166 IIISTOIIY OF INDIA. [B/jok I.
A D :m. having excited n riot, stormed the Poi-tugue.se fjictory. Many of the inmates,
and among others Ayres Correa, tlie principal fsicUjr, lost their lives. i.i.i„o,u.i8 Cabral, not having received any apology for this outrage from the zamorin,
Calicut. determined to take his own method of revenge, without giving him.self any concern as to the lawfulness of the means. On a sudden, without note of warning, he made a furious onset on ten large ships which were lying in the harljour ; and after a contest, dm-ing wliicli 600 of the Moors and natives perished, gained possession of the cargoes and set the ships on fire. Not satisfied with this, he opened his fire upon the town. Many of its public buildings were destroyed, and the inhabitants, becoming crowded in their flight, fell in great numbers. The zamorin him.self made a narrow escape, as one of his nair.s, who was immediately behind him, was struck down Vjy a cannon-ball. Fiieiidshii) Peace was now out of the question, and open war was declared The Portu-
of Cochin guese, however, had no idea of abandoning their Indian traffic; and on being dispossessed of one factory, immediately looked out for another. Farther soutli than Calicut, and bounding with it, was the kingdom or rajahship of Cocliia It recognized the supremacy of Calicut, but had often aspired to independence, and was therefore easily induced to listen to proposals of amity from the Portu- guese. The power of these new visitors had been signally displayed in their recent contest with the zamorin ; and the King of Cochin could scarcely doul>t that, were their powerful aid secured, the yoke of Calicut might soon be shaken off". Accordingly, when Cabral appeared off" the coast, and stated his desire to make the town and harbour of Cochin the seat of Portuguese commerce, the terms were easily arranged. The rajah, whose name was Truimpara or Trimum- para, at once agreed to give hostages as a security that the Portuguese should not be treacherously dealt with when ashore, only stij^ulating that the two nairs whom he sent for the purpose should be changed daily, as they coiild not eat on shipboard without becoming unfit for the royal presence, or, in other words, losing caste. The Portu- The harbouT of Cocliin, forming one of a series of lagoons which here line the
remove coast, and have occasional openings by which ships can enter, was far superior to that of Calicut ; and the Portuguese saw reason to congratulate themselves on their change of locality ; but recent experience made them cautious, and all that Cabral at first ventured to do Avas to land a factor of the name of Gonzalo Gil Barbosa, a clerk, an interpreter, and four criminals whom he had brought from Portugal, who were to act as servants. Their reception was very gracious : but the court presented none of the dazzling state conspicuous at Calicut. It soon appeared, however, that it possessed more valuable qualities. For every promise made was fulfilled. to the letter; and the lading of the Portuguese vessels with the spices which the country produced in abundance, was accom- plished without delay. This difference of treatment was probably omng, not so much to the personal qualities of the sovereigns of Calicut and Cochin, as to
