130 PORTUGUESE HISTORY OP MALACCA. 



navigation, Perez set out with ships and a galley in quest of 

 provisions. While sailing towards Singapore, the galley dis- 

 covered a sail, and stuck by it till the fleet came up. It was 

 found to be laden with provisions and ammunition for Pate 

 Qttitir. Perez brought the captain and other headmen on 

 board his own ships, where they attempted to slay the Portu- 

 guese, even Perez being stabbed in the back by a kris or dag- 

 ger. Being foiled in this attempt, most of them leapt into tho 

 sea, but some were taken and put to the rack, who confessed 

 that there was a son of Quitir among them, and that they 

 were followed by three other vessels similarly laden. These were 

 likewise captured and carried to Malacca. At the same time 

 Gomez de Cunha arrived with his ships with provisions from 

 Pegu, where he had. been to settle a treaty of amity and 

 commerce with the king of that country. The famine being 

 thus appeased and the men recovered, Perez attacked Pate 

 Quitir by sea and land ; and having fortunately succeeded in 

 the capture of his fortified quarters, which were set on fire, 

 that chieftain was forced to retire to Java, and Lacsamana, on 

 seeing this success of the Portuguese, retired with his forces. 

 • This island (Java) is almost 100 leagues in length from 

 east to west, but is narrow in proportion to its breadth, being 

 divided by a long range of mountains through its whole length, 

 like the Apennines of Italy, which prevents intercourse be- 

 tween the two coasts. It has several ports and good cities, and 

 its original inhabitants appear to have come from China. ( 1 ) 

 In after times the Moors of Malacca possessed themselves of 

 the sea-coast, obliging the natives to take shelter in the forests 

 and mountains of the interior. At this period a Malay chief 

 named Pati Unus was lord of the city of Japara, ( 2 ) who 

 became afterwards King of Sunda. Indignant that the metro- 

 polis of the Malayan territories should be possessed by the 

 enemies of the Mahometan faith, he had been seven years 

 preparing a powerful armament of ninety sail to attempt the 



( 1 ) There was a very early intercourse between Java and China. 



( 2 ) Japara was in Java proper, not in Sunda. 



