On his return from this victory, Francisco was joyfully received by the rajah of Cochin, who desired him to desist from any farther operations against the enemy, as he considered himself sufficiently revenged.  But Francisco requested his permission to continue the war, as he was still unsatisfied till he had taken effectual vengeance on the zamorin, and accounted it no trouble to fight in the service of the rajah.  He seized, however, the present opportunity of the high favour in which he stood with the rajah, to solicit permission for constructing a fort at Cochin, for the protection of the Portuguese factory during the absence of the ships.  This request was immediately complied with; the rajah even offered to be at the sole charge, and Francisco lost no time in proceeding to construct the intended fort.  As there were neither stones, lime, nor sand to be procured, it was necessary to build the castle of timber; which the rajah ordered to be immediately provided for the purpose, and brought to the spot appointed, which was close to the river side, as best adapted for resisting the assault of the Calicut fleet in any future attempt against Cochin.  The rajah sent likewise a great number of his subjects to carry on the work; saying that our people had already had enough to do in the operations of the war:  But Francisco commanded our people to work in constructing the fortifications, the foundations of which were laid on the 26th September 1503.  The inhabitants of Cochin were astonished at the diligence with which our people laboured at this work, saying there were no such men in the world, as they were equally good at all things.

On the 30th September, four days after the commencement of the fort, Alonso de Albuquerque arrived with his ships at Cochin, having been delayed on his voyage by severe storms and contrary winds, yet brought all his men with him in excellent health.  Francisco was much pleased at his arrival; and a portion of the fort being allotted to those newly arrived, it was soon finished.  Though built of timber, this castle was as strong and handsome, as if it had been constructed of stone and lime.  It was of a square form, each face being eighteen yards, with bulwarks or bastions at each corner mounted with ordnance.  The walls were made of two rows of palm trees and other strong timber, firmly set in the ground, and bound together with iron hoops and large nails, the space between the two rows of timber being rammed full of earth and sand, and the whole surrounded by a ditch always full of water[4].  The day after this fort was finished, which was named Manuel in honour of the king of Portugal, the captain-general with all his people made a solemn procession, in which the vicar of the fort bore the crucifix under a canopy carried by the captains of the fleet, preceded by trumpets and other instruments of music.  The fort was solemnly blessed, and consecrated by the celebration of mass; after which friar Gaston preached a sermon,