians, above forty of them being slain; among whom was their princ.i.p.al factor, when endeavouring to escape by swimming. In revenge for this cruelty, the Christians made severe reprisals; as they burnt ten s.h.i.+ps belonging to the prefect of Syria, that is the sultan; and destroyed a considerable portion of the city by means of their _catapults_ and _bombards_[6], many houses being burnt to the ground, as they are covered with thatch like cottages, and exceedingly combustible.

After this, the fleet left Calicut, and went to another kingdom named Cochin, about forty miles distant, being conducted thither by a Jew who a.s.sumed the Christian faith. The king of Cochin hated the king of Calicut exceedingly, and on that account received the Christians with much kindness. Spices are in greater abundance at Cochin than at Calicut, and the Christians carried off such riches from Cochin as I dare scarcely venture to report; for they allege to have purchased a _cantarus_ of cinnamon, which is a considerable measure, for one gold ducat. The king of Cochin gave two hostages to the Portuguese, in a.s.surance of their safety, and sent even amba.s.sadors to the king of Portugal. In the mean time, the king of Calicut fitted out an immense fleet against the Christians, in revenge for having burnt the s.h.i.+ps in his harbour. This fleet exceeded 150 s.h.i.+ps, and carried 15,000 men, yet on account of a north wind which they were unable to contend with, they dared not to attack the Portuguese s.h.i.+ps, and withdrew from Cochin. As their great numbers were considerably formidable, the Portuguese s.h.i.+ps went to a certain island in which the body of St Thomas is interred, the lord of which received them kindly, and gave them some relics of that holy person in token of friends.h.i.+p: He even offered them greater quant.i.ties of spices than they had ever seen before, without money, trusting that they would pay for them on their return from Europe: But, being already laden, the Portuguese declined this friendly offer.

The Portuguese fleet employed fourteen months in this voyage, and returned to Lisbon in spring; but they say that it may be made much sooner, now that the course is well known, and may even be accomplished in ten months. All the s.h.i.+ps that reached Calicut returned, except one which was lost on certain rocks, but the crew saved, which s.h.i.+p was of six hundred tons burden. As yet only one caravel has come into port, but the rest are said to be not far off. This lately arrived s.h.i.+p came into port on St Johns day, 6th May, at which time I happened to be with the king, who addressed me in these words. "_Hah!_ congratulate me, good sir, as my fleet is already in the river, loaded with all kinds of spices." I received the news joyfully, as became me, and made my compliments of congratulation to the king. The tidings were welcomed with exceeding joy and all kind of festivity, with the sound of trumpets, cymbals, and flutes, and the continual firing of cannon. On the day following there was a solemn thanksgiving, at which all the people a.s.sisted. When I again waited on the king, he desired me to apprize your serenity of his good fortune, saying that you may send your s.h.i.+ps. .h.i.ther in safety to purchase his spices; adding, that he should take such measures as to prevent the prefect of Syria, that is the sultan[7]; from procuring spices in India.

He founds this hope a.s.suredly on the success which his fleet had lately in contending with the numerous vessels of the Moors, and has no doubt of being able to reduce India under his own authority. The s.h.i.+p already arrived is commanded by a Tuscan named Bartholomew, a native of Florence.

Her cargo consists of 300 _cantari_ or quintals of pepper, 120 cantari of cinnamon, 60 cantari of lac, and 15 cantari of castor and other perfumes of that kind[8]. They have no cloves or ginger, having been prevented by the Moors, as these could only be procured at Calicut; neither have they any of the lesser spices. They had purchased many pearls of different sorts, which were all lost in the disturbances at Calicut, in which many of their men and much riches were destroyed.

I must not omit to mention, that there have lately arrived messengers from _Ubenus_[9] king of Ethiopia to the king of Portugal, bringing gifts of ivory and many other things. These are soon to return in two s.h.i.+ps, which are to go to India after stopping at the new gold mines. While this s.h.i.+p which has first arrived was on its voyage home, it met two s.h.i.+ps steering their course from the _new gold mines_[10] for India. These; thinking themselves lost, or that they would be plundered by the Christians, offered to pay them a ransom of 15,000 ducats for leave to continue their voyage: But the Christians, though tempted by so much gold, gave these people many gifts and permitted them to continue their course, that they might hereafter be allowed a free trade with their country.

[1] This letter is dated on the 20th of June 1501, and obviously refers to the voyage of Cabral, who had returned from India not long before. The writer is described as a native of Crete, and envoy from the lords of Venice to the king of Portugal.--E.

[2] The strange geographical language here used is inexplicable, probably because the ideas of the writer were confused. He seems to mean the _Mina_ in Guinea, which is _five or six_ degrees _within_ the equator, or to the north; but is at least 18 west from the meridian of Sicily.

--E.

[3] Meaning the tropic of Capricorn, on which the sun is during our winter solstice--E.

[4] The recession of the coast inwards from Cape Delgado to Melinda, which may be called the Bay of Zanzibar.--E.

[5] In the map of Grynaeus already mentioned, this _Terra Psittacorum_ or Land of Parrots, is placed on the _south-west_ coast of Africa, between the Cape of Good Hope and Congo. Yet there can be no doubt that the recent discovery of Brazil on the _eastern_ coast of South America is here alluded to: Consequently, instead of the _lebeccio vento_, or S.W. wind of the text, it would naturally have required a S.

E. wind to force the Portuguese fleet so far to the westward of its intended course.--E.

[6] The author a.s.suredly uses these words to denominate two kinds of ordnance or cannon then used in the Portuguese s.h.i.+ps of war.--E.

[7] By the sultan or prefect of Syria, twice so designed in this dispatch, is evidently meant the Mameluk sultan of Egypt; but who was soon afterwards defeated and slain by the Turkish emperor. The ineffectual exertions of the Mameluks and Turks, instigated by Venice, to obstruct the Portuguese trade in India, will be afterwards mentioned.--E.

[8] It is difficult to say what is meant by a _cantarus_ in the text; perhaps a quintal or 100 pounds. The castor of the text, and other perfumes, may mean musk, civet, and ambergris.--E.

[9] Perhaps the king of Congo, or some other prince of the west coast of Africa is here alluded to; or perhaps the xeque or prince of the Moors at Sofala.--E.

[10] By the new gold mines Sofala seems indicated, as contradistinguished from the _old_ gold mines of Guinea. The story of the two s.h.i.+ps on their voyage to India from Sofala, obviously alludes to the Guzerate vessels, more particularly mentioned already in the voyage of Cabral --E.

SECTION II.

_Letter from certain Merchants and Bankers of Spain,[1] to their correspondents in the cities of Florence and Venice, respecting a treaty of peace and league between the kings of Portugal and Calicut._

We have been informed by those who were on board of the fleet which sailed from Lisbon to India in May 1502, and returned on the 15th December 1503, that the king of Calicut has concluded a peace with our sovereign on the following conditions. As a compensation for the slaughter of our men, he is to pay 4000 _bahars_ of pepper, equal to 12, 000 quintals. That the Moors shall not be allowed to trade there from any place whatever, excepting only those who are natives of Calicut; and that these even shall not be permitted to trade with Mecca. That our king, if so inclined, may build a fort at Calicut, and shall be supplied with a sufficient quant.i.ty of stones, lime, and timber for that purpose by the zamorin, paying for these on delivery. That the king of Calicut shall aid and favour the Portuguese in all things, and that it shall be competent for our king to appoint one of his own subjects to administer justice among the Portuguese resident in that city, even with the power of life and death, and without appeal to the zamorin. That when any of our people shall revolt from or be disobedient to our commercial agent, they shall immediately be delivered up to be judged by the aforesaid Portuguese consul. If any captive Moors are detained, they shall all be delivered up to our agent. That the two Milanese lapidaries, who had gone from Rome to India, and who there acted as military engineers and s.h.i.+pbuilders in the European fas.h.i.+on, to the disgrace of the Christian profession, and the vast injury of the Christians, should be delivered up in chains to the admiral of our fleet. That the kings or rajahs of Cochin and Cananore shall be included in this treaty as co-allies, mutually sharing all danger and advantages with the other contracting parties: So that if any one shall take arms against any of the parties to this treaty, he shall be declared an enemy to all the parties hereby confederated. If any of the parties to this league shall act contrary to its stipulations, the power of all the rest shall act against him, as a perfidious person, a traitor, and an enemy to good faith; all the contracting parties using their utmost to preserve the present peace and alliance inviolate. While the Portuguese fleet might remain in the harbour of Calicut, all other s.h.i.+ps whatever were to be refused access, at least until after ours were laden: But when there were sufficient goods for all who wanted them, then all s.h.i.+ps Were to be at liberty to load; provided always that the accustomed prices should not be augmented, and expressly that the profit to the venders should never exceed 8 per cent which was usual in that port.

These are the conditions of peace and alliance which have been stipulated, to the great honour and renown of our sovereign, as must be evident to every one; as henceforwards he may not only be accounted sovereign of India, but has imposed laws on Turkey and the prefect of Syria[2], since by this treaty all access to the city of Calicut is debarred to their traders. We do not even doubt that, in four years from hence, through the vigorous measures of our king, our sailors may safely navigate to Constantinople and Alexandria, the present most celebrated marts of eastern commerce, and shall take signal vengeance on the Moors by whom they have been infamously and frequently abused. For this purpose a fleet of twelve sail was fitted out this year, which found the rajah of Cochin expelled from his dominions, having fled for refuge from the hostilities of the king of Calicut to a strong place in a certain island. The only reason he could a.s.sign for the hostilities of the zamorin was, that, faithful to his engagements, he refused to deliver our people to the king of Calicut, and chose rather to live in exile than to betray his trust.

In this extremity, our fleet brought opportune aid to the friendly rajah, and having landed troops for his a.s.sistance, they marched boldly against the perfidious zamorin, routed his forces with great slaughter, and triumphantly restored the rajah of Cochin to his dominions.

This kingdom is not far distant from the straits of the Red Sea, where they have erected a very strong fortress[3], and are building another in the mouth of the bay of Cochin, provided with all kinds of warlike artillery, by which to repel the enemy, and to provide a safe station, for our fleet; nor shall we recede from thence, however adverse the natives may be to our remaining; and when the same shall be done in the bay of Calicut, it will not then be difficult to defend these stations and the adjoining coasts against all aggressors. Our s.h.i.+ps which remained in these seas last year made no small booty, as they took one morning five s.h.i.+ps bound from the kingdom of Cambaya for Mecca, the shrine of Mahomet, in which they found 1000 _cantari_ or quintals of clean cloves, besides a large quant.i.ty of the same spice not freed from the husk as is usual with us. These s.h.i.+ps had likewise castor and other perfumes of that kind[4], sanders wood, amber, purified lac, and excessively fine linen, and a large sum in gold and silver coin; insomuch that the value of this prize exceeded 200,000 ducats.