ntain
a population of over 100,000 inhabitants.

For weeks negotiations went on with the Sultan of Malacca. The main
point at issue was the surrender of Ruy de Araujo and his
fellow-prisoners. Albuquerque declared he would make no treaty with
the Sultan until the prisoners were delivered, and the {100} Sultan
on his part was resolved not to give them up until a treaty of peace
had been signed. Under these circumstances Albuquerque wrote to the
Factor, telling him that he and his companions must bear their
hardships with patience. Ruy de Araujo replied in terms which show
the gallant spirit of the Portuguese at that period.

'God grant,' he said, 'that neither the fleet of the King of
Portugal, nor his Portuguese should receive any affront or
discomfiture in order to make his life secure, for he was also on
his part bound to die for the service of God and his King, and for
the liberty of his countrymen, and he held it to be a good fortune
for him that Our Lord had placed him in a state where he could die
for his Holy Faith; and as for himself and his companions, he
should not fail to do what was best for the service of the King of
Portugal, for they were now quite resigned to anything that could
happen to them; and he would have Affonso de Albuquerque to know
that the King of Malacca was making ready as fast as was possible,
and that it was the Gujaratis who were at work day and night upon
the fortification of the stockades, for these were the principal
people who could not bear that the Portuguese should get a footing
in the land; and if the Portuguese attack upon the city should be
decided upon, it ought to be put into execution as quickly as could
be, without wasting any more time in discussing terms of agreement
or making demands for the surrender of the Christians; for he must
know for certain that the King would not restore them except under
compulsion; and he was now become so puffed up with pride when he
surveyed the great number of foreign soldiers that he had, that he
thought of nothing less than actually capturing the Portuguese
fleet.'[1]

[Footnote 1: Albuquerque's _Commentaries_, vol. iii. pp. 92, 93.]

{101} Acting on the unselfish advice given to him, Albuquerque sent
some boats to set fire to the ships in harbour and the water-side
houses. The Sultan immediately gave in, and sent Ruy de Araujo and
his companions safely on board the Portuguese fleet. Nego