dden degree of Providence, almost all affairs,
whatever the success of them was, were transacted by me. All the coasts
were beset by Dutch cruisers, which made it difficult to sail without
running the hazard of being taken. I went therefore by land from Bazaim
to Tana, where we had another college, and from thence to our house of
Chaul. Here I hired a narrow light vessel, and, placing eighteen oars on
a side, went close by the shore from Chaul to Goa, almost eighty leagues.
We were often in danger of being taken, and particularly when we touched
at Dabal, where a cruiser blocked up one of the channels through which
ships usually sail; but our vessel requiring no great depth of water, and
the sea running high, we went through the little channel, and fortunately
escaped the cruiser. Though we were yet far from Goa, we expected to
arrive there on the next morning, and rowed forward with all the
diligence we could. The sea was calm and delightful, and our minds were
at ease, for we imagined ourselves past danger; but soon found we had
flattered ourselves too soon with security, for we came within sight of
several barks of Malabar, which had been hid behind a point of land which
we were going to double. Here we had been inevitably taken had not a man
called to us from the shore and informed us that among those
fishing-boats there, some crusiers would make us a prize. We rewarded
our kind informer for the service he had done us, and lay by till night
came to shelter us from our enemies. Then putting out our oars we landed
at Goa next morning about ten, and were received at our college. It
being there a festival day, each had something extraordinary allowed him;
the choicest part of our entertainments was two pilchers, which were
admired because they came from Portugal.

The quiet I began to enjoy did not make me lose the remembrance of my
brethren whom I had left languishing among the rocks of Abyssinia, or
groaning in the prisons of Suaquem, whom since I could not set at liberty
without the viceroy's assistance, I went to implore it, and did not fail
to make use of every motive which could have any influence.

I described in the most pathetic manner I could the miserable state to
which the Catholic religion was reduced in a country where it had lately
flourished so much by the labours of the Portuguese; I gave him in the
strongest terms a representation of all that we had suffered since the
death of Sultan Segued, h