rry intelligence of
this event to Portugal [202]. At this time there was a person named
Diego Botello residing at Diu who was in disgrace with the king of
Portugal, on account of it being reported that he intended to go over
to the French in hopes of high promotion, as he was very conversant in
the affairs of India. Knowing how earnestly King _Joam_ had desired the
establishment of a fort at Diu, he resolved upon endeavouring to be the
first messenger of this news. For this purpose, having procured a copy
of the treaty and a draught of the intended fort, he embarked in a small
vessel, only sixteen feet and a half long, nine feet broad, and four
feet and a half deep, manned by his own slaves, with three Portuguese
and two others, giving out that he was going to Cambaya. But when out at
sea, he informed his companions that he meant in this frail bark to
traverse the prodigious extent of ocean between India and Portugal, and
prevailed upon those along with him to concur in his design. Being
reduced to unspeakable miseries, the slaves, who were the only mariners
on board, entered into a conspiracy to kill him, and even killed one of
his servants, but were all slain. Being now without seaman or pilot, he
held on his course and arrived at Lisbon to the astonishment of every
one. Botello was restored to the royal favour for this wonderful action,
but received no other reward, and the bark was immediately destroyed,
that it might not be known so small a vessel was capable of performing
so great a voyage.

[Footnote 202: Though not so expressed in the text, these messengers
were probably sent over land.--E.]

Nuno de Cuna lost no time in erecting the fort at Diu, the command of
which was given to Emanuel de Sousa with 900 Portuguese troops, the
ramparts being furnished with sixty pieces of great cannon. Badur soon
found the benefit of his alliance with the Portuguese, as Nizam-al-Mulk
at the instigation of Nuno made peace with and aided him against
Humayun; and a Portuguese force under Vasco Perez recovered for him a
considerable place towards the Indus named _Varivene_[203]. Garcia de Sa
and Antonio Galvam defended Basseen against the Moguls, who were
constrained to retreat from that place; and Mirza Mahmoud, nephew to
Badur, recovered many places on the frontiers from the Moguls. Being
thus prosperous, solely by the assistance of the Portuguese, 500 of whom
served in his army under the command of Martin Alfonso de Sousa, Badu