Storia do Mogor 137.3

137.3

The viceroy when I arrived was Antonio de Mello de Castro, who died afterwards a prisoner in Portugal, through good works of thieving, et cetera, of which he had been guilty in India. To replace him came Joao Nunes da Cunha, and this new governor as soon as he arrived undertook a great expedition. He kept his object secret, and it would have resulted in great honour to the Portuguese, if those who were envious of his earning this glory had not impeded its execution. There came from Masqat, a fortress on the Arabian coast formerly belonging to the Portuguese, which by their negligence they lost, when it passed into the hands of an Arabian prince — there came (I say) from this fortress to Goa a Portuguese named Andre da Andrada, who was commander of artillery there and passed for a Mahomedan. This man pledged his word to the new viceroy to deliver over the fortress if a strong fleet appeared before it by sea, and to secure that end he would spike the guns.