A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1563-81. 



Sondiva is the This Island is called Sondiva belonging to the king- 



frmtfullest dome of Bengala, distant 120. miles from Chatigan, to 



ountieyina ^j^j^j^ place wee were bound. The people are Moores. 



the world. 1 1 1 • 1 r ^ /r 1 • r 



and the king a very good man or a Moore king, tor 



if he had bin a tyrant as others be, he might have 



robbed us of all, because the Portugall captaine of 



Chatigan was in armes against the Retor of that place, 



& every day there were some slaine, at which newes 



we rested there with no smal feare, keeping good watch 



and ward aboord every night as the use is, but the 



governour of the towne did comfort us, and bad us 



that we should feare nothing, but that we should repose 



our selves securely without any danger, although the 



Portugales of Chatigan had slaine the governour of that 



City, and said that we were not culpable in that fact : 



and moreover he did us every day what pleasure he 



could, which was a thing contrary to our expectations 



considering that they & the people of Chatigan were 



both subjects to one king. We departed from Sondiva, 



Chatigan ts a ^ came to Chatigan the great port of Bengala, at the 



lala^whither same time when the Portugales had made peace and 



the Portugales taken a truce with the governours of the towne, with this 



go with their condition that the chiefe Captaine of the Portugales 



ships. Y^\\h his ship should depart without any lading : for 



there were then at that time 18. ships of Portugales 



great and small. This Captaine being a Gentleman and 



of good courage, was notwithstanding contented to 



depart to his greatest hinderance, rather then hee would 



seeke to hinder so many of his friends as were there, as 



also because the time of the yeere was spent to go to 



the Indies. The night before he departed, every ship 



that had any lading therein, put it aboord of the Captaine 



to helpe to ease his charge and to recompence his 



The King of courtesies. In this time there came a messenger from 



Rachim, or the king of Rachim to this Portugal Captaine, who 



^^'•^IT'- ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ behalfe of his king, that hee had heard of 



Ben(rala ^^^ courage and valure of him, desiring him gently that 



[II. 1. 241.] he would vouchsafe to come with the ship into his port^ 



438 



