h, and to have been
the residence of the famous queen of Sheba. The fruitful province in
which it stands was called by the ancients _Siria Muinifera_, because it
produces frankincense, myrrh, and storax. Being desirous to plunder
_Maskat_ near Cape Ras-al-gat, Mirazenam sent three Turkish gallies on
that errand under Ali Beg, who took possession of Maskat, whence most of
the Portuguese residents saved themselves by flight, leaving their goods
to be plundered by Ali Beg. The fugitives took refuge in _Mataro_, a
town only a league distant, whence they went to _Bruxel_, a fort about
four leagues inland, belonging to _Catani_ the sheikh or chief of a
horde or tribe of Arabs. The Arab officer who commanded there received
the Portuguese with much kindness and hospitality, and protected them
till the departure of Ali Beg, when they returned to Maskat. On learning
the ruin of Maskat, Gonzalo de Menezes, who then commanded at Ormuz,
sent Luis de Almeyda with a squadron consisting of a galleon, a galley,
and six other vessels, with 400 good men, to attack Ali Beg. But Almeyda
neglected the orders of his superior, and sailed to the coast of the
_Naytaques_, intending to surprise and plunder the beautiful and rich
city of _Pesani_[403]. But the inhabitants got notice of their danger
and fled, after which Almeyda dishonourably plundered the city, to which
he set fire, together with near fifty sail of vessels which were in the
bay. He did the same thing to _Guadel_ or _Gader_, a city not inferior
to Pesani, and to _Teis_ or _Tesse_ belonging to the barbarous tribe of
the _Abindos_ who dwell on the river _Calamen_ in _Gedrosia_[404], and
who join with the _Naytagites_ in their piracies.

[Footnote 402: Sanaa is about 80 marine leagues, or 278 English miles
N.E. from Mokha, and 30 leagues, or about 100 miles nearly north from
Makulla, the nearest port of Arabia on the Indian ocean.--E.]

[Footnote 403: Perhaps Posino on the oceanic coast of Makran, one of the
provinces of Persia, is here meant, nearly north from Maskat, on the
opposite coast of the entrance towards the Persian Gulf.--E.]

[Footnote 404: Gedrosia the ancient name of that province of Persia on
the Indian Ocean between the mouth of the Persian Gulf and the Indus,
now called Mekran or Makran.--E.]

SECTION X.

_Transactions of the Portuguese in India, from 1581 to 1597_ [405].

Don Francisco Mascarenhas, count of Santa Cruz, was the first viceroy
sent out to Indi