ife and peace if he would accept it; and as he deserved well for his
undaunted valour, so he should be honourably and respectfully treated if
he would put himself into our hands, and sent to Goa in safety. He,
however, as an oak gathering strength from his wounds,[227] and
contemning the misery he could not prevent, resolutely answered Mr
Connock to the following purpose: "That no misfortune should make him
alter his former resolution; for he was determined again to stand out to
sea, if possible, and to encounter us again; and then, if forced by fire
and sword, he might by bad chance be taken, but he would never yield;
and, if taken alive, he hoped to find the respect due to a gentleman,
till when we had our answer."

[Footnote 227: Duris, ut ilex tonsa bipennibus-ducit opes animumque
ferro.--_Terry._]

Our messenger was thus dismissed, and shortly afterwards this sore
distressed ship, being entirely unmanageable for want of masts and
sails, was forced by the winds and waves upon the adjacent island of
Gazidia or Komoro, where she stuck fast between two rocks. Those who
remained alive in the carack got ashore by means of their boats; and
when all were landed, willing, as it would seem, to consume what they
could not keep, they set their carack on fire, that she might not become
our prize.[228] After leaving their ill-fated carack, the poor
Portuguese were most inhumanly used by the barbarous islanders, who
spoiled them of every thing they had brought on shore for their succour,
and slew some of them for opposing their cupidity. Doubtless they had
been all massacred, had they not been relieved by two small Arab vessels
who were there engaged in trade, and which, I suppose in hope of a great
reward, took them in, and conveyed them in safety to their own city of
Goa.

[Footnote 228: Childe says, he could not say whether she was fired
accidentally or on purpose.--E.]

In the morning of the 9th, Mr Alexander Childe, who commanded one of the
English ships, sent his mate, Anthony Fugars, ashore in his long-boat,
to see if any of the Portuguese were saved, to fetch such away, and to
learn how she was set on fire. But the carack was still burning, and not
a man belonging to her was to be seen. There were many negro islanders
on the coast, over against the carack, who held up a flag of truce to
invite the English on shore, but it was impossible to land in that
place, or any where within three leagues to the east or west, as t