Storia do Mogor 265.17
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 265.17
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265.17.1
This event occurred in the year one thousand six hundred and seventy-six (1676). The soldiers crossed the river, and went in search of a livelihood, having received a considerable sum of money from the noble gentleman. The latter was seized and sent to Portugal. He asserted that he had shown great consideration to his victim in not slaying him until he had confessed and received the sacrament, whereas he might have had it done before. As it seems to me, Ignacio Sarmento had just reason not to be astonished at dying in that way, for in his day he, too, had done similar deeds more than once.
265.17.2
Another case was what happened to a Portuguese, judge of the Orphans, a neighbour of mine, who lived near the Arch of the Conception close to Pelorinho. He had married a good-looking half-caste named Anna Lestoa. This woman had been sought by several men of birth, and not having been able to secure her, they sent men to murder the husband. But God preserved his life ; he escaped with wounds all over his body, one ear gone and without one arm. The wretched man was forced to seek shelter in the convent of the barefooted Carmelites to recover from his injuries. In spite of their coming in search of him, he was kept a whole year, until the arrival of a new viceroy, Joao Nunis da Cunha, Count of Sao Vicente. He it was who sent out a fleet against the Arabs ; but it was a failure, as I have related (II. 129). I was a friend of the Carmelites, and my leisure time was passed in their convent, where I had long talks with the said Portuguese, and he confirmed to me the case of witchcraft at Mascate (Masqat), he being then a soldier in that garrison.
265.17.3
In the same city (Goa) there was another well-born man among the principal inhabitants called Manoel Corte Real, who brought great wealth from Mozambique. He married one of his daughters to a well-born youth called Dom Vasco de Gama, related to the family of that famous Gama who conquered India, he whose statue stands as a memorial to this day over the gate entering into the city, near the viceroy's palace. To her the father gave as a dowry the sum of two hundred thousand patacas [Rs. 400,000]. The youth, a person of small understanding, finding himself so rich, began to spend inordinately in an ostentatious way. There was an honourable lady who lived at her country house outside the city, and she had one lovely daughter. The youth heard of this girl's beauty, sent to interview her, and promised her a great deal of money. As she was prudent and honourable, she declined to accede to the young man's proposals. Finding that money was of no avail, he resolved to carry out his design by violence. With this intent he made preparations along with other gentlemen of his kidney. Going one night to the place, they broke in the door, entered, and violating mother and daughter, went home again.
265.17.4
When the lady found they did not return, she sent a friendly message that he might visit her house without apprehension. The simple Dom Vasco, never supposing that this amorousness was fictitious, called together his chief friends, who had been his companions on that other night, and off they went to the widow's house. She received them with feigned joy, and entertained them with a feast where the dishes were poisoned. Of such refined power was this poison that at the first mouthful three fell down then and there, while the fourth with the morsel in his mouth, seeing Dom Vasco and the others succumb, spat out the mouthful and fled in terror. Three days afterwards he, too, expired, the flesh falling off his body in small pieces. The well-born lady and her daughter retired to the nunnery of Santa Monica.
265.17.5
In Europe there is no idea about whether people in India are punctual or not in satisfying their debts to their creditors, because when they are in need they ask with much modesty, making a thousand bows, promising to pay the debt according to the obligations of a written bond. They show themselves as being very much obliged, and offer with humility to be [215] of service in any way. But, the money once in their hands, they remember no more about it and make no effort to pay. When the term of payment arrives they invent pretexts, making moan that the voyage they had just made ended in a loss because their goods had not sold. As they have no intention of paying, they invent such-like excuses. Thus to secure payment is a laborious business, and often one must have recourse to the law courts, wearing one's self out with fatigue, and all the while spending money. Over and over again the principal sum is lost, and from being friends you and your debtor turn into enemies. I have often seen this. Some men, in place of recovering their due, lose their lives by a blow on the head, or lose an arm, or some other similar mishap befalls them. This can be seen by the following case :
265.17.6
On my journey from Surat to Daman, I met on the road a Portuguese who was quitting the territory through fear of the law ; for this man had taken some money on loan, and the creditor being in need of money, sent to ask for the debt. The Portuguese sent back word that it was only in person that the creditor would be paid. In the hope of payment, he went to see his debtor. Instead of paying, the debtor had the creditor bound and his ears cut off, saying that he might thank his stars for getting off alive with only the loss of his ears, which were cut off because of his temerity in asking a gentleman to pay a debt. Once in Goa, being in my house, there suddenly appeared a gentleman of birth, who with much assurance took a seat without uttering any words of politeness. At his back stood four Kaffirs with staves in their hands. He said he was a gentleman of high rank, and occupied an important position in His Majesty's service, but fortune had not been kind to him. He had been wealthy, the lord of many plantations, but to pass the time he had gambled and lost all. Then, raising his eyes, he looked at me and said : ' I have heard that your honour is a merchant, a person of position, and the reputation you enjoy has induced me to visit you.' But he could not stay long, because the viceroy was waiting for his appearance to begin his dinner; and since he was in want of pocket-money, he would borrow a sum from me. I replied that I was a poor soldier, and not a merchant ;
265.17.7
he had been misinformed. Raising his voice, he said : ' These arguments will not do for me ; either lend me or give me what I need.' At these words the Kaffirs raised their staves. On seeing this I fell into a quandary, and began to reflect on what might be the result. I tried to retire into my room, when he said to me roughly, raising his voice, that I was not to stir from my place. Then, dissimulating as to the pressure put on me, I told my boy to bring me my writing-desk. I opened it in front of him and showed what it contained — namely, thirty ashrafis (gold coins). I handed him this amount with the greatest politeness, saying that, had there been more, I should most willingly have offered it to him. He felt so honoured that he took twenty-five coins, saying that would suffice for his wants during that day. He put his good services at my disposal, instructing his Kaffirs that when I needed them for giving anyone a beating with bamboos, or stabbing anyone, they must carry out my orders. He then departed. Conceiving that I had got rid of him very cheaply, I gave thanks to God, and at once changed my quarters, going to live close to the convent of the Carmelites ; and there I lived with my doors barred, for I had seen many houses robbed by bodies of masked men entering them.
265.17.8
It is the custom to close the shops at six o'clock, as soon as the sun sets, for if this were not done they would be plundered. This is because the soldiers and Kaffirs, dying of hunger, are forced into such conduct. The Baniya shopkeepers, in order to sell their goods — such as garlic, pimento, butter, and the rest — have a hole in the shop-door through which they receive the money and hand out what is wanted. Even this precaution did not avail them always, for some thieves pretending they wanted to buy something, a shopkeeper put his hand through the hole to take the money ; they seized his hand and pricked it with a knife and asked for the goods required, saying if he did not give them they would cut off his hand. The shopkeeper, seeing himself in this fix, could think of nothing but making the best bargain he could. So, calling to his wife to bring all he had, he offered the amount to the thieves. As soon as they had the money they released his hand. Let the reader just think of that Baniya's affliction, they being a very timid and avaricious class. When reports of this case reached the other Baniya shopkeepers, to circumvent the thieves they adopted a long wooden spoon to take the money and deliver the goods, and on no account would they put their hand through the hole. Experience had been their teacher.