possession of. De
Gama, considering that all his ships were richly laden, would not pursue
the flying enemy, being afraid he might lose some of his ships on the
shoals; but our men went in their boats and slew about 300 of the Moors
who had endeavoured to save themselves by swimming from the two captured
ships. These vessels were accordingly discharged of their cargoes; which
consisted of great quantities of rich merchandize, among which were six
great jars of fine earthen ware, called porcelain, which is very rare and
costly and much admired in Portugal; four large vessels of silver, and
many silver perfuming pans; also many spitting basons of silver gilt: But
what exceeded all the rest, was a golden idol of thirty pounds weight,
with a monstrous face. The eyes of this image were two very fine emeralds.
The vestments were of beaten gold, richly wrought and set with precious
stones; and on the breast was a large carbuncle or ruby, as large as the
coin called a crusado, which shone like fire.

The goods being taken out, the two ships were set on fire, and the
admiral made sail for Cananor, where the rajah gave him a house for a
factory, in which Gonzalo Gill Barbosa was settled as factor, having
Sebastian Alvarez and Diego Godino as clerks, Duarte Barbosa as
interpreter, and sundry others as assistants, in all to the number of
twenty. The rajah undertook to protect these men and all that might be
left in the factory, and bound himself to supply lading in spices to all
the ships of the king of Portugal at certain fixed prices[18]. In return
for these favourable conditions, the admiral engaged on behalf of the
king of Portugal to defend the rajah in all wars that might arise from
this agreement; conditioning for peace and friendship between the rajahs
of Cochin and Cananor, and that the latter should give no aid to any one
who might make war upon the former, under the pain of forfeiting the
friendship of the Portuguese. After this, the admiral gave orders to
Vincente Sodre to protect the coast with his squadron till the month of
February; and if any war should break out or seem probable between the
zamorin and Trimumpara, he was to winter in Cochin for the protection of
that city; otherwise he was to sail for the straits of the Red Sea, to
make prize of all the ships belonging to Mecca that traded to the Indies.

All these matters being properly arranged, De Gama departed from Cananor
for Portugal on the 20th December 1502