NO. 59. — 1907.] PORTUGUESE IN CEYLON* 



371 



they 6 asked me for a share of the prizes for their ships ; 



I replied that they were not making a just request, because they 

 were prohibited by your instructions from making captures or 

 prizes beyond Qeilam, 7 



1 This very lengthy letter is printed in Cartas de Aff. de Alb. i. 29-65, 

 and in Alg. Doc. 232-61. 



2 The date of the letter is given in words as "the first day of April " 

 1512 ; but internal evidence proves that this cannot possibly be right, 

 for in one paragraph Albuquerque speaks of an event that happened 

 " at the beginning of August," and in others refers to the arrival of 

 ships from Portugal, which, according to Barros and Correa, reached 

 Cochin in August or September. It is probable that, as in the case of 

 the letter by Almeida extracted from above (C 5), the writing of this 

 document extended over several months. 



3 The paragraph speaks of a storm that occurred in the Indian Ocean 

 while Albuquerque was absent in Malacca in 1511, whereby many native 

 vessels laden with spices, &c, were lost or driven to land (see Com. of 

 Af. Dalb. iii. 203). 



4 See supra, p. 305, note §. 



5 Cf. B 2. 



6 The captains of the ships that Albuquerque took to Malacca in 

 1511. 



7 Cf. supra, C 6, note 6 . 



C 10. 



Letter of Affonsode Albuquerque to King Manuel. 1 



[8 November 1512.] 



Your highness need not fear Calecut, the business of which is 

 already nil ; the gulf beyond Ceilam is what did you all harm 

 and damage there, 2 because there went continuously every year to 

 Meqa fifty ships laden with everything that can be mentioned 

 from Malaca and those parts ; now, thanks to Our Lord, you have 

 cut off that route from them. 3 



1 Printed in Cartas i. 98-100. 



2 In the Red Sea. 



3 Albuquerque means by the possession of Malacca, which he had 

 captured the previous year. 



C 11. 



Summary of a Letter from Buquer Acem. 1 

 [? 1512.] 



Another letter, from Buquer Acem, very rhetorical ; 2 and he 

 alleges fourteen years' services ; and begs for another similar 

 letter of commendation, and that your highness command it to 

 be written for him after such a fashion that friends and enemies 

 may say : " Buquer Alacem is a servant of the great king's and 



