Percyra had yet another thing which troubled him, concerning the voyage which Father Xavier had to make before that of China.  The season being already far spent, he feared there were no vessels at Malacca, which were bound for Goa.  He could not carry the Father to Cochin himself, because he was obliged to go on to Sunda, there to unlade his merchandize; but that apprehension was soon at an end, for Xavier, illuminated from heaven, told him positively, “That the ship of Antonio Pereyra was in the port of Malacca, and that they should find it just ready to weigh anchor, and set sail for Cochin.”

Xavier discovered these things to his friend during a great calm, which made the navigation pleasing; when suddenly they perceived one of those terrible hurricanes arising, which in a moment sink a vessel.  All the company gave themselves for lost; or if they had any hope remaining, it was only in consideration of the saint; and therefore they earnestly desired him to intercede with God in their behalf.  The holy man, without replying, retired to his devotions; he returned to them not long after, with his countenance all on fire, and gave his blessing to the ship, pronouncing these following words aloud:  “This vessel of the Santa Cruz[1] (for so she was named) shall never perish on the seas; the place where she was built, shall behold her fall in pieces of herself.  Might it please Almighty God,” continued he, “that the same could be said concerning that vessel which put to sea with us!  But we shall be witnesses too soon of her unhappy destiny.”  At that very instant appeared the signs, which were to begin the verification of the prophecy; the whirlwind was dissipated, and the sea grew calm.  Not long afterwards, they beheld the merchandize and dead bodies floating on the waters, and from thence concluded, that the hurricane had destroyed the ship which followed them.  Immediately their opinion was confirmed by two mariners, who had gotten on a plank when the ship was foundering; and who, having afterwards struggled with the waves, were driven by them to the board of Pereyra’s vessel.  The rest of the navigation was prosperous; a calmer season was never known.  The ship being landed at the port of Sincapour, Xavier (who knew certainly that Antonio Pereyra was at Malacca, ready to hoist sail towards Cochin, as we have said,) wrote to him by a frigate which went off, to desire that he would wait for him three days longer.  He wrote also, by the same conveyance, to Father Francis Perez, superior of the Jesuits at Malacca, and commanded all of them to provide refreshments for the Japonese, who came along with him.

[Footnote 1:  The Holy Cross.]