Chap VIII.] DEATH OF ALMEIDA. 181
extraordinary powers, enabled him to act with effect as a mediator. The result a d. isio. was, that Almeida abandoned all idea of resistance, and, resigning the insignia of office, took his departure for Em'ope. Before leaving, a native conjuror had told him that he was not destined to pass the Cape of Good Hope. He had pa.ssed it, however, and had begun to make merry with the prediction, when an event took place which terminated his career somewhat ignobly. The three ships he had with him anchored in Saldanha Bay, a little north of the Cape, and sent ashore a watering- party. One of the ex-viceroy's servants insulted one of the natives, and wa.s roughly handled by them in return. Almeida, Death of contrary to his wish and better judgment, was induced to take part in this petty stpiabble, and having gone ashore, was returning with the cattle carried oft in a foray, when the natives, wlio had been lying in ambuscade, rushed out upon him. They were armed only with pointed stakes, but tiiese they used so efiectujdly, that tifty of the Portuguese soon lay dead at their feet. Among them was the ex-viceroy himself, morttdly wounded by a thrust which ])ierced liis throat.
Albuquerque, now fully installed as viceroy, was bent on following out his Aii,u<iuer-
que's attack
career of con(iuest, and sailed for Calicut, before which he appeared on the 2d on caikm of January, 1510, with thirty vessels and 1800 men, together with a number of natives who followed in boats, allured by the hope of plunder. Coutinho iiad airived from Europe with an earnest longing for Eastern renown ; and now that the opportunity offered, he had set iiis heart on signalizing himself as the captor of the royal palace. Albuquerque indulged him by giving him the command of 800 men, after administering all tiie cautions which his superior talents and expe- rience suggested. Unfortunately Coutinho thought only of his prize, and rushed forward as if he had been running a race rather than fighting a battle. Never looking behind him, he forced his way to the palace, and set about installing liimself in it, for the purpose of celebratmg his triumph. His infatuation was soon perceived by the native troops, who took advantage of it so silently and effectually, that Coutinho did not awake to a sense of his peril, till he found himself hemmed in by thousands of natives, and dei^rived of every outlet, """""'ow
•^ escape
Albuquerque, in exerting himself for his relief, was so severely wounded in the head by a stone, and in the throat by a dart, that lie was borne senseless to the shore. Coutinho, and several young nobles from Lisbon, fell in the palace fighting desperately ; ami the whole detachment would have perished to a man, had not a hirge body of reserve arrived and obHged the enemy to retire. Notwith- standing tills disastrous retreat, the inhabitants suffered much more severely than the Portuguese, and saw the greater part of their city laid in ruins.
Ormuz was the next place to which Albuquerque turned his attention. He had there been baffled by the supineness or treachery of his officers, particularly Lope de Soarez and Juan de Nueva, and obliged, in consecpxence, to leave one of the main avenues of Mahomet<iii trade still open. He accordingly began to
