316 COMPENDIUM OF GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL 
or “ gariofilum ” of that author, which he describes as 
growing in an Indian grove, is hardly likely to be any¬ 
thing else. It was known to the Arabians and Persians, 
through whose hands it doubtless passed on its way to 
Europe; but it was not until the Portuguese reached the 
Indies that any definite knowledge of the position of the 
Moluccas was obtained. Sequeira, visiting Malacca with 
his squadron in 1509, found the spice-laden ships in that 
port; but some three or four years previously both Banda 
and Ternate (or Tidor) had actually been visited by the 
Italian Varthema, who probably gave a full account of 
them to Albuquerque before he returned to Europe and 
published his voyages. Immediately after the fall of 
Malacca, a small fleet of three vessels was despatched 
thither under Antonio d’Abreu, and visited Burn, 
Amboina, and Banda. The loss of one of the ships 
resulted in Francisco Serrao, the captain, being brought 
to Ternate, where he remained until his death. He found 
the islands in the possession of Mohammedan Malays, who 
had conquered them about half a century before. For ten 
years the Portuguese seem to have made no further 
effort to acquire the islands; but in 1522, a few months 
after the visit of the two remaining ships of Magellan’s 
fleet, Antonio de Brito arrived with a squadron of seven 
vessels and established Portuguese rule, which for more 
than 60 years was characterised by the most atrocious 
cruelty and treachery. At the end of that time it was 
practically terminated by a rising of the islanders. 
Meanwhile, the Spaniards, in spite of having agreed in 
1529 to renounce all claim to the Moluccas for the sum 
of 350,000 ducats, had not only intrigued against the 
Portuguese in the islands, but had even fitted out 
expeditions against them. In 1606 a squadron from 
Manila succeeded in taking both Tidor and Ternate, but 
