“You ought to deal with such people, as you have seen me deal with many at Goa; and as I have lately treated my companion, whom I have dismissed from the Society, not having found him proper for our business.”  He meant Alvarez Pereyra, whom he had brought with him from the Indies, and whom he sent back from Sancian with the Portuguese vessels.

Amongst those merchants who went off from Sancian, there was one who made more haste than any of the rest; without giving notice of his departure to the Father, whom he had lodged in his cabin, or without waiting for a Chinese vessel, which he had bought at the port of Canton.  One morning while the Father was saying mass very early, this merchant had put off from shore, and fled with as much precipitation as if the island was ready to be swallowed by the sea.  After mass was ended, he looked round him, and not seeing him for whom he searched, “What is become of my host?” said he, with the looks and gesture of a man inspired.  Being answered, that he was already in open sea; “What could urge him,” continued he, “to so prompt a resolution? why did he not expect the ship which comes from Canton?  And whither is he dragged by his unhappy destiny?” That very evening the Chinese vessel was seen to arrive:  as for the fugitive merchant, he was no sooner landed at Malacca, when, going into a wood to seek materials for the refitting of his ship, he was poniarded by robbers.

All the Portuguese vessels being gone, saving only that which belonged to the governor of Malacca, or rather of which the governor had possessed himself by violence, Xavier was reduced to so great a want of all necessaries, that he had scarcely wherewithal to sustain nature.  It is certainly a matter of amazement, that they, whose lives he had preserved by changing the salt sea-water into fresh; should be so hard-hearted as to abandon him to die of hunger.  Some have thought that Don Alvarez had given orders, that all things should be refused him; but I rather think, that Providence would try him in the same manner, as sometimes God is pleased to prove those whom he loves the best, and permitted that dereliction of him for the entire perfection of the saint.

That which most afflicted him, was, that the Chinese interpreter, who had made him such advantageous offers, recalled his word, either of himself for fear of danger, or at the solicitation of those who were devoted to the governor of Malacca.  Yet the Father did not lose his courage; he still hoped that God would assist him some other way; and that, at the worst, Antonio de Sainte Foy might serve his turn for an interpreter.  But for the last load of his misfortunes, the merchant, who had engaged to land him on the coast of China, returned not at the time appointed, and he in vain expected him for many days.

Despairing of any thing on that side, he still maintained his resolution, and another expedient seemed to promise him success.  News was brought him, that the king of Siam, whose dominions are almost bordering on Malacca, and who also was in league with Portugal, was preparing a magnificent embassy to the emperor of China for the year following.  Whereupon Xavier resolved on returning to Malacca by the first opportunity, and to use his best endeavours, that he might accompany the ambassador of Siam to China.