A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06 eBook

Robert Kerr (writer)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 750 pages of information about A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06.

A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06 eBook

Robert Kerr (writer)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 750 pages of information about A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06.

The same day on which we anchored near Diu, one Khojah Zaffer came on board in a galley.  This man was a native of Otranto in Italy, but had turned Turk and was captain of a galley in the former fleet sent to India by the sultan.  When that fleet was defeated and destroyed, Zaffer entered into the service of the king of Diu or Kambachia, who gave him lands and made him chief governor of his kingdom.  Zaffer had also insinuated himself into the confidence of the Portuguese; but when he learnt that the Turkish fleet was coming, he and the vizier or viceroy of the kingdom came with 8000 Indians, took the city of Diu from the Portuguese, and besieged them in the castle which was now closely begirt by their troops, not a day passing without a skirmish.  Zaffer was accompanied on this visit to the Pacha by the prime vizier of Cambaya, and both were received with much honour.  They informed the Pacha that there were 500 soldiers and 300 others in the castle, which they had besieged for 26 days, and had no doubt of being able to reduce it with their Indian troops, if the Pacha would furnish them with artillery and ammunition.  The Pacha presented each of them with two vests; but while they remained on board, the Turkish troops landed with their arms and plundered the city of Diu, doing infinite injury to the Indian inhabitants, and not even sparing the palace of the viceroy, whence they took three fine horses, together with, some treasure and furniture, carrying away every thing they could lay hands upon.  They likewise advanced towards the castle, and skirmished with the Portuguese garrison.  When the viceroy returned and was made acquainted with the outrages committed by the Turks, he gave immediate orders to his officers to have every thing in readiness, and retired from Diu with 6000 men, going immediately to the king who was about two days journey up the country.  That same night a foist came from the city to our fleet with a supply of fresh bread, nuts, flesh, boiled rice, and other things, sent in the name of the king of Cambaya, all of which were taken into the Pachas galley.  On the 5th of September, the Pacha sent the Moorish captain and his Kiahya to join these on shore; and all the gallies sent their boats filled with janizaries to assist the native troops who were encamped round the castle, these being now reduced to not more than 2000 men, as all the rest had departed along with the viceroy and Khojah Zaffer.  On the 7th, the fleet removed to a very good port, thirty miles from Diu, called Muda Burack[226], where we got abundance of water.

[Footnote 226:  This place is afterwards called Mudafar-aba, and perhaps ought to be written Madaffer-abad.—­Ast.  I. 93. e.]

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A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.