riar, who was taken at first
sight for one of those who had accompanied Ayres Correa, and who they
supposed had remained a prisoner. On entering the ship, he saluted them,
saying _Deo gratias_; but was immediately recognized as a Moor. He
excused himself for coming in that disguise, to secure permission of
getting on board, and said that he brought a message from the zamorin to
the admiral, about settling a trade in Calicut. To this the admiral made
answer, that he would by no means treat on this subject, unless the
zamorin would previously satisfy him for all the goods which had been
seized in the factory, when he consented to the death of Correa and the
rest who were there slain. On this subject three days were spent
ineffectually in messages between the zamorin and the admiral, as the
Moors used every influence to prevent any friendly agreement. At length,
perceiving that all these messages were only meant to gain time, the
admiral sent notice to the zamorin that he would wait no longer than noon
for his final answer, and if that were not perfectly satisfactory and in
compliance with his just demands, he might be assured he would wage cruel
war against him with fire and sword, and would begin with those of his
subjects who were now prisoners in his hands. And, that the zamorin
might not think these were only words of course, he called for an
hour-glass, which he set down in presence of the Moorish messenger, saying
that as soon as the sand had run out a certain number of times, he would
infallibly put in execution all that he had threatened. All this, however,
could not induce the zamorin to perform his promise; for he was of an
inconstant and wavering disposition, and influenced by the counsels of
the Moors. The outward shew he had made of peace was only feigned, or
occasioned by the fear he had of seeing so great a fleet in his port,
from which he dreaded to sustain great injury; but the Moors had now
persuaded him into a contrary opinion, and had prevailed on him to break
his word.

When the time appointed by the admiral was expired, he ordered a gun to
be fired, as a signal to the captains of his ships to hang up the poor
Malabar prisoners, who had been distributed through the fleet. After they
were dead, he ordered their hands and feet to be cut off and sent on
shore in a paraw, accompanied by two boats well armed, and placed a
letter in the paraw for the zamorin, written in Arabic, in which he
signified that he