Most of the citizens of Diu were witness to this scene from the walls, and when the intelligence of the kings death reached the city, the inhabitants began to abandon it in such haste and confusion that many were trampled to death in the throng, being afraid that the Portuguese would plunder them.  The governor-general soon restored confidence by a public proclamation, and the inhabitants returned quietly to their houses.  He even entered the town unarmed, to reassure the inhabitants and to restrain the avarice of his people, so that no disorder was committed.  De Sousa being slain, as before mentioned, De Cuna gave the command of the fortress of Diu to his brother-in-law Antonio de Sylveira Menezes, and his gallant conduct afterwards shewed that he was worthy of the station.  The queen-mother had retired to Navanaguer[204], and Nuno sent a message of condolence for the death of her son, endeavouring to demonstrate that it had been occasioned by his own fault; but she refused to receive or listen to the message.  The treasure found in the palace of Diu in gold and silver was of small value, not exceeding 200,000 pardaos[205], but the quantity of ammunition was exceedingly great.  The number of brass cannon was prodigious, those of iron not being deemed worthy of account.  Among the brass ordnance were three basilisks of prodigious size, one of which was sent by De Cuna as a curiosity to Lisbon, which was placed in the castle of St Julian at the mouth of the Tagus, where it is known by the name of the Gun of Diu.  Among the papers belonging to Badur and his treasurer Abd’ el Cader letters were found from Saf Khan, communicating the progress he had made in his negociations for bringing the Turks upon the Portuguese, and copies of others from the sheikhs of Aden and Xael to the same purpose.  Having collected these and other testimonies of the treachery of the late king, Nuno caused Khojah Zofar, a man of great reputation among the citizens both Mahometans and Gentiles, to convene a meeting of the principal people, merchants, and cazis, or teachers of the Mahometan law, to whom these letters and testimonials were produced, in justification of the conduct of the Portuguese, and in proof of the treacherous intentions of the late king.  All the Moors and Pagans acknowledged themselves satisfied by these documents, and accordingly gave certificates to that effect in the Arabic and Persian languages, which were signed by Khojah Zofar and all the leading people among the Mahometans and Hindoos, which were communicated to the kings of the Deccan, Narsinga, and Ormuz, and to all the sheikhs along the coast of Arabia as far as Aden.

[Footnote 204:  Probably Noanagur on the east side of the Gulf of Cutch.—­E.]

[Footnote 205:  At 3s. 9d. each, worth L. 37,500 sterling.—­E.]