Chap. VII.]
DE GAM A AND THE ZAMORIN.
IGl
of him summarily. The cotwal accordingly set out in pursuit, and found I)e a.d. urn. Gama luistening on considerably in advance of his attendants. The cotwal ralKed him on his haste, and asked him if he was running away. He answered, "Yes; I am running away from the heat;' and continued his journey, the cot- wal keeping close by him till he reached the village. It was sunset before his men came up, but he called immediately for a boat. The cotwal at first endea- voured to dissuade him, but finding him resolute, pretended to send for the boatmen, while at the same time he sent another messacre, orderin<j them to keep out of the way. The consequence was that no boat appeared, and there was no alternative but to pass the night on shore.
lu the morning matters assumed a still more threatening appearance. The i>eGain.i
forcibly ilo-
cotwal, instead of bringing a boat, told him to
tiiiued ushore
order his ships nearer shore, and on his refusal, threw off all disguise, telling him that as he would not do what he was ordered he should not go on board. De Gama was thus to all in- tents a prisoner. The doors of his lodging were shut, and several nairs with drawn swords kept guard within. Coello meantime had come with his boats within a short distance of the shore ; and, fortunately, by communicating with one of De Gamas sailors, who had been left outside, was apprised of his situation. The cotwal, while he still detained him, seemed afraid to proceed to violent extremes; and after finding that he could not lure the vessels into the harbour, so as to give the Moors an oppoi't unity of destroy- ing them, changed his tactics and asked only that the merchandise should be sent ashore. His object apparently was to appropriate it to himself; and as De Gama's presence interfered with this object, he was easily His release, induced, as soon as the merchandise arrived, to allow him to depart.
De Gama, once free of the cotwal and his associates, determined not again to place himself in their power, but took care by his factor, Diego Diaz, brother of the more celebrated Bartolommeo, who first doubled the Cape, to acquaint the zamorin ^vith the unworthy treatment to which he had been subjected. The zamorin seemed much incensed, and promised both to punish the offenders Traffic and send merchants to purchase the goods. He could scarcely have been sin- cere, for the insolence of the Moors increased ; and the goods, which they took every opportunity to depreciate, found few purchasers. A kind of traffic, how- ever, was established ; and after permission was given to remove the goods from Pandarane to Calicut, as a more suitable market, much friendly intercourse took Vol. I. 21
Ship of Spaik, Fifteenth Century —From EpiiloUk Crutoferi Colom.. Ac. 1 I9.S.
commencoi..
1.
