BARRETO'S LAST EFFORT 33 



the Monomotapa who made friendly overtures, 

 and several officers were told off to accompany 

 them back in charge of valuable presents. Barreto 

 then appointed his camp-master, Vasco Fernandes 

 Homem, to the command of the column, and set 

 out for Mozambique, where important business 

 awaited settlement. 



Early in 1573 he sailed once more for Sena 

 accompanied by his son, and reinforcements of 

 men to fill the sorely depleted ranks of the fine 

 force with which he had left the Tagus so full of 

 noble ambitions now four long years before. At 

 the mouth of the Zambezi, however, a sore blow 

 awaited him, for here he learned that almost all the 

 members of the expedition left in charge of the 

 camp-master had perished during his absence, and 

 in such sore straits did the survivors find themselves 

 that it is said on his arrival at Sena only about fifty 

 soldiers were free from disease, and these so fever- 

 stricken and exhausted that they were incapable of 

 taking the field. The last physician that remained 

 was dying, and the camp was one vast hospital, 

 fuU — no, not full, although it had been — of helpless 

 sick, whose senses were fortunately blunted in 

 many cases by the merciful insanity which the 

 despair of their position had produced. The 

 Captain-General's feelings must have been those of 

 utter hopelessness, for it is said he was shortly 

 taken ill, and died a few days afterwards in a 

 condition of great mental agony, 



Vasco Fernandes Homem, who as we have seen 

 was entrusted with the command of the fever- 

 decimated camp at Sena, was now appointed 



3 



