Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

f,I2

another, make the Vifto from the fea admirably pleafant, by /hewing all their beautifulfronts that way. And within they are well decorated with images and paintings.

There is a tradition, that the Portugueze circumvented the King of Guzerat, asDido did the Africans, when they gave her leave to build Carthage, by defiring nomore ground to build their cities than could be circumfcribed in an ox’s hide, whichhaving obtained, they cut it into a fine thong of a great length, and over-reached theirdonors in the meafure of the ground.

After the city was built and fortified, it drew all the trade from the King’s towns ofcommerce thither, W'hich made him heartily repent his generofity ; and he made pro-pofals to the Portugueze to reimburfe all the charge and expence they had been at, ifthey would reftore that illand again, but he could never periuade them to that bargain,and fince fair means would not do, he defigned to try what might be obtained byforce, wherefore he raifed a great army, and befieged it, but was foon forced to drawoff again with lofs, for the Portugueze large cannon from their walls difturbed and •diftre/Ted his camp fo, that lie found but little fafety for himfelf, and much lefs forhis hoft.

This city came to fuch an height of trade and riches in the fixteenth century, that itdrew a very potent enemy from the Red Sea * for about the year 1540, the Turks de-fining to have a footing in India , caft their eyes on Diu, as being convenientl y fitu-ated, and well fortified for their purpofe, fo they came in a fleet of gallies and tran-lports 25,000 ftrong, from Aden, and landed on the weft end of the illand, and laidfiege to the city ; but the Portugueze fent a reinforcement from Goa , of twenty fail,fome of which were large /hips or galleons, who carried heavy metal, with which theybattered the Turki/h fleet, being fmall velfels, that many Turks were funk, and theba/haw was forced to make off with great lofs and fliame,, and leave their battering ar-tillery to the Portugueze, for which misfortune and difgrace he loft his head when hereturned to Aden.

But about the year 1670, the Mu/kat Arabs had better fortune, for they came witha fleet of trankies, and took an opportunity to land in the night, on the weft end ofthe i/land, without being difcovered, and marched filently clofe up to the town, and atbreak of day, when the gates were opened, they entered without refiftance. Thealarm was foon fpread over the town, and happy was he who got firft to the caftlegates, but thofe who had heavy heels were facrificed to the enemy’s fury, who fparednone, fo in a moment that fair rich city, and churches, were left to the mercy of theArabs , who, for three days, loaded their velfels with rich plunder, and mounted fomecannon in a great beautiful church, and fired at the fort, hut to little purpofe. Thegovernor, who was in the caftle, could foon have obliged them to remove farther offthe caftle, by the force of his heavy cannon, yet the priefthood forbid him firing at thechurch, on pain of excommunication, left fome unlucky /hot Zhould facrilegioufly havedefaced fome holy image.

But the Arabs , like a parcel of unfanftified rogues, made fad havock on the churchestrumpery, for befides robbing them of all the fancfified plate and calh, they did notleave one gold or filver image behind them, but carried all into difmal captivity, fromwhence they never returned that I could hear of. And as for the poor images of woodand ftone, they were fo rudely treated by thofe barbarous infidels, that they came well offif they loft but a limb, and I faw fome who loft their heads : but by the indefatigableinduftry of the clergy, their churches are again as well or better furni/hed with wellcarved images of wood and ftone than they were before ; but I faw none of gold orfilver to fupply the places of the poor captives.

However,