an island, at the morning we came to anchor at this island; where
we saw a small boat which they call Boloto, with eight men inside,
which approached the ship of the captain-general. Then a slave of the
captain’s, who was from Sumatra, otherwise named Traprobana, spoke
from afar to these people, who understood his talk,[287] and came near
to the side of the ship, but they withdrew immediately, and would not
enter the ship from fear of us. So the captain seeing that they would
not trust to us showed them a red cap, and other things, which he had
tied and placed on a little plank,[288] and the people in the boat took
them immediately and joyously, and then returned to advise their king.
Two hours afterwards, or thereabouts, we saw come two long boats, which
they call Ballanghai, full of men. In the largest of them was their
king sitting under an awning of mats; when they were near the ship of
the captain-general, the said slave spoke to the king, who understood
him well, because in these countries the kings know more languages than
the common people. Then the king ordered some of his people to go to
the captain’s ship, whilst he would not move from his boat, which was
near enough to us. This was done, and when his people returned to the
boat, he went away at once. The captain gave good entertainment to the
men who came to his ship, and gave them all sorts of things, on which
account the king wished to give the captain a rather large bar of solid
gold, and a chest[289] full of ginger. However, the captain thanked him
very much but would not accept the present. After that, when it was
late, we went with the ships near to the houses and abode of the king.
The next day which was Good Friday, the captain sent on shore the
before-mentioned slave, who was our interpreter, to the king to beg
him to give him for money some provisions for his ships, sending him
word that he had not come to his country as an enemy, but as a friend.
The king on hearing this came with seven or eight men in a boat, and
entered the ship, and embraced the captain, and gave him three china
dishes covered with leaves full of rice, and two _dorades_, which
are rather large fish, and of the sort above-mentioned, and he gave
him several other things. The captain gave this king a robe of red
and yellow cloth, made in the Turkish fashion, and a very fine red
cap, and to his people he gave to some of them knives, and to others
mirrors. After that refreshments were served up to them. The captain
told the king, through the said interpreter, that he wished to be with
him, _cassi[290] cassi_, that is to say, brothers. To which the king
answered that he desired to be the same towards him. After that the
captain showed him cloths of different colours, linen, coral, and much
other merchandise, and all the artillery, of which he had some pieces
fired before him, at which the king was much astonished; after that the
captain had one of his soldiers armed with white armour, and placed him
in the midst of three comrades, who struck him with swords and daggers.
The king thought this very strange, and the captain told him, through
the interpreter, that a man thus in white armour was worth a hundred
of his men; he answered that it was true; he was further informed that
there were in each ship two hundred like that man. After that the
captain showed him a great number of swords, cuirasses, and helmets,
and made two of the men play with their swords before the king; he then
showed him the sea chart and the ship compass, and informed him how he
had found the strait to come there, and of the time which he had spent
in coming; also of the time he had been without seeing any land, at
which the king was astonished. At the end the captain asked[291] if
he would be pleased that two of his people should go with him to the
places where they lived, to see some of the things of his country. This
the king granted, and I went with another.
When I had landed, the king raised his hands to the sky, and turned to
us two, and we did the same as he did; after that he took me by the
hand, and one of his principal people took my companion, and led us
under a place covered with canes, where there was a ballanghai, that is
to say, a boat, eighty feet long or thereabouts, resembling a fusta. We
sat with the king upon its poop, always conversing with him by signs,
and his people stood up around us, with their swords, spears, and
bucklers. Then the king ordered to be brought a dish of pig’s flesh and
wine.[292] Their fashion of drinking is in this wise, they first raise
their hands to heaven, then take the drinking vessel in their right
hand, and extend the left hand closed towards the people. This the king
did, and presented to me his fist, so that I thought that he wanted to
strike me; I did the same thing towards him; so with this ceremony, and
other signs of friendship, we banqueted, and afterwards supped with him.
I ate flesh on Good Friday, not being able to do otherwise, and before
the hour of supper, I gave several things to the king, which I had
brought. There I wrote down several things as they name them in their
language, and when the king and the others saw me write, and I told
them their manner of speech, they were all astonished. When the hour
for supper had come, they brought two large china dishes, of which one
was full of rice, and the other of pig’s flesh, with its broth[293] and
sauce. We supped with the same signs and ceremonies, and then went to
the king’s palace, which was made and built like a hay grange, covered
with fig and palm leaves. It was built on great timbers high above
the ground, and it was necessary to go up steps and ladders to it.
Then the king made us sit on a cane mat, with our legs doubled as was
the custom; after half an hour there was brought a dish of fish roast
in pieces, and ginger fresh gathered that moment, and some wine. The
eldest son of the king, who was the prince, came where we were, and the
king told him to sit down near us, which he did; then two dishes were
brought, one of fish, with its sauce, and the other of rice, and this
was done for us to eat with the prince. My companion enjoyed the food
and drink so much that he got drunk. They use for candles or torches
the gum of a tree which is named Animé, wrapped up in leaves of palms
or fig trees. The king made a sign that he wished to go to rest, and
left with us the prince, with whom we slept on a cane mat, with some
cushions and pillows of leaves. Next morning the king came and look
me by the hand, and so we went to the place where we had supped, to
breakfast, but the boat came to fetch us. The king, before we went
away, was very gay, and kissed our hands, and we kissed his. There came
with us a brother of his, the king of another island,[294] accompanied
by three men. The captain-general detained him to dine with us, and we
gave him several things.
In the island belonging to the king who came to the ship there are
mines of gold, which they find in pieces as big as a walnut or an egg,
by seeking in the ground. All the vessels which he makes use of are
made of it, and also some parts of his house, which was well fitted up
according to the custom of the country, and he was the handsomest man
that we saw among these nations. He had very black hair coming down to
his shoulders, with a silk cloth on his head, and two large gold rings
hanging from his ears, he had a cloth of cotton worked with silk, which
covered him from the waist to the knees, at his side he wore a dagger,
with a long handle which was all of gold, its sheath was of carved
wood.[295] Besides he carried upon him scents of storax and benzoin.
He was tawny and painted all over. The island of this king is named
Zuluan and Calagan, and when these two kings wish to visit one another
they come to hunt in this island where we were.[296] Of these kings the
painted king is called Raia Calambu, and the other Raia Siani.[297]
On Sunday, the last day of March, and feast of Easter, the captain
sent the chaplain ashore early to say mass, and the interpreter went
with him to tell the king that they were not coming on shore to dine
with him, but only to hear the mass. The king hearing that sent two
dead pigs. When it was time for saying mass the captain went ashore
with fifty men, not with their arms, but only with their swords, and
dressed as well as each one was able to dress, and before the boats
reached the shore our ships fired six cannon shots as a sign of peace.
At our landing the two kings were there, and received our captain in
a friendly manner, and placed him between them, and then we went to
the place prepared for saying mass, which was not far from the shore.
Before the mass began the captain threw a quantity of musk rose water
on those two kings, and when the offertory of the mass came, the two
kings went to kiss the cross like us, but they offered nothing, and at
the elevation of the body of our Lord they were kneeling like us, and
adored our Lord with joined hands. The ships fired all their artillery
at the elevation of the body of our Lord. After mass had been said each
one did the duty of a Christian, receiving our Lord. After that the
captain had some sword-play by his people, which gave great pleasure
to the kings. Then he had a cross brought, with the nails and crown,
to which the kings made reverence, and the captain had them told that
these things which he showed them were the sign of the emperor his lord
and master, from whom he had charge and commandment to place it in
all places where he might go or pass by. He told them that he wished
to place it in their country for their profit, because if there came
afterwards any ships from Spain to those islands, on seeing this cross,
they would know that we had been there, and therefore they would not
cause them any displeasure to their persons nor their goods; and if
they took any of their people, on showing them this sign, they would
at once let them go. Besides this, the captain told them that it was
necessary that this cross should be placed on the summit of the highest
mountain in their country, so that seeing it every day they might adore
it, and that if they did thus, neither thunder, lightning, nor the
tempest could do them hurt. The kings thanked the captain, and said
they would do it willingly. Then he asked whether they were Moors or
Gentiles, and in what they believed. They answered that they did not
perform any other adoration, but only joined their hands, looking up to
heaven, and that they called their God, Aba. Hearing this, the captain
was very joyful, on seeing that, the first king raised his hands to
the sky and said that he wished it were possible for him to be able to
show the affection which he felt towards him. The interpreter asked him
for what reason there was so little to eat in that place, to which the
king replied that he did not reside in that place except when he came
to hunt and to see his brother, but that he lived in another island
where he had all his family. Then the captain asked him if he had any
enemies who made war upon him, and that if he had any he would go and
defeat them with his men and ships, to put them under his obedience.
The king thanked him, and answered that there were two islands the
inhabitants of which were his enemies; however, that for the present it
was not the time to attack them. The captain therefore said to him that
if God permitted him to return another time to this country, he would
bring so many men that he would put them by force under his obedience.
Then he bade the interpreter tell them that he was going away to dine,
and after that he would return to place the cross on the summit of
the mountain. The two kings said they were content, and on that they
embraced the captain, and he separated from them.
After dinner we all returned in our dress coats[298], and we went
together with the two kings to the middle of the highest mountain we
could find, and there the cross was planted. After that the two kings
and the captain rested themselves; and, while conversing, I asked where
was the best port for obtaining victuals. They replied that there were
three, that is to say, Ceylon, Zzubu,[299] and Calaghan, but that Zzubu
was the largest and of the most traffic. Then the kings offered to
give him pilots to go to those ports, for which he thanked them, and
deliberated to go there, for his ill-fortune[300] would have it so.
After the cross had been planted on that mountain, each one said the
Paternoster and Ave Maria, and adored it, and the kings did the like.
Then we went down below to where their boats were. There the kings
had brought some of the fruit called cocos and other things to make a
collation and to refresh us. The captain, being desirous to depart the
next day in the morning, asked the king for the pilots to conduct us to
the above-mentioned ports, promising him to treat them like themselves,
and that he would leave one of his own men as a hostage. The first
king said that he would go himself and conduct him to this port, and
be his pilot, but that he should wait two days, until he had had his
rice gathered in and done other things which he had to do, begging him
to lend him some of his men so as to get done sooner. This the captain
agreed to.
This kind of people are gentle, and go naked, and are painted. They
wear a piece of cloth made from a tree, like a linen cloth, round their
body to cover their natural parts: they are great drinkers. The women
are dressed in tree cloth from their waists downwards; their hair is
black, and reaches down to the ground: they wear certain gold rings in
their ears. These people chew most of their time a fruit which they
call areca, which is something of the shape of a pear; they cut it
in four quarters, and after they have chewed it for a long time they
spit it out, from which afterwards they have their mouths very red.
They find themselves the better from the use of this fruit because it
refreshes them much, for this country is very hot, so that they could
not live without it. In this island there is a great quantity of dogs,
cats, pigs, fowls, and goats, rice, ginger, cocos, figs, oranges,
lemons, millet, wax, and gold mines. This island is in nine degrees and
two-thirds north latitude, and one hundred and sixty-two longitude[301]
from the line of demarcation: it is twenty-five leagues distant from
the other island where we found the two fountains of fresh water. This
island is named Mazzava.
We remained seven days in this place; then we took the tack of
Maestral, passing through the midst of five isles, that is to say,
Ceylon, Bohol, Canighan, Baibai, and Satighan.[302] In this island of
Satighan is a kind of bird[303] called Barbastigly, which are as large
as eagles. Of these we killed only one, because it was late. We ate it,
and it had the taste of a fowl. There are also in this island doves,
tortoises, parrots, and certain black birds as large as a fowl, with
a long tail. They lay eggs as large as those of a goose. These they
put a good arm’s length[304] under the sand in the sun, where they are
hatched by the great heat which the heated sand gives out; and when
these birds are hatched they push up[305] the sand and come out. These
eggs are good to eat. From this island of Mazzabua[306] to that of
Satighan there are twenty leagues, and on leaving Satighan we went by
the west; but the King of Mazzabua could not follow us; therefore we
waited for him near three islands, that is to say, Polo, Ticobon, and
Pozzon. When the king arrived he was much astonished at our navigation,
the captain-general bade him come on board his ship with some of his
principal people, at which they were much pleased. Thus we went to
Zzubu, which is fifteen leagues off from Satighan.
Sunday, the 7th of April, about midday, we entered the port of
Zzubu, having passed by many villages. There[307] we saw many houses
which were built on trees. On approaching the principal town the
captain-general commanded all his ships to hang out their flags. Then
we lowered the sails in the fashion in which they are struck when going
to fight, and he had all the artillery fired, at which the people of
this place were greatly frightened. The captain sent a young man whom
he had brought up,[308] with the interpreter to the king of this island
Zzubu. These having come to the town, found a great number of people
and their king with them, all alarmed by the artillery which had been
fired. But the interpreter reassured them, saying that it was the
fashion and custom to fire artillery when they arrived at ports, to
show signs of peace and friendship; and also, to do more honour to the
king of the country, they had fired all the artillery. The king and
all his people were reassured. He then bade one of his principal men
ask what we were seeking. The interpreter answered him that his master
was captain of the greatest king in the world, and that he was going
by the command of the said sovereign to discover the Molucca islands.
However, on account of what he had heard where he had passed, and
especially from the King of Mazzava, of his courtesy and good fame, he
had wished to pass by his country to visit him, and also to obtain some
refreshment of victuals for his merchandise. The king answered him that
he was welcome, but that the custom was that all ships which arrived
at his country or port paid tribute, and it was only four days since
that a ship called the Junk of Ciama,[309] laden with gold and slaves,
had paid him his tribute, and, to verify what he said, he showed them
a merchant of the said Ciama, who had remained there to trade with the
gold and slaves. The interpreter said to him that this captain, on
account of being captain of so great a king as his was, would not pay
tribute to any sovereign in the world; and that if he wished for peace
he would have peace, and if he wished for war he would have war. Then
the merchant above-mentioned replied to the king in his own language,
“Look well, oh king,[310] what you will do, for these people are of
those who have conquered Calicut, Malacca, and all greater India; if
you entertain them well and treat them well you will find yourself the
better for it, and if ill, it will be so much the worse for you, as
they have done at Calicut and Malacca.” The interpreter, who understood
all this discourse, said to them that the king, his master, was a good
deal more powerful in ships and by land than the King of Portugal,
and declared to him that he was the King of Spain and Emperor of all
Christendom, wherefore, if he would not be his friend and treat his
subjects well, he would another time send against him so many men as
to destroy him. Then the king answered that he would speak to his
council, and give an answer the next day. Afterwards the king ordered
a collation to be brought of several viands, all of meat, in porcelain
dishes, with a great many vessels of wine. When the repast was over,
our people returned, and related all to the captain; and the King of
Mazzabua, who was on board the captain’s ship, and who was the first
king after him of Zzubu, and the lord of several isles, wished to go on
shore to relate to the king the politeness and courtesy of our captain.
Monday morning our clerk went with the interpreter to the town of
Zzubu, and the king, accompanied by the principal men of his kingdom,
came to the open space, where we made our people sit down near him, and
he asked whether there was more than one captain in all those ships,
and whether he wished that the king should pay tribute to the emperor,
his master, to which our people answered, no, but that the captain only
wished to trade with the things which he had brought with the people
of his country, and not with others. Then the king said that he was
content, and as a greater sign of affection he sent him a little of
his blood from his right arm, and wished he should do the like. Our
people answered that he would do it. Besides that, he said that all the
captains who came to his country had been accustomed to make a present
to him, and he to them, and therefore they should ask their captain if
he would observe the custom. Our people answered that he would; but
as the king wished to keep up the custom, let him begin and make a
present, and then the captain would do his duty.
Tuesday morning following the King of Mazzava, with the Moor, came to
the ship, and saluted the captain on behalf of the King of Zzubu, and
said that the king was preparing a quantity of provisions, as much as
he could, to make a present of to him, and that after dinner he would
send two of his nephews, with others of his principal people, to make
peace with him. Then the captain had one of his men armed with his own
armour, and told him that all of us would fight armed in that manner,
at which the Moorish merchant was rather astonished; but the captain
told him not to be afraid, and that our arms were soft to our friends
and rough to our enemies; and that as a cloth wipes away the sweat from
a man, so our arms destroy the enemies of our faith. The captain said
this to the Moor, because he was more intelligent than the others, and
for him to relate it all to the King of Zzubu.