[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Storia do Mogor](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci) › [Storia do Mogor (Irvine)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine) › 338.20 # Storia do Mogor 338.20 Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 338.20 - **Language:** English ### [338.20.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20.1) The isle of Goa is supplied by provisions brought from territories in the province of Canara. For this purpose a number of small vessels were sent once under the convoy of a 34-gun frigate, they being afraid of the Malabar pirates. It is the practice, when the vessels have arrived in safety at their destination, for the frigate to anchor near the shore in some arm of the sea. On the following day a Dutch ship appeared which was on a voyage \[205\], but, detained by contrary winds, it had been forced to anchor near the frigate referred to. The Portuguese, believing it must be an Arab ship, said to the soldiers, ' Turn about, by God!' They threw their arms into the sea, and, getting into their men escaped to the shore, first setting fire to the ship. The Dutch, who were close by, hurried to the spot in their boats, hoping to rescue some of the people. They found there was not a soul on board. On getting closer to shore they asked from the vessels lying there what was the cause of all the disturbance. They replied it was because an Arab flying the Dutch flag wanted to deceive the Portuguese ship and take it. This is the way these gentlemen behave. ### [338.20.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20.2) In the year 1638 the King of Persia invested the fortress of Ormuz, a strong place belonging to the Portuguese ; but he was unable to reduce it, as it was relieved from the direction of the sea. He then called in the English, who sent a strong fleet. The governor of the fort heard that they meant to disembark at a difficult place. The council pointed out to him that he ought to bar their passage, a movement he could undertake without danger. He declined to do it, saying that if they persisted in a disembarkation, he took it upon himself to make them prisoners. The English disembarked and at once entrenched themselves, and placed field-pieces in position. The said governor did not put a high value on such people, but he sent all his soldiery, giving orders to their captains to capture the men who had landed ; should they decline to submit, they must be exterminated. The Portuguese marched and assaulted the trenches, where the English received them by a discharge of artillery with great noise, following it by musketry, whereby many were mown down. Losing not a moment, the English fell upon the survivors, aided by the Persians. Unable to resist this onslaught, the Portuguese took to flight and made for the fortress. The enemy followed, and the governor, seeing his routed troops approaching, opened the gates to receive them. ### [338.20.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20.3) The English and Persians crowded in along with the fugitives \[206\] and overpowered the garrison. At this day the place belongs to the King of Persia. He owed money for the expenses of the English fleet ; and it will have already been seen in my Fourth \[read First\] Part what efforts to recover this money were made by their ambassador, in whose suite I found myself. The fortress of Ormuz has an inscribed stone over the principal gate, which says : ' Open trenches, then lie down to sleep.' The noble Portuguese who commanded the place was liberated, and went to live in Goa city. Several gentlemen visited him there, and asked him why he did not ' open the trench,' as the stone directed. To save words, he replied to every one that there was no place to throw the earth. The fortress of Mascatte (Masqat) was taken by the Arabs in 1644, and the governor was the cause of its loss. He aggrieved one of his servants who acted as interpreter — a Jew by race — by ordering him to receive a shoe-beating, whereupon the angry victim vowed vengeance. He suggested to the Arabs that they should conceal the food-supplies throughout their country, and thus raise prices. He would then manage to obtain their entry into the place under the pretext of buying food. As soon as they saw themselves in sufficient numbers inside they could raise a disturbance and overpower the garrison. ### [338.20.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20.4) This was the very thing the Arabs longed for, and they entered into the plot. Now, the injured servant was aware that the governor relied on the advice of one of his women slaves called Luiza. This is customary enough among these nobles, who, being born in India, have lived from childhood among these people. The servant, then, advised the negro woman to speak to her master, saying he ought to sell his stored grain at a high price to the Arabs. An opportunity had arisen to gain a great deal of money, nor would it be long before more supplies arrived from Goa. The governor, impelled by greed, accepted the counsel, selling his stores at such high prices as to gain ten times the cost. By reason of this fictitious famine many Arabs found entry into the place, and when they saw they were numerous enough they had recourse to their weapons, and slew every Portuguese they encountered. As soon as the Portuguese were aware of the treachery within the town they quitted their houses and assembled. There were many killed on both sides. Finally the Arabs were driven back till they took shelter inside a church, and here they were surrounded. ### [338.20.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20.5) At this time an old man advised the commander of a fort upon a height to fire his guns and knock down the church, whereby some of the Arabs would be killed, while the rest would be slain by those who were in wait for them outside it. But as it is their habit to act contrary to any good advice given them, the captain declined, expressing his scruples about injuring a church. Just then another body of Arabs who were waiting outside the walls became aware of the commotion within the city. Laying hold of their swords, they entered. Those who were watching at the church forsook their post and ran to bar the way to the new assailants. In the interval those inside the church sallied forth and attacked them in the rear. Hence the Portuguese soldiers were caught between two bodies of Arabs, and were all killed, and the place lost. It happened that there was in this fortress a Portuguese prisoner, a criminal, who had relations, and many friars were his friends. All these made frantic efforts to obtain an order for his deliverance from the governor. He refused. Seeing no other course open, they all assembled, the friars carrying crucifixes, and entreated him for the love of God to pardon the man's life. This, too, was without effect. They then had recourse to the slave woman Luiza, who by a few words obtained the pardon. Nothing less than such disaster could be expected from such a governor and his government. ### [338.20.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20.6) The first time that I arrived in Goa I met an old Portuguese gentleman, rich and wise, who had seen most parts of Europe. His name was Manoel Saraiva. He spoke Italian very well, and was a great friend of mine. On the first occasion of my seeing him he told me I had come among a nation out of whom I should have no satisfaction. As he expressed it, \[208\] the Portuguese nation 'sono poci matty y mal arrivatty' \[they are a small number of madmen and troublesome fellows\]. As it seems to me, he was largely right, as I have seen from my intercourse with them and from their actions. I will conclude my remarks about the Portuguese by relating a little affair that happened in the town of São Thome. There was a Polish knight named Dom Theodoro de São Lucas who had been to Portugal and returned in one of their ships to India. Last year \[? 1703\] he was in Tramgambar (Tranquebar), belonging to the Dinamarcas (Danes). He was known to every one along these coasts. To amuse his friends in Madras he sent a made-up letter to an old Portuguese friend of his, the Chief Captain Senhor Lucas Luiz de Oliveira, who was a Sebastianist. In it he congratulated him on the good news received from Portugal, whence his friends had written that the King Dom Sebastião had now appeared. The said Senhor Lucas Luiz de Oliveira, on receipt of such joyful tidings, so ardently desired during so many years, was full of glee. ### [338.20.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20.7) He made ready at once a great banquet, to which he invited the members of his council, the principal officers of justice, and the other nobles living in the town, also the parish priests and other friars. When the banquet was over, during which quite enough had been drunk, Senhor Lucas Luiz de Oliveira showed the letter in question to all the other gentlemen, who (at any rate, the majority) believed that what it stated was true. To do the news greater honour, and to announce it to everybody, they decided on a night masquerade. Collecting horses and borrowing costumes, they paraded the streets, carrying many torches, letting off fireworks, serving out bottles of wine on all sides, and shouting through the town, 'Long life, long life, to the new-come king!' As dawn approached they retired to their houses, some with broken arms, others with sore feet, others with heads split open, others well bruised and beaten. All this provoked the laughter of the neighbours at the sight of so much folly, and at finding in such company priests and friars. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.manucci~en-irvine.338.20) · Pramāṇa