NO. 41. — 1890.] RBBELION DE CEYLAN. 485 



have ended in some terrible shipwreck, exposed as they were 

 to the mercy of the waves and of fate, before they reached 

 Magadoxo, a Moorish city on the coast of Ethiopia, without 

 knowing where they were. In that latitude they had sighted 

 two vessels, and in the despair of lost beings Constantino de 

 Sa put off in the ship's skiff (esquife) with four soldiers 

 and ten sailors to find out what they were, and after chasing 

 them for two days found that they belonged to the State, 

 and returned with the good news to his companions. Seven 

 hundred were down with sickness, and the few remain- 

 ing were almost all untrustworthy, without experience, 

 and unwilling to work ; so that when they saw themselves 

 about to perish from starvation and thirst, they began to fill 

 the ship with mutiny and sedition, which was the worst 

 calamity of all, persuading themselves that it was the Cap- 

 tain's fault that they were in that peril. It was then that 

 Constantino de Sa, having consumed all his stores and his 

 own portion, which he freely distributed, divided his 

 clothes and apparel, selling all he had, even to his trinkets, 

 to relieve the sick and help the poor.* He was the rock and 

 mainstay of all on board, instilling health and strength by 

 his liberality, courtesy, and gentleness, and by his valour put 

 down the seditious, that they were the first by the example 

 and at the command of Constantino de Sa to go ashore at 

 Mag ado xo to get provisions and water. 



The strange emulation which the Portuguese displayed in 

 the beginning of their discoveries gave them the name of 

 madmen ; for their acts savoured more of insanity than 

 valour : the temerity with which they undertook to penetrate 

 and explore the boundless ocean, that great unknown path 

 of nature, braving its waves and tempests in only frail barks, 

 surrounded by dangers, placing such narrow limits between 



* The crews of the Portuguese vessels in those days were soldiers (men-at- 

 arms) and sailors, picked men, and paid 7 cruzados = 26s. 3d. per mensem. 

 The rest were degradados, who were banished or disgraced, sent after the 

 fashion of those days to risk forfeited lives in desperate enterprises. 

 Correa assigns six to each ship. We may assume 160 (H8 -f 12 convicts). 



