No. 59. — 1907.] PORTUGUESE IN CEYLON. 



303 



search along the South African coast for the crew of Pero de 

 Mendoca's wrecked vessel and for the one in which Francisco 

 de Albuquerque had sailed from India in 1504, and which had 

 never been heard of again. On reaching Sofala in June 1506 

 these two men found the place in the last extremity, the 

 captain, Pero da Nhaya, the magistrate and seventy-six soldiers 

 being dead of fever, and the provisions almost exhausted. 

 Having relieved the fort and left Pero Quaresma with the 

 caravel, Cide Barbudo proceeded to Quiloa, and thence set 

 sail for India to convey to the viceroy the news regarding 

 Sofala and Quiloa, and to deliver to him a letter from the king.* 

 This document no longer exists, apparently, but from the 

 letter of Gaspar da India printed in Cartas ii. 371-80 we learn 

 (see 377) that in it Dom Manuel urged upon his viceroy 

 the expediency of establishing a direct trade with Malacca. | 

 Accordingly, on the 22nd of August, Francisco Pereira % 

 and Estevao de Vilhena,§ with Gaspar da India's 



also Theal's Beg. of S. A. History 192-94). In Cartas ii. 345-54 are 

 printed the royal instructions given to Cide Barbudo for his voyage. 



* See Cartas ii. 354, iii. 269; Alg. Doc. 170. Cf. also alvara of 25 

 August 1506, issued in Cochin by the viceroy apparently in conformity 

 with instructions received from the king through Cide Barbudo. 



f In his letter of March or April 1506, to the viceroy, the king says 

 {Cartas iii. 269) : " Item : By Cide Barbudo we have written to you 

 enjoining upon you that, if you have not yet sent ships to Malaca, 

 according as we enjoined upon you in your instructions, you send them, 

 If the weather give you the opportunity therefor, and if it can be 

 done without hindrance to the matters of our service in those parts 

 of India ; because there had appeared here a threat of a certain armada 

 from Castille, which it was notified to us was getting ready in order, 

 this summer, to go in search of the said Malaca, making doubtful if it 

 is within our limits ; and that, in order that possession might be taken 

 first by us, which, in these matters, gives much right besides that which 

 we believe we have to it, as also because of its being such an important 

 thing in those parts, and of such wealth and profit as is hoped, we 

 should be glad of its being so done." (Then comes the order to go in 

 person, &c, as mentioned below.) 



% This is probably the " Francisco Pereyra Coutinho " mentioned 

 by Cast. (ii. c. xxxiii.), and the "Francisco Pereira, captain of the 

 ship Victoria" spoken of by Bar. (II. I. iv.). 



§ Among those killed with D. Lourenco de Almeida in his ship at 

 Chaul in March 1508, Bar. (II. II. viii.) names " Estevao de Vilhena 

 of Setubal, knight of the king's guard, who was captain of the poop." 



