He then had
recourse to fraud and poison; but all his attempts were baffled.
recourse to fraud and poison; but all his attempts were baffled.
Camoes - Lusiades
302.
)
Gama, having left six ships for the protection of Cochin and Cananor,
had sailed for Portugal with twelve ships, laden with the riches of the
East. As soon as his departure was made known, the zamorim made great
preparations to attack Cochin--a city situated on an island, divided by
an arm of the sea from the main-land. At one part, however, this creek
was fordable at low water. The zamorim having renewed the war, at
length, by force of numbers and bribery, took the city; and the King of
Cochin, stripped of his dominions, but still faithful to the Portuguese,
fled to the island of Viopia. Francisco Albuquerque, with other
commanders, having heard of the fate of Cochin, set sail for its relief;
the garrison of the zamorim fled, and Trimumpara was restored to his
throne. Every precaution by which the passage to the island of Cochin
might be secured was now taken by Pacheco. The Portuguese took the
sacrament, and devoted themselves to death. The King of Cochin's troops
amounted only to 5000 men, while the army of the zamorim numbered
57,000, provided with brass cannon, and assisted by two Italian
engineers. Yet this immense army, laying siege to Cochin, was defeated.
Seven times the zamorim raised new armies; yet they were all vanquished
at the fords of Cochin, by the intrepidity and stratagems of Pacheco. In
the later battles the zamorim exposed himself to the greatest danger,
and was sometimes sprinkled with the blood of his slain attendants--a
circumstance mentioned in the Lusiad, bk. x. p. 304.
He then had
recourse to fraud and poison; but all his attempts were baffled. At
last, in despair, he resigned his throne, and shut himself up for the
rest of his days in one of the temples.
Soon after the kingdom of Cochin was restored to prosperity Pacheco was
recalled. The King of Portugal paid the highest compliments to his
valour, and gave him the government of a possession of the crown in
Africa. But merit always has enemies: Pacheco was accused and brought to
Lisbon in irons, where he remained for a considerable time chained in a
dungeon. He was at length tried, and after a full investigation of the
charges made against him, was honourably acquitted. His services to his
country were soon forgotten, his merits were no longer thought of, and
the unfortunate Pacheco ended his days in an alms-house--a circumstance
referred to in the Lusiad, bk. x. p. 305.
CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
PAGE
Subject proposed 1, 2
Invocation to the Muses of the Tagus 3
Address to Don Sebastian 3, 4
Assembly of the gods and goddesses 8
The fleet enters the Indian Ocean 13
Discovers islands there 13
Description of the natives 14
Intercourse with the ships 15, 16
The governor visits Gama 17, 18
Bacchus determines on obstructing the fleet 20
His stratagem for that purpose 21
Attack by the Portuguese on landing to obtain water 23
Bombardment of the town 24, 25
Another plot of Bacchus 26, 27
The poet's reflections 29
BOOK II.
Treacherous invitation from the King of Mombas for the fleet
to enter the harbour 31
Messengers sent on shore by Gama to look at the town 32, 33
Venus and the Nereids save the fleet from danger 35, 36
Venus appeals to Jupiter on behalf of the expedition 40
His reply 43
Mercury sent to earth 46
His message to Gama in a dream 47
How the vessels escaped 49
They meet two Moorish ships 49
Their account of Melinda and its king 50
Hospitable reception by the King of Melinda 51
Gama's address 52
The king's reply 53, 54
Night rejoicings in the ships and on shore 54, 55
Visit of the king to the fleet 55
Gama's speech 57
The king requests Gama to describe his country and relate its
history 58
BOOK III.
Invocation to Calliope 60
Gama commences his story 61
Geographical description of Europe 62
Ancient history of Portugal commences 66
Fidelity of Egas Moniz 70, 71
Battle of Ourique 72-75
Origin of the Portuguese shield and arms 76
Leiria, Mafra, Cintra, Lisbon, etc. 76-78
Palmella, etc.
Gama, having left six ships for the protection of Cochin and Cananor,
had sailed for Portugal with twelve ships, laden with the riches of the
East. As soon as his departure was made known, the zamorim made great
preparations to attack Cochin--a city situated on an island, divided by
an arm of the sea from the main-land. At one part, however, this creek
was fordable at low water. The zamorim having renewed the war, at
length, by force of numbers and bribery, took the city; and the King of
Cochin, stripped of his dominions, but still faithful to the Portuguese,
fled to the island of Viopia. Francisco Albuquerque, with other
commanders, having heard of the fate of Cochin, set sail for its relief;
the garrison of the zamorim fled, and Trimumpara was restored to his
throne. Every precaution by which the passage to the island of Cochin
might be secured was now taken by Pacheco. The Portuguese took the
sacrament, and devoted themselves to death. The King of Cochin's troops
amounted only to 5000 men, while the army of the zamorim numbered
57,000, provided with brass cannon, and assisted by two Italian
engineers. Yet this immense army, laying siege to Cochin, was defeated.
Seven times the zamorim raised new armies; yet they were all vanquished
at the fords of Cochin, by the intrepidity and stratagems of Pacheco. In
the later battles the zamorim exposed himself to the greatest danger,
and was sometimes sprinkled with the blood of his slain attendants--a
circumstance mentioned in the Lusiad, bk. x. p. 304.
He then had
recourse to fraud and poison; but all his attempts were baffled. At
last, in despair, he resigned his throne, and shut himself up for the
rest of his days in one of the temples.
Soon after the kingdom of Cochin was restored to prosperity Pacheco was
recalled. The King of Portugal paid the highest compliments to his
valour, and gave him the government of a possession of the crown in
Africa. But merit always has enemies: Pacheco was accused and brought to
Lisbon in irons, where he remained for a considerable time chained in a
dungeon. He was at length tried, and after a full investigation of the
charges made against him, was honourably acquitted. His services to his
country were soon forgotten, his merits were no longer thought of, and
the unfortunate Pacheco ended his days in an alms-house--a circumstance
referred to in the Lusiad, bk. x. p. 305.
CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
PAGE
Subject proposed 1, 2
Invocation to the Muses of the Tagus 3
Address to Don Sebastian 3, 4
Assembly of the gods and goddesses 8
The fleet enters the Indian Ocean 13
Discovers islands there 13
Description of the natives 14
Intercourse with the ships 15, 16
The governor visits Gama 17, 18
Bacchus determines on obstructing the fleet 20
His stratagem for that purpose 21
Attack by the Portuguese on landing to obtain water 23
Bombardment of the town 24, 25
Another plot of Bacchus 26, 27
The poet's reflections 29
BOOK II.
Treacherous invitation from the King of Mombas for the fleet
to enter the harbour 31
Messengers sent on shore by Gama to look at the town 32, 33
Venus and the Nereids save the fleet from danger 35, 36
Venus appeals to Jupiter on behalf of the expedition 40
His reply 43
Mercury sent to earth 46
His message to Gama in a dream 47
How the vessels escaped 49
They meet two Moorish ships 49
Their account of Melinda and its king 50
Hospitable reception by the King of Melinda 51
Gama's address 52
The king's reply 53, 54
Night rejoicings in the ships and on shore 54, 55
Visit of the king to the fleet 55
Gama's speech 57
The king requests Gama to describe his country and relate its
history 58
BOOK III.
Invocation to Calliope 60
Gama commences his story 61
Geographical description of Europe 62
Ancient history of Portugal commences 66
Fidelity of Egas Moniz 70, 71
Battle of Ourique 72-75
Origin of the Portuguese shield and arms 76
Leiria, Mafra, Cintra, Lisbon, etc. 76-78
Palmella, etc.
