_Transactions during the Government of Martin Alfonso de Sousa, from
1542 to 1543_.
In the year 1542, but whether under the government of De Gama or De
Sousa is uncertain, Antonio de Mota, Francisco Zeymoto, and Antonio
Peixoto, while on a voyage to China, were driven by a storm among the
islands of _Nipongi_ or _Nijon_, called _Gipon_ by the Chinese, and
known in Europe by the name of _Japan_. They were well received in one
of these islands, of which they had the honour to be the first
discoverers, though accidentally. These islands of Japan are far to the
eastward of all India, being even beyond China, and lie between the
latitudes of 30° and 40° N[360]. These islands are numerous, the
principal and largest island being that peculiarly called _Niphon_,
_Nifon_, _Nipongi_, or _Japan_, which gives name to the group, and in
which is the city of _Meaco_ the imperial residence. According to the
natives this principal island is 366 leagues in length, but by our
computation only 266[361]. The chief islands around the large one, are
_Cikoko_, _Toksosi_, _Sando_, _Sisime Bacasa_, _Vuoki_, _Taquixima_, or
_Takishima_, and _Firando_[362]. Fernan Mendez Pinto in his travels
assumes the merit of this discovery to himself; pretending that he came
to the island of _Tanixima_, by which I suppose he meant _Taquixima_,
not by stress of weather, but by design, in the service of a pirate who
had relieved him and his companions when cast away, naming Christopher
Borallo and Diego Zeymoto as those who accompanied him. In both
relations _three_ names are mentioned as the discoverers of Japan, one
only, _Zeymoto_, being the same in both, and both agree in the date of
the discovery being in 1542. According to Pinto, the prince of the
island of _Tanixima_ was named _Nautaquim_ who stood amazed on seeing
the three Portuguese strangers, and uttered the following mysterious
words: "These are certainly the _Chinchicogies_, spoken of in our
records; who, flying over the waters, shall come to be lords of the
lands where God has placed the greatest riches of the world. It will be
fortunate for us if they come as friends!"
[Footnote 360: More rigidly from lat. 31° 28' to 40° 80' N. and between
the longitudes of 127° 47' and 142° 33' E. from Greenwich.--E.]
[Footnote 361: Meaning probably a different denomination of measure. The
island of Niphon measures 824 English miles in extreme length, from S.W.
to N.E. in a somewhat bent line. Its breadth varies from 55 to 240
miles, averaging about 100; but it is extremely irregular, owing to many
deep bays and considerable peninsulae. _Jedo_ is now the capital and
residence of the temporal sovereign, _Meaco_ of the once spiritual
sovereign, now reduced to chief priest of the national religion.--E.]
[Footnote 362: The only islands of magnitude besides Niphon, are
_Kiusiu_, which does not appear to have any representative in the text,
and _Sicocf_, probably the _Cikoko_ of De Faria. The other numerous
islands are of little importance, and several of the names in the text
cannot be referred to any of the islands. _Firando_ and _Taquixima_
remain unchanged, and the others cannot be traced.--E.]
The first action of the new governor De Sousa was to diminish the pay of
the soldiers. The saving of charges is a great means of gaining the
favour of princes; _yet ministers never express their zeal by
retrenching their own large allowances_, but by cutting off the small
ones from the poor; and, as was natural, this alteration occasioned much
discontent among the troops. At this time the queen of _Batecala_, a
well-built city on the banks of a river, on the coast of Canara, in a
fertile country, refused to pay her tribute, and entertained pirates in
her port to the great prejudice of trade; on which account De Sousa
went with 2000 men in 60 vessels of different kinds to reduce her to
obedience. On entering the port of Batecala where he demanded payment of
the tribute, and that the pirate ships should be delivered up, the queen
endeavoured to procrastinate till such time as she knew it would be
necessary for the governor to retire with his armament to Cochin. But
being aware of this artifice, the governor landed with 1200 men in two
battalions, and ordered twenty light vessels to go up the river to
attack the city on that side, while he assailed it on the land side.
While marching through a wood, the governor was opposed by a body of
musqueteers; but his troops drove them to the gates of the city, which
they entered along with the fugitives, in spite of every opposition from
the enemy who were encouraged by the queen in person. It was night when
the Portuguese got possession of the city; and in the morning they began
to plunder, not even sparing the Portuguese who were settled there. They
even fell out among themselves, and came to blows, in which all were
hurt and none enriched. The enemy noticed this contention among the
Portuguese from a neighbouring hill to which they had retired, and
endeavoured to take advantage of this circumstance, by discharging
incessant flights of arrows into the town. On receiving orders from De
Sousa to march against the enemy, the discontented troops exclaimed,
"That the rich gentry might march if they would; but that they only came
to make up by plunder for the pay of which they had been unjustly
deprived." Gracia de Sa went out against the enemy with a few lances;
but after several charges, almost the whole of the Portuguese shamefully
took to flight, endeavouring in such haste to reimbark that several were
drowned in the confusion. Indignant at this cowardice, the governor
reproached them as not being the same brave men he had left in India
only two years before. To this they answered, thinking he meant it as a
reflection on his predecessor, "That the men were the same, but the
governor was changed; and that this was the fruit of lessening their
pay, to enable him to give gratuities to those who knew better how to
beg favours than to deserve them." De Sousa retired to the ships for the
night, but landed next day, when he utterly destroyed the city and
surrounding country with fire and sword, and made all the woods be cut
down[363]. Unable any longer to resist, the queen purchased peace by
submitting to a heavier subjection than before.
[Footnote 363: The cutting down of the woods mentioned in the text,
probably refers to cocoa nut trees, on which the natives of the coast of
India appear to have greatly depended for food.--E.]
The king of Ormuz had fallen into arrears of life tribute, and was due
500,000 ducats, which he was unable to pay; for the tribute had been
successively raised from 12,000 ducats originally imposed by
Albuquerque, to 100,000, so that from a tributary he became a slave, not
having even a competent maintenance remaining. Finding him unable to
discharge the debt, De Sousa proposed to him to make over the customs of
Ormuz to the Portuguese, which he agreed to, that he might get rid of
the oppression. But the Persians soon afterwards deprived them of this
source of revenue, which they had unjustly appropriated to themselves.
In the year 1544, De Sousa fitted out a fleet of 45 sail, in which were
embarked 3000 seamen and soldiers. The design of this armament was kept
a profound secret, which was to rob the pagoda of _Tremele_, 12 miles
inland from St Thomas of Meliapour, in the kingdom of Bisnagar, for
which express orders had been given by King John, under pretence that
India was wasted, as if any pretence could justify robbery. The design
was however discovered, or as others say it was disappointed by contrary
winds. Yet the governor was persuaded to plunder other pagodas, where it
was thought there were equal riches. By the way, he sent a message to
the king of Jafnapatam in the island of Ceylon, commanding him either to
become tributary to the crown of Portugal, or to prepare for opposing
the armament. The king agreed to pay 4000 ducats yearly, glad to get off
so easily. A king called _Grande_ near Cape Comorin, being in fear of
the Portuguese, sent a present to the governor. De Sousa proceeded to a
pagoda named _Tebelicate_[364], near _Calecoulam_, although the
Portuguese were at peace with the king of that country, and went into it
with a small number of his confidants, whence they brought out two casks
so heavy that they loaded many men. These casks were reported to contain
water, though some affirmed that it was gold and jewels; but the truth
was never known. It has been alleged by some writers that nothing was
found but a golden vessel worth 4000 crowns, in which the idol used to
be bathed, and which was ordered to be restored by the king of Portugal,
who was much displeased at the conduct of De Sousa on this occasion; as
if it were a greater crime to rob the pagoda of _Tebilicare_ without
orders, than that of _Tremele_ with orders. While the Portuguese were
returning to their ships, the town and pagoda were set on fire, and they
were attacked in a narrow defile by 200 Nayres, who killed 30 of them;
but on getting into the open field, the Nayres were put to flight. No
danger terrifies avarice. The Portuguese went on to another pagoda, from
which a chest was brought out and opened publicly, and some silver money
which it contained was distributed among the troops; but of so small
account, that many believed the liberality was owing to that
circumstance.
[Footnote 364: Called afterwards _Tebilicare_.]
De Sousa was obliged to return in all haste to Goa, owing to the
following circumstance, communicated to him by a message from Don Garcia
de Castro. _Aceda Khan_, lord of the lands around Goa, intending to
depose Adel Khan, prevailed on Don Garcia, by means of presents to
deliver up to him _Meale Khan_ the brother of Adel Khan, pretending that
he held the kingdom wrongfully. This gave just cause of complaint to
Adel Khan, and occasioned considerable danger to the Portuguese. The
governor listened to the arguments and offers of both sides; but
inclined more to favour Aceda Khan, who offered to cede the kingdom of
Concan, giving a revenue of about a million, then possessed by Abraham,
a good man and a friend of the Portuguese. As this territory was very
valuable, particularly from its neighbourhood to Goa, the governor
declared in favour of Meale Khan, and prepared to possess himself of the
Concan which was offered by Aceda Khan. This was a notorious act of
injustice; and as De Sousa was naturally of a haughty disposition, none
of his officers dared to remonstrate; but Pedro de Faria, then
four-score years of age, trusting to his quality and the great offices
he had held, repaired late one night to the governors tent, and
prevailed upon him to desist from so unjust an undertaking. Next day the
governor abandoned his design, pretending various reasons of delay, and
returned to Goa, carrying Meale Khan along with him.
At this time Aceda Khan died, who was the contriver of this discord, and
Adel Khan descended the gaut mountains with a powerful army to reduce
the rebels, recovering possession of the Concan in a few days. But as
Adel Khan was still fearful of Meale Khan, he offered the lands of
_Salsete_ and _Bardez_ to De Sousa, on condition of delivering him up,
which were valued at 50,000 ducats of yearly revenue. De Sousa refused
to give up this man who had confided in him for protection; but offered,
if put in possession of these districts, that he would remove Meale to
some place where he could give no disturbance to Adel Khan. These
conditions were agreed to and performed by Adel Khan, but evaded by De
Sousa, who sent Meale to Cananor and brought him back to Goa. Some
alleged that this was done to overawe Adel Khan, while others said it
was meant as a bait to extort presents; and it was certain that some
were actually sent.
In this treaty, Adel Khan had agreed that De Sousa was to be put into
possession of the vast treasures which had been left by the rebel Aceda
Khan, said to amount to ten millions of ducats, and which at his death
had fallen into the hands of Khojah Zemaz-oddin, who persuaded De Sousa
that it was only one million, and delivered that sum to him. Adel Khan
afterwards gave notice to De Sousa of the vast fraud which had been used
in the pretended delivery of the treasure; but all his efforts to secure
the defaulter were in vain.
Sultan Mahmud, sovereign of Cambaya or Guzerat, was desirous of
recovering possession of the castle built by the Portuguese at Diu, and
of freeing himself by that means from the trammels which had been thrown
in the way of the trade of his dominions. In the late treaty between him
and the Portuguese, it had been stipulated, with the consent of the
viceroy Don Garcia, that the government of Cambaya might erect a wall
between the city of Diu and the castle. This wall was accordingly
commenced; but as Emanuel de Sousa, who commanded in the castle of Diu,
considered that the wall now building was of a very different
description from a mere boundary, as intended in the treaty, and
appeared to be destined for hostile purposes, he drove away the workmen,
threw down the wall, and made use of the materials for strengthening the
defences of the castle. Mahmud was highly offended at this procedure,
and at the instigation of his great minister Khojah Zofar, he secretly
used every possible means to stir up enemies to the Portuguese,
endeavouring to form an union of the Indian princes to expel them not
only from Diu but from all India.
In the course of this year 1544, the great Khan of the Tartars invaded
China and besieged _Peking_ with a prodigious army, amounting to
millions of men. A large detachment from this vast army, among which
were 60,000 horse, was sent against the city of _Quamsi_, which was
plundered, and an immense number of the inhabitants put to the sword.
While on his return with this part of the army, _Nauticor_ the Tartar
general attempted to reduce the fortress of _Nixiancoo_, but was
repulsed with the loss of 3000 men, on which he was disposed to desist
from the enterprise, deeming the place impregnable. Among the prisoners
taken at Quamsi were nine Portuguese, one of whom named George Mendez
made offer to the Tartar general to put him on a plan for gaining the
fortress of _Nixiancoo_, on condition that he and his companions were
restored to liberty. The general agreed to his proposal, and gained the
fort by the advice of Mendez, with the slaughter of 2000 Chinese and
Moguls. In pursuance of his promise, the general obtained the liberty of
the Portuguese from his sovereign, but prevailed on Mendez to continue
in his service by a pension of 6000 ducats. The Tartar emperor was
constrained to raise the siege of Peking and retire to _Tuymican_ his
residence in Tartary, after having closely invested the metropolis of
China for almost seven months, with the loss of 450,000 men, mostly cut
off by pestilence, besides 300,000 that deserted to the Chinese.
In 1545, Martin Alfonso de Sousa became exceedingly dissatisfied with
his situation as governor-general in India, being threatened on every
side by a combination of the native princes, and having no adequate
means of defence either in men or money. Only a few days before the
arrival of his successor, he declared to Diego Silveyra who was going to
sail for Portugal, that if the king did not immediately send out a
successor, he would open the patents of succession, and resign the
government to whoever he might find nominated for that purpose. He was
soon afterwards relieved by Don Juan de Castro, whose journal of the
expedition into the Red Sea we have laid before our readers in the
preceding chapter, and who arrived at Goa in August or September 1545,
to assume the government of India.