have been largely in the hands of merchants from Gujarat, and when
the Portuguese conquered the city it was inhabited by men of nearly
every Eastern race, Hindus from both sides of India, Arabs, Chinese
and Javanese. It is mentioned that on their arrival they found, among
other officers, four men holding the title of Xabandar
(Shah-i-Bandar) or Captain of the Port. These four men are expressly
stated to have been governors of different districts, and they are
said to have belonged to four different nationalities and to rule
over the Chinese, the Javanese, the Gujaratis and the Bengalis
respectively. This division probably fairly indicates the chief
nationalities of the merchants of Malacca.

Malacca was first visited by a European squadron {97} on September
11, 1509. Diogo Lopes de Sequeira had been despatched by King
Emmanuel with instructions to explore the island of Madagascar, and
afterwards to proceed to the Malay Peninsula, which was well known to
the Portuguese king by its classical name of the Golden Chersonese.
The arrival of Sequeira in India during the viceroyalty of Almeida
has been already noticed, and mention has been made of the Viceroy's
wish that he should take over the government in the place of
Albuquerque. Sequeira declined this offer and sailed for the Malay
Peninsula with his squadron of five ships, but he so far complied
with the Viceroy's wishes as to carry with him the chief friends of
Albuquerque, and notably his most constant supporter, Ruy de Araujo.

Sequeira visited Sumatra, and safely reached Malacca. He was
favourably received at first by the Sultan, and sent ashore Ruy de
Araujo to fill the perilous post of Factor. As a lucrative trade
seemed likely to spring up, the Portuguese captain proceeded to land
a large quantity of goods together with several Portuguese clerks.
But as usual the Muhammadan merchants soon showed their jealousy of
the Portuguese, as they had always done on the Malabar coast. The
Bendara, or native Prime Minister of Malacca, listened to the
suggestions of the Moslem merchants, and formed a plan to destroy the
whole Portuguese squadron. It was resolved to invite all the officers
to a grand banquet at which they should be suddenly murdered, and in
their absence it was believed {98} that the ships might be easily
taken. A Javanese woman, who had fallen in love with one of the
Portuguese, swam out to their ships and gave warning of the plot. The
Portuguese officers in